Latest / Sales Leadership with Fexingo: Quota Carriers, Sales Managers, and Revenue Teams / How to Sell When the Prospect Says They Need to Think About It
Transcript
- Lucas: So you've just finished what felt like a solid discovery call. The prospect was engaged, asked good questions, nodded along. Then you ask for the next step, and they say — I need to think about it. Luna: Classic. And it's one of those phrases that can mean anything from 'I'm not interested but don't want to say no' to 'I actually need to talk to my boss.' Lucas: Exactly. And the mistake most reps make is treating it like a soft yes. They smile, say 'sure, take your time,' and then send a generic follow-up email three days later that gets ignored. Luna: So what's the better move? Because I've definitely been guilty of that 'sure, take your time' line. Lucas: The better move is to immediately and politely probe for the specific doubt. The research on this is pretty clear — when a prospect says 'I need to think about it,' what they're really saying is 'I have a specific concern I'm not comfortable sharing yet.' Your job is to make it safe for them to tell you what it is. Luna: How do you do that without sounding pushy? Lucas: You ask a question like — 'I appreciate that. Often when people say they need to think about it, there's one specific thing they're weighing. Can I ask what that is for you?' The key is the phrase 'often when people say that' — it normalizes the hesitation. You're not accusing them of hiding something. You're saying, 'this is a common pattern, help me understand your version of it.' Luna: That does feel less confrontational. And I imagine the prospect's answer tells you exactly where the real objection is. Lucas: Right. They might say, 'Well, I'm not sure if the implementation timeline works for our team.' Or 'I'm worried about the upfront cost compared to the competitor.' Suddenly you're no longer stuck in 'think about it' limbo. You're back in a real conversation about a concrete issue you can address. Luna: There's a Gong study that backs this up. They analyzed thousands of sales calls and found that reps who asked a specific follow-up question within 24 hours of the 'think about it' response were about 40 percent more likely to move the deal forward compared to those who just sent a generic follow-up. Lucas: Forty percent — that's huge. And it makes sense because the generic follow-up just says 'checking in' or 'any thoughts?' which gives the prospect an easy out. They can just say 'still thinking' and the cycle continues. Luna: So the first step is the immediate probe. What's step two? Lucas: Step two is what I call the 'commitment to resolution.' Once the prospect tells you their specific doubt, you want to agree on a clear next step to resolve it. Not 'I'll send you some info' — that's too vague. You want something like, 'I can put together a one-page comparison of our timeline versus theirs by end of day. If that addresses your concern, would you be comfortable scheduling a thirty-minute call to move forward?' Luna: You're asking for a conditional yes before you even do the work. Lucas: Exactly. You're not just sending information into the void. You're saying, 'Here's the solution to your specific doubt. If that works, we have a path. If it doesn't, we can talk about what else might.' And that brings us to step three — follow through and follow up. Luna: Which is where most reps drop the ball, right? Lucas: Absolutely. They send the information and then they wait. But if the prospect said they'd be comfortable scheduling a call after seeing the info, you should schedule that call in the same email. 'Here's the document. I've gone ahead and put a thirty-minute placeholder on my calendar for Thursday at 2 PM — if that works, great. If not, let me know a better time.' You're making it easy for them to say yes. Luna: I like that. It shows confidence in your solution too. One thing I've noticed is that 'think about it' often comes up in group buying decisions. The prospect might genuinely need to consult others. How do you handle that? Lucas: That's a great point. In enterprise sales, 'I need to think about it' can be code for 'I need to get buy-in from my boss or the committee.' In that case, your probe should be different. You could say, 'I understand. Often when people say that, they need to discuss it with others. Is that the case here? And if so, what would help you make the case to them?' Luna: So you're basically offering to help them sell internally. Lucas: Exactly. You can offer to put together a one-pager for their boss, or even offer to join a meeting with the decision-maker. The prospect might be your biggest advocate, but they need ammunition. Give it to them. Luna: I want to circle back to the moment right after the prospect says 'I need to think about it.' The temptation is to fill the silence with more talking, right? Lucas: Biggest mistake reps make. They get nervous and start rambling — 'Take your time, no rush, here's my card, let me know if you have questions.' That actually undermines your position. The best response is to pause. Let the silence hang for a second. Then ask your probe question. Silence on your part signals confidence. It also builds a little pressure on the prospect to fill the space with their real concern. Luna: That takes practice. Most people are uncomfortable with silence in conversation. Lucas: It does. But it's one of the highest-leverage skills in sales. If you can resist the urge to speak first after the prospect says something vague, you'll often get the real objection without even asking for it. Luna: Let's talk about the follow-up email. Assuming the call ends with the prospect still saying they need to think, but you've done the probe and they've given you a vague concern. What's your email look like? Lucas: Keep it short. Subject line: 'Our conversation — next steps.' Body: 'Thanks again for your time. As I mentioned, I put together a quick comparison of our implementation timeline vs. the alternative. If this addresses your concern, I'd love to schedule a brief call to discuss. I've set aside Thursday at 2 PM — let me know if that works for you. If not, happy to find another time.' That's it. No fluff. No 'just checking in.' Luna: And if they don't respond? Lucas: Give it two business days. Then send a short follow-up. 'Hi, just following up on my previous email. Let me know if you have any questions about the comparison. If timing isn't right, I understand — just wanted to check in.' One more attempt. Then move on. You don't want to chase forever. Luna: I think the key takeaway for me is that 'think about it' doesn't have to be a dead end. It's actually a signal that you need to ask the right question. Lucas: Exactly. And the more you practice that probe, the more you'll realize that most prospects want to move forward. They just need help articulating their doubt and a clear path to resolution. Luna: One last thing — if these conversations have moved your work forward in any small way, listener support is what keeps this show ad-free and independent. If you find value in the episodes, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It genuinely helps us keep doing this. Lucas: Yeah, we appreciate every bit of support. And speaking of moving forward — next episode we're going to tackle the prospect who says 'Your price is too high.' That's a different beast entirely. Luna: Can't wait. See you next time.