Are your prospects dawdling?

When a prospect dawdles it's because they don't have a sense of needing to take urgent and immediate action. They are perfectly happy with their current situation.

Do you remember the last time you got a splinter? Or snagged a nail? Or perhaps got a stone in your shoe?

You probably responded pretty quickly to the irritation. Reaching for some tweezers, or scissors, or taking your shoe off. Maybe all three! That's what a sense of needing to take urgent and immediate action feels like.

When deals aren't moving forward quickly it’s often because this sense of immediate urgency doesn't exist for the prospect. It's a feeling thing, not a logical thing.

Think about it. If the prospect wanted to take urgent action they'd be the ones pestering you to get a meeting, follow-up on a proposal, or get started.

Instead, when they dawdle, it feels like you have more 'skin in the game' than they do. You can clearly see and articulate the issues they need help with. You can enthusiastically explain the way forward. But, and this is the challenge, you're speaking from yourperspective ... and in doing so you'll fail to lead the prospect into a buying state.

Next time a prospect is dawdling ask yourself, "what am I doing to change this person's emotional state? What's the stone in the shoe for them?"

Rather than trying to 'sell' them on the problem, and your solution, try this instead. Maintain rapport and ask questions that make the prospect more uncomfortable about the 'stone'. Listen to what they say and then ask what they'd like to do about their discomfort.

Often at that point they'll start selling you on their need for support.