Decoding Prospects’ Secret Language

LET’S FACE IT. Prospects have a language of their own. Sometimes they say one thing when they really mean another. Shocking, right? The language differences between sellers and buyers are akin to those between men and women; they’re often worlds apart. Fortunately, prospects have a few common responses that, once decoded, will help even the playing field. Prospect Code: “I’m happy with our current provider.” Common Translation: “You haven’t piqued my interest enough to get me to consider shifting from my comfortable surroundings to unknown territory.” Prospect Code: “It’s not in the budget.” Common Translation: “I could afford it if there were a return on my investment, but you just haven’t demonstrated enough value to justify the price.” Prospect Code: “Send me more information.” Common Translation: “I’m stalling. I don’t really see the value in what you’re proposing yet, but I just don’t have the courage to tell you.” Prospect Code: “I need to talk it over with someone else.” Common Translation: “I don’t have the authority to make this decision on my own,” or more commonly, “I’m just stalling because I’m not quite sold on your products or services, and I’m using someone else as the scapegoat.” Prospect Code: “Call me back in a few months.” Common Translation: “I’m going to tell you to call me back, but I intend to screen you like bugs in the summer. Don’t count on reaching me anytime soon!” Prospect Code: “I need to think it over.” Common Translation: “I’m still a bit uneasy and want to get some reinforcement from my inner circle before I agree.” Prospect Code: “I’ll have to look at the numbers.” Common Translation: “I might be interested, but I have to think about how to negotiate a better deal (or work it into my budget) before we can move forward.” Prospect Code: “That’s a long commitment.” Common Translation: “I don’t know you well enough to trust you just yet. Let’s date before we get married.” When prospects speak in code, they’re often stalling. It means they aren’t quite ready to share their real objections — likely because they don’t want to hurt your feelings, are embarrassed or are anxious about telling you the truth. While these translations don’t hold true 100 percent of the time, more often than not, they are accurate. To determine the true meaning of an objection, hold your ground and dig a bit more deeply with your prospect to reach the real root.