Jones Lang LaSalle

Do you make this critical sales mistake?

When a prospect says they’re not interested, do you say "Can I give you a call in six months or so?" Out of guilt, most prospects will say "yes" even though they have no intention of ever buying from you. Of course, you realize this, too. Six months later, you uneasily skip past the contact’s record along with all of the other names you regularly recycle each day. A better approach is to determine up front if these prospects will ever buy from you. Ask, "Mr. Prospect, under what circumstances would you ever see yourself considering another vendor?" Their answer may open the door for a potential opportunity down the road. If they won’t answer your question, write them off, move on and feel good that you got a final decision.