When a Prospect says "We'll call you later" and doesn't

it means they aren't interested, and don't have the nerve to tell you.

They don't want or need your service an have a personal problem with just telling you to go away.

If you present yourself well and are desirable from a prospective employer's position then they may have to work out a few things but once you follow up and get a rejection then that is it.

There is no likely hope in that situation.

You can always follow-up later and sometimes people admire persistence but usually if you were or what you were selling was needed then the decision would be made on the first or second approach.

I recently...like 18 months ago...had a foreign student approach me for work.

I had no position available...but...

they presented well...

...they were studying their Masters of Accountancy at a well known University local to my business.

They had walked the street from where they were staying and had only been in the country for 6 days when they came in my door.

I did the usual "I have nothing but please leave me your resume thing"

They presented well and immediately sold me on their skills. They had retail experience...could use a variety of accountancy software...they spoke several languages...they explained they were looking for a secure position whilst they studied...etc..

They called me back later that day.

I offered a trial starting the next day.

They still work for me part time and full time when they are not studying.

They wouldn't have worked for me if they couldn't have painted the picture of how they fitted into my business.

If you paint that picture and the decision maker can visualise the outcome then there usually isn't too much delay between you painting and them buying.

Doubt....then there is perhaps not much chance.

Work on eliminating that doubt from the first words that you use to engage your next prospect.

The only thing I would add is if they say something like that try and pin them down to a time and date.

Something along the lines of

'Great when we're you thinking of'

'Do you have your diary and we can arrange an appointment?'

This will weed out some of the not interesteds but not all.

If you do get a time and date follow up with an email or letter if you can. Include the time and date and the fact that they decided on it. If you've read influence you'll see we are trying to invoke consistency.

For the vast majority of the time Claude's right.

You need to read Claude's Sales Prospecting book. He answers that question.

He tells it like it is.

Yeah, it's a no. You did not convince them at all.

I've heard of people getting a job this way when they study the company they want to
work for and present a pretty detailed plan that tells the "what, why, and how" about how
they will improve the business, increase revenues ...

One young man I read about was hired as a Vice President.

Dan

If qualified and they'll actually benefit from what your offering theres 2 reasons people dont buy.

1- they don't trust you
2- they don't understand

or it may be both.

Build rapport and trust throughout your presentation. Its really hard to back peddle and try to build trust again. they usually make that decision pretty quick. that means your left with they "dont understand" and know ones gonna tell you there stupid and didnt understand so there gonna say theyll call you back instead. Ask questions, find out what portion of your opportunity they still have concerns about, address there concerns and close.

very rarely will you just get a lay down and they say yes the first time you ask them to buy. circle close until you wear them out and they say yes. everyone knows callbacks are BS

The secret to sales is to retain your control. What you're currently experiencing is the Karpman Drama Triangle which means you're "playing" a game with them. When you break out of the cycle of back and fourth, that's when they take you seriously. What you need to do is CALL THEM OUT.

As others have said, you ask questions which demand an answer which helps you determines whether you're coming or going.

I'm not a fan of asking a better time to call back or when they should expect my call etc.The reason is because you're just asking time stall delaying question. Yes you can attempt to close them on a future appointment but it still doesn't reveal they're real concerns.

Clients push you around because you let them. It's not their fault, its your fault because you let them control your time. They can play their positions as a client but you need to play your position as a salesperson and you MUST be better, knowing when to move on, when to close, when to pin down and get real answers.

I'm waffling on a bit but I had this one prospect which I was calling straight for nearly a month, every other day. He would always say "I'll call you back", Call you at 5pm etc. I couldn't qualify him in or out because he would never talk. Enough was enough. That day I said:

"Quick question Barry... why haven't you told me to piss off already?"

He laughed and now took me serious and we spoke like adults. I qualified him OUT.

You need to get prospects to level with you. Don't let them control you so you could say next time:

"We have delayed our conversation many times now. Level with me, do you still want my product/service? and what is YOUR MAIN concern"

I always get them to reveal the problem when I say "what is YOUR MAIN concern".

Study sales so you can handle all situations.

Good luck.

When someone says they will call you later - they almost never do. Even if they are interested and a perfect fit - life gets in the way and that little scrap of paper they wrote your info on got lost somewhere. Not to mention they forgot about you 5 minutes after the talk.

"I'll call you later" just means you need to make a note to call them back. That is all it means.

"I'll call you later" means "Call me later"

I have closed some great deals on the 15th phone call. If they really don't want it - they will let you know.

I have had many, many (did I say many?) people thank me for the aggressive follow up. People are busy and they procrastinate. At least once a week someone says "Thank you for staying in touch."

Don't be lassiez faire about this. Take full responsibility for the sales cycle.

Something that's worked like magic for me is setting deadlines

Deadlines add a sense of urgency, and create momentum to get the deal done NOW.
You have to convey that sense of urgency in your presentation.

It's not necessarily a price deadline, could be a particular package or a model, a rebate that is not available after .... You get the picture.

If it's your business, you get to create the deadline.

A consistent use of deadlines will allow you to close more business - sooner -
than just about anything else.

With jobs, it's pretty much a "Don't call us again."

It depends on how much you really need the job or sale or client...if you're desperate, keep in touch until you get a definite NO...and even when you do get a no, take it as a not right now. Persistence can pay off...I have gotten many clients that have said they admired my "persistence" and became great clients.
When you're starting out and your business is not established you sometimes have to become what some might consider as a "nuisance"

It's too bad all this stuff is just here in this forum. If the people here had a way to get these messages out to the people who need to hear it, everything could change.

It just goes to show - nobody has any excuse for not having what we want. My life isn't how I want it to be quite yet - and it's all my fault. My head isn't right in those areas. But I am getting there.

I don't believe anyone is every truly at zero - even if they think they are. Even when I got food from a charity 15 years ago after my first real business failed - I thought I was at zero.

I was terminally hopeless and felt like a loser - but I was wrong.

It's funny - how that one decision years ago caused millions of dollars to flow through your hands.

You simply said "I am GOING to do this" - and you damn well did it!

Leave them. Never chase a client. Have it the other way around.

Wasting your time. Never let a prospect run you around in circles.

they are telling you:

1. they might be flat out busy, you should be calling them anyway
2. you haven't tuned your target market, wasting your time on poor prospects
3. you haven't quite generated enough interest in your pitch.

Very frequent and it surprises/hurts me everytime... As Claude Whiteacre said : they "don't have the nerve" to tell you they are not interested. Me, when someone acts like this with me, I blacklist him/her without delay. I'm a little bit wild and the diplomatie is not for me; I far prefer the persons who are directs and franks (ie. as rare as valuable) even when they are not interested! We all gain time and energy...