Bring It Forward

Another common situation involves the stall objection or the timing objection. A customer may say: "Sounds good but we can't look at it until the next quarter or our next fiscal year. Call me in six months." The timing may not be good or they need to stall until a new budget becomes available. My strategy in these situations is to bring it forward—bring the situation forward as if the customer were making a decision today. Simply invite the customer to enter into the hypothetical arena and ask, "Hypothetically, if you were to consider making a decision today, what would you be looking for? What's important to you?" Maximize this opportunity with the customer, do a mini-discovery to learn some initial criteria for when it comes time to make a decision. You then provide a mini-presentation, giving your customer some insight into what your solution can offer. If your customer is receptive and sees value, ask him or her a hypothetical close, "If you were to make a decision today, would you buy from me?" Remember, reiterate to the customer that this is all hypothetical so by no means are they making a commitment. By going through this bring it forward strategy, you and your customer know there is valid reason to take a serious look at you come decision time.

This strategy far outweighs the alternative, which is to say to your customer: "Okay fine, I understand you won't be looking at this for six months. I'll call you then." Don't leave yourself vulnerable to the competition. Secure an initial commitment by using the bring it forward strategy and you may pique the customer's interest enough that he looks forward to having a serious conversation with you at the appropriate time. Heck, he may even say to your competitors, "Thanks for calling but we're already looking at somebody."

Your overall objective is to deliver a creative, value-added solution that leaves no doubt in the customer's mind that you're the best solution. Make a vivid impression with an innovative, convincing presentation. Cookie-cutter, boring presentations do little to advance the sale—customers buy differences, not similarities.

Don't overlook the you solution. Your competitor may offer similar products or services with competitive pricing, but they can't duplicate you. Next time you're asked the question, "Why should I buy from you?" look the customer square in the eyes and say, "Because I'm your salesperson." Don't depend on a product solution or a price solution to differentiate yourself. Your greatest asset is yourself.