Overcome Sales Objections – “I want to think it over…” What Every Salesperson MUST Do to Avoid This

Let’s be honest: No six words are more frustrating to a salesperson than, “I want to think it over.”

If you’ve been hearing this phrase a lot lately, here’s the bad news: It’s your fault.

But there’s also good news: You can avoid ever hearing these words again if you simply take a couple of simple steps to overcoming objections in sales.

Overcoming objections in sales is hard for most salespeople, but that’s because they set themselves up to get objections.

You don’t have to learn some fancy ninja-headlock closing technique to solve this.

Instead, I’m going to show you a shockingly simple way to change how you approach “think it overs.” This will also change the way you think about sales altogether.

In this video and article, you’ll learn what every salesperson must do to start overcoming objections in sales and avoid the response, “I want to think it over.”

4 Keys to Overcoming Objections in Sales

If you aren’t thinking about overcoming objections in sales until you get to the close of your presentation, it’s already too late.

When a prospect has an objection at the end of your meeting, it’s because you lost them earlier in the conversation.

Overcoming objections in sales starts at the beginning of every sales meeting.

Superstar salespeople know that overcoming objections in sales is best accomplished by avoiding those objections altogether.

Fortunately, avoiding objections doesn’t have to be complicated.

In fact, I’ve found that you only need four simple keys to overcoming objections in sales.

Enter every meeting with these keys in mind, and you’ll stop hearing “I want to think it over…” and start closing more sales.

Read on to learn the four keys every salesperson should know to overcoming objections in sales.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Tip #1: Stop trying to get a “yes.”

Let’s be very clear about what a “think it over” response actually is.

“Think it overs” are really just a nice way of the prospect telling you “no.”

Prospects don’t avoid telling you “no” outright because they have a super nice agenda.

They do it because they’re feeling a lot of pressure in the selling situation to tell you “yes.”

That pressure is your fault.

If a prospect feels pressured to say “yes,” then that means the salesperson was putting pressure on the prospect to say “yes” in the first place.

On the other hand, when you aren’t trying to get a “yes,” the prospect will feel the freedom to be honest with you, which is key to overcoming objections in sales.

Moving forward, instead of trying to get a “yes,” focus on determining if a prospect is actually a fit in the first place.

This means that the outcome of a “no” is also OK.

It’s far better to get an honest “no” and move on than to drag things out forever and waste your time on a “think it over” that really means “no.”

Overcoming Objections in Sales Tip #2: Help prospects determine the value.

Many prospects say “I want to think it over” because they’re simply not seeing the value in what you’re selling.

The distance between the state they’re currently in and the outcomes that you’re offering them in the future isn’t compelling enough to cause them to want to invest in your offering.

You can fix that.

During the sales process, you need to spend a lot of time helping prospects calculate the actual value of solving their challenges, and thus, investing in your solution.

That means you should be asking a question such as, “If you were able to solve the challenges that you mentioned to me, what would that mean to your organization?”

A little hint: Be sure to get a dollar-value answer here, otherwise the answer won’t help you with overcoming objections in sales.

Once the prospect tells you the value of solving their challenges, you’ll help them see the exact value of your solution.

Creating value around your offering is key to avoiding and overcoming objections in sales.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Tip #3: Get a budget before giving price.

One of the most common reasons that sales fall off track—even when a prospect is eager and interested in buying from you—is a lack of clarity around a budget.

For years, salespeople have been telling me that they can’t get a budget. This is one of the top complaints I hear from salespeople who struggle with overcoming objections in sales. 

My response is always the same: If you’re having trouble getting a budget and overcoming objections in sales, it means that you’re asking for a budget incorrectly.

Now, there are a number of ways to do it, but I’ll share with you two very simple yet tactical approaches to getting a budget from any prospect.

First, after you’ve gone through their challenges, you just want to ask a simple question like, “Do you have a budget for this project?”

Now, they may or may not have a budget, and they may or may not be forthcoming with that information.

Let’s just say that the prospect says, “No. I don’t have a budget.”

Then, you move on to the second method for overcoming this common objection in sales: the range budget question.

This will sound something like, “George, based on what you’ve told me, a solution to your challenges would range anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000. Where in that range could you see yourself, if at all?”

That is, of course, a much easier question to answer.

Whether you use an open-ended question or the range budget question, establishing a budget is key to overcoming objections in sales.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Tip #4: Don’t try so hard to close sales.

It’s time to take the pressure off the situation—at all times.

Anytime prospects feel pressure to buy from you, they’re going to be very likely to give you an “I want to think it over.”

In fact, 44% of prospects report that the primary reason they don’t enjoy meeting with salespeople is because they feel pressured by salespeople with their own agendas.

When a prospect feels pressured, they’re going to say whatever they have to in order to get you out of their office.

You need to be totally comfortable that some sales are going to end in a “no.”

In fact, that’s really great, because if you get “nos” instead of “think it overs,” you’re going to have more time for quality prospects and will get far more “yeses” in the long run.

You don’t need any high-pressure closing techniques to start overcoming objections in sales.

You just need to ask great sales questions throughout the selling situation to get on the same page with the budget.

If you do this, there is no formal close. All you’re doing is just determining the logical next step to benefit the prospect.

By focusing more on having a good two-way conversation than closing the sale, you’ll build rapport with prospects and start overcoming objections in sales.

Conclusion: Plan Ahead to Master Overcoming Objections in Sales

Overcoming objections in sales starts before you ever set foot in a sales meeting.

That’s why planning ahead is key.

If you’re tired of hearing “I want to think it over…” at the end of a sales presentation, remember these four keys to overcoming objections in sales.

First, stop trying to get a yes.

If you’re pressuring prospects to tell you yes, they won’t feel the freedom to tell you no—so they’ll give you a wishy-washy “think it over” response instead.

This wastes your time and prevents you from moving on to the next prospect in your pipeline.

Second, take time to help your prospect establish the value of your solution to start overcoming objections in sales.

Have your prospect tell you the exact amount of money they could make or save by solving their organization’s key challenges.

Then, you’ll know exactly what your solution is worth.

Third, if you want to start overcoming objections in sales, you have to get a budget before you ever give a price.

Use an open-ended budget question or the range budget question to get an idea of what your prospect is willing to invest.

Finally, don’t try so hard to close sales.

Relax—because if you’re feeling pressured to close the sale, your prospect will feel pressured, too.

Focus on determining if your offering is a fit for your prospect, and those who are a good fit will be much more likely to trust you and invest in your solution.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Bonus Tip #1: Use feedback loops.

When it comes to overcoming objections in sales, feedback loops are your best secret weapon.

Feedback loops are actually scientifically proven to help you build rapport and connect on a deeper level with prospects, all while helping you avoid objections in the first place.

So, if you’re looking to master overcoming objections in sales, implement feedback loops as a core part of your strategy during selling interactions. A feedback loop is simply asking a question to get some immediate feedback or a quick response from the prospect.

It’s also a great way for you to take the pulse of a sales presentation to see how it’s going. I recommend using a feedback loop as frequently as every 45 seconds or so during any sales interaction.

Some top feedback loop questions to ask include: “Does that makes sense?” “Do you see what I’m saying?” “Does that work for you?” “Is that OK?” “Right?” and “Am I on the right track here?”

Overcoming Objections in Sales Bonus Tip #2: Stop pitching.

When you revert to the old-fashioned, outdated sales technique of pitching your product, you’re not going to be overcoming objections in sales anytime soon.

Don’t give an enthusiastic, cheerful, sales-y account of your best offerings—prospects today just don’t want to hear it.

I guarantee that if you pitch, you’re going to encounter far more objections in sales than if you use any other approach.

Instead of pitching your product, focus on the challenges of your prospect and dig deep to uncover how you can help them before ever talking about the details of what you sell.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Bonus Tip #3: Not all prospects are a fit.

Disqualification is a foreign word for most salespeople. But overcoming objections in sales requires that we disqualify prospects who aren’t a good fit.

Qualified prospects are far less likely to give you objections about budget, price, timing, and other key factors during the sales process. Why? Because you’ve already determined that they’re qualified—they need your product, they have the money to pay for it, and they’re motivated to fix their top challenges.

If you waste your time on unqualified prospects, most of that time is going to be spent overcoming objections in sales instead of closing them.

In fact, nearly 50% of all prospects you get in front of will not be a good fit for what you sell. Accept that you will be a step closer to overcoming objections in sales.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Bonus Tip #4: Know the decision-making process.

This is so important, but few salespeople take the time to understand the prospect’s decision-making process when they’re selling.

At the start of your sales process, make it a habit to discover as much as you can about the prospect’s decision-making process in order to ensure you’ll be overcoming objections in sales.

For example, is your prospect the key decision maker? How many other people are involved? Who are they? What does the typical decision-making process look like at the organization? How long does it usually take? And who should be your main point-person to follow up with throughout the process?

Answering these questions early on can help you avoid the objections “I need to think it over…” and “I just need to run this by my boss/subordinate…” which all salespeople dread.

Overcoming Objections in Sales Bonus Tip #5: “No” is much better than “maybe.”

If you’re always afraid of hearing “no,” you’re going to have a hard time overcoming objections in sales. 

Hearing “no” from prospects early on in the discovery process is actually key to overcoming objections in sales because it helps you weed out bad prospects before you waste time with them.

The more prospects who say “no” instead of “maybe,” the more quickly you can move on to qualified prospects and avoid being strung along by prospects who are going to bring up every objection in the book.

So there you have it. Now you know what every salesperson must do to avoid “I want to think it over.” I want to hear from you. Which of these ideas did you find most useful? Be sure to share below in the comments section to get involved in the conversation.