Perhaps, one of the most common dilemmas that we face in the selling industry is to get stuck in trying to decide whether we continue following up a customer to get their decision on our quotes or let them take the time they needed consequently having us wait and expect something from their decision. In this month’s live discussion, we explore the different points of this subject with the topic, “Getting Decisions on Your Outstanding Quotes.”

Do you find it hard to get decisions on quotes that have been outstanding, for what seems like, forever? Why do you think they stay outstanding or ‘pending’ depending on what you call it?

In the past – I’m talking when I first started out in Sales, I wouldn’t follow up with my customers because I didn’t want to ‘pester’ them. I was too scared of my customers telling me that we didn’t win the business. I was too afraid of them saying ‘no’.

With over 25 years under my belt, I now understand that I was going about it all wrong. Customers are allowed to say no and so are you. Getting a decision – either way, allows you to ‘wrap it up’ and move on to sourcing other business, or start working on a profitable business.

Let’s wind back time. If you got all the right information, at the very first step

• • Did you take the requirements from the customer and give them a proposal right away (server)?
  • Did you get to understand the customer’s needs and wishes (consultant)
  • Did you meet with the customer to understand how you could work alongside them to make your product or service flexible to their needs to ensure you help them with their desired outcomes (champion)

Getting decisions is less about waiting for the customer to make up their mind but should be more about you giving the product or service that the customer didn’t realise you could offer, but will enhance their desired state or outcomes and eventually making it easier for them to decide on getting your product.

You’ll find their decisions become more urgent because they don’t want to lose out on the availability, product or service that you offer.

Like a home or building, sales is about building strong foundations for an ever evolving and durable future.

Getting decisions from your customers on your outstanding quotes can be painstaking but be made efficient through assuring them that your product is very much beneficial to them or their business and they need to understand the urgency of purchasing it immediately.

Are you still unsure how to efficiently handle customers who take time to decide on your quotes? Maybe we can help so feel free to book a consultation with us below and we’ll see how we can address your specific requirements: