The Holiday Put Off

Does this sound familiar?

You: "So, can we meet on Tuesday at 9 a.m.?"

Prospect: "How about if you just call me after the holidays?"

What is your comeback? That certainly is a difficult objection to overcome. The client has every right to put you off and this obstacle, unlike many others, comes with a glimmer of hope as opposed to the other objections that you hear.

Here's my suggestion for how to deal:

You: "Okay. I understand. How about if I give you a day to recover and call you on Tuesday, January 6, and we will set up a time to meet?"

Prospect: "That would be fine." (customer will likely see this as a way to get you off the phone and agree)

You: "Terrific. I will call you in the morning. Have a wonderful holiday season."

At this point, the client will begin the process of forgetting all about you. That should not take long. But you have work to do.

The customer believes that he has brushed you off. You, however, have just made an appointment to make an appointment. Your next move will make that happen…

Just before New Year’s day, send an e-mail to the client writing something like this:

>

What you’ve just done is to confirm your "appointment." You are not lying and you are not being sneaky. The customer agreed to take your call. You are just affirming that up with a specific time. The final step is simply to make the call.

It’s not foolproof but it is better than leaving things to chance.

Bill Farquharson is a Vice President at NAPL. His training programs can drive the sales of print reps and selling owners. Check out his Sales Resources page and contact him at (781) 934-7036 or bfarquharson@napl.org