Most sales people especially those who learnt their trade in the 1980’s and 90’s would have been trained to look and listen for “buying signals during a sales pitch. Mark Dembo, President, of Lexien Management Consultants, has been in sales and marketing for more than 20 years and he has an interesting view on the subject. Mark reckons that buying signals can be important; but they can also easily be misinterpreted. Quoting from his own piece on the subject, he went on to say, “I recently read an article in which the author equates certain statements or requests from your prospect with indication they are ready to buy. For example:

Your prospect repeats a question that has been answered fully.

• Your prospect asks for a sample
• Your prospect makes “positive noises.”
• * Your prospect makes “any comment or question about price”
• Your prospect asks for references.
• Your prospect asks for your guidance or opinion.
• Your prospect mentions a negative experience with a previous supplier.

Are these buying signals? Maybe. Maybe not. They could simply be questions that serve to clarify or gain an understanding of what you can do for them. Certainly, queries or comments like those listed above indicate that your prospect is at least “playing ball” with you - that they are engaged in an active sales process, and have some level of interest.”

Prospective customers can be very indecisive when it comes to spending money and probably rightly so especially if they know little or nothing about the product or service on offer. Whilst having a detailed knowledge of cars or computers when it comes to choosing a domestic household gadget, furniture or even a holiday, some will go blank and are unwilling to make a quick decision.

Back in the early 1900’s when a certain Booth Hoover, began selling vacuum cleaners. He discovered people found it hard to make a decision buying such an unfamiliar and very expensive electrical gadget especially when only 6% had any electricity installed in to their house. To get round the problem he came up with a novel idea. He advertised in regional newspapers all over the USA offering a home free trial. This method produced enough sales leads to appoint a commission only agent in each region, usually a local storeowner, who took care of the demonstration and sale. The free trial was the key, a perfect low risk strategy for the customer, a product that worked and with the help of a local agent, almost certainly known to many of the customers, the sales rolled in.

Countering indecision

The truth is helping people to make up their mind is not being pushy and in most cases can be an act of kindness. Aesop acknowledged the problem in his fable about the Ass, which starves himself to death while standing between two stacks of hay, unable to decide the more desirable to eat.  A customer will more often be grateful for your assistance in helping them identify the right product so they can easily come to a decision, than resent your efforts to persuade them to buy. If the customer has established a need for your product and still cannot make the decision to buy, there will be a feeling of anxiety and discomfort because of not reaching a positive decision. The prospective customer will feel resentment because they do not have what it is they wanted. Moreover, the salesperson will have failed through not adequately explaining the benefits of their offer or managing to remove any associated risk to the purchase.

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