Of course it’s lovely when a buyer volunteers the sale and asks you where to pay, and in some cases, Sales for Nice People gets you exactly that outcome.
But even a diligent student of the SFNP system has to accept that sometimes, a buyer just isn’t ready yet to step into the sale.
When that happens, it’s on you to propose a good next step, something that will be helpful to the buyer but also for the deal.
Because if you don’t and you just leave it at "Well ok, let me know…", it’s likely that they won’t and then they don’t get the help and you don’t get the deal.
So, here’s three ways to create a next step with your buyer, and keep the deal moving forward.
Next step, type 1:
This is when your buyer clearly signals that they are keen, but they just need more information and you’ve run out of time.
In that case, you simply say:
"Given this conversation and how you seem to be keen to figure out whether or not to get my help, would it make sense to schedule another conversation to answer your questions and go over the details?"
Next step, type 2:
This one is useful for when you sense they’re interested, but they didn’t overtly say so, and they’re not giving unmistakable signals, either.
If you then try and push for a next meeting, you might come across as needy or too eager, which is going to push your buyer away instead of keeping them in the conversation.
So in that case, you soften the message:
"We’re about to run out of time, but I have a feeling that given some more insight, you might actually choose our solution. Can’t be sure, we need more time. So would it be a bad idea to have another conversation, to answer your questions and go over the details?"
This way, you’re giving them a choice, rather than an invitation.
Next step, type 3:
In some cases, you just can’t get a good enough read on where your buyer is at, for you to use either of the two previous messages.
In most cases, a seller will then revert to the ineffective "Let me know" message, but there’s a better way:
Give your buyer homework.
Whether you’re a coach or a consultant or an agency, there’s always things that your buyer can go off and do.
Maybe talk to their co-founder, pull up an analytics dashboard, do a journalling exercise, send an email to their list to get feedback…
Whatever it is, don’t let your buyer wonder off into the unknown without any next steps, so instead choose an action that will be helpful for them, and say something like:
"Since we’re coming up on time and I sense that you’re as yet undecided, maybe it would be helpful if I give you some homework. Where you mentioned that your new offer might really click with your audience but you’re not sure yet, what if you send an email about it to your list, and see what feedback you get?"
(Or talk to their co-founder, review analytics, or whatever is relevant based on the content of the conversation).
Next you agree to a date for when they’ll follow up and report back to you, and that’s when you continue the conversation.
This way, if your buyer does the homework, you achieve several things:
- They spend more time with you in their head, and that’s good for the deal
- They’ll take action on something useful, which is good for them
- You have an agreement in place for when they’ll get back to you, obviating having to follow up with an early-stage buyer who’s likely to ghost you
- You’ll test whether or not your buyer follows through on their commitments, which is a pretty useful datapoint
Either way, always make sure that you have some sort of next step defined. Yes, "I’ll reconnect at a later date" might work, but a next meeting or setting homework is much, much more effective.