How to Handle a ‘Not Now’ Objection

When a prospect has made the decision to buy your product, and the only question remaining is when, most salespeople automatically feel that it must be done now! Buyers, however, have their own agendas and when they decide against buying right now, a salesperson may interpret the put-off as a turndown.

When faced with the objection, “Not now,” many salespeople make the mistake of pressing on even after the sale has technically been made. They don’t realize that the buyer wants their product but it doesn’t hold as high a priority as other considerations. Instead of bashing away in a futile attempt to get immediate action, try to help the prospect establish a priority level. Since both parties have agreed to the validity of buying and now it’s simply a question of when, the prospect will be glad for the extra attention and the value-added help with setting a priority schedule.

Begin by asking your prospect to define the priorities as he or she sees them. What other purchase is the company going to make? What are the budget constraints? When will the budget for your product be available? What possible problems may crop up between then and now to derail the purchase? Can the prospect give you a purchase order now with a later date specified for the delivery and payment? These are all good starting points to ensure that the sale is yours and to make the prospect feel more at ease about top priorities at that moment. It will also give the salesperson a frame of reference for the way this company makes decisions about buying and could therefore be useful in the future.

Professionals do not get upset or become unglued when their offer appears to have been put on hold temporarily. They don’t spin their wheels in the sell mode. They realize that the prospect has accepted the product and smoothly make the transition to the when mode. It is also the point where the sale should be driven by the prospect’s need and not the salesperson’s. We are striving to help someone who needs our product or service but feels that other considerations should take precedence. The buyer will see the salesperson’s urgency as caring and understanding rather than bullying and insensitive.

Some salespeople get upset and blame the customer’s stupidity for his lack of enthusiasm after viewing our package of values. This is not always the case. The customer may be merely trying to postpone the inconvenience of a new system, a change in procedure, a change in location, a change in production scheduling. It has nothing to do with his IQ or the ability of your product and your company to satisfy a need. Remember the last time you fought one of your manager’s suggestions because of the changes needed to implement? Did the results prove the value of the instructions?

Let’s try to keep our focus on the human aspect of our jobs. Allow the customer’s feeling to overpower your own desire to put a sale in your win column. Give the customer the same consideration you expect when you are the buyer.

The next time you make a purchase, examine your thought processes and pay close attention to your fears and the position the salesperson assumes when you hesitate to take delivery. It will be very clear to you whether the seller is driven by your need or his own.