Some people like to think of a successful sale as a won battle of wits. In reality, however, it is primarily a matter of accurate diagnosis and attentiveness. This is harder than it seems, because the customer often communicates their state of mind to us before we are ready to accept it.
As a result, as salespeople, we waste a lot of energy not because the customer is deceiving us, but because we wait too long to notice and name what is happening right before our eyes. And what usually happens is something very mundane: the other party currently has no room for a decision. Or they aren’t ready for it. Or their priorities aren’t properly established. Or – which also happens – it’s just a matter of courtesy or an attempt to gauge the market, without any real desire to engage in the process.
The only remedy in such a situation is to listen and observe.
Signals are everywhere
One of the most unreliable reflexes in sales is trying to compile a definitive list of signals from the client. Eight signs, ten red flags, five gestures that reveal everything. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work in such a predictable way. Customers don’t read sales manuals; instead, they have their own pace, temperament, corporate infighting, acquisitions, implementations, operational fires, and schedules. These aren’t conditions taken from a laboratory.
For this reason, signals must be read broadly and carefully. Not just the verbal ones, but also the paraverbal ones (tension, pace, tone, and everything you can hear in the voice) and the nonverbal ones. Usually, you don’t need to be a psychologist to notice that the person across from you no longer wants to continue this conversation. They don’t ask follow-up questions. They don’t go into details. They respond without emotion.
Equally important are “behavioral” reactions. These can be even more revealing than gestures or facial expressions. Does the client show up for scheduled meetings? Do they call back if they couldn’t answer? Do they follow through on what we agreed upon? Do they pass the topic down to an assistant or someone who will “look over the documents in their spare time”? Do they clearly state what they need and when they want to start? Is the topic we’re discussing truly important to them right now, or is it just “something they’d like to get around to someday”? Because between these two attitudes lies a chasm of wasted time.
One of the most interesting signs – and at the same time one of the most frustrating – is the appearance of a new decision-maker at the final stage. For three meetings, we spoke with someone who assured us they were the decision-maker, only for them to suddenly inform us that approval from Mr./Ms. X is needed after all. This is either a sign that our interlocutor never had the authority to act from the start, or a deliberate maneuver to dilute the process. In both cases, the process falls apart.
Don’t let yourself get ghosted!
In my experience, as many as 40 to 60% of potential clients drop out of the sales process shortly before finalization, even if they participated in it of their own accord. In practice, it increasingly looks like this: we leave a successful meeting and schedule the next call. We send an email or text message as a reminder of what we discussed and what the next step will be. And that’s where it ends, because the client stops responding.
Most clients who ghost you aren’t silent because they’re rude or like to waste other people’s time. Some of them are simply trying to avoid confrontation. They fear that a clear refusal will cause trouble or provoke the salesperson’s persistence.
Others, however, are simply afraid of making a binding decision. A large amount of new information, comparisons, and analysis can cause confusion. Added to this is the fear of accountability, because a purchasing decision in a company has tangible consequences. If it turns out to be wrong, someone will have to explain it to someone else. Sometimes you have to justify your decisions to the board, sometimes to a business partner, sometimes to yourself. As a result, the client delays, puts things on hold, or freezes the issue. They don’t say an outright “no” to the salesperson because they haven’t even said a firm “no” to themselves.
Here’s what I do in this situation. When the customer is silent, I call back once, try again after two hours, and send a text message. If the silence continues, I send an email along the lines of: “I understand that we’re ending the process – thank you for the conversation so far.” And you know what? Some clients respond right then. It’s important that this message doesn’t sound like a complaint – it must express respect for the client’s time and autonomy.
The rest don’t respond at all. You have to accept that we have no control over this and stop getting frustrated by it.
Diagnosis at the beginning, not at the end
Most problems with the sales process stem from asking the most basic questions too late. When does the client even want to get started? What is their budget? Who makes the final decision in the company? Is there anything that could derail this process from within? In the industry, we refer to this initial screening process by the acronym BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline): budget, decision-making authority, need, and timeline.
Some salespeople delay asking these questions for fear of scaring the client away. I believe this is a costly mistake. Failing to make this assessment right at the start means we spend weeks talking to someone who either lacks the resources, lacks decision-making authority, or is simply doing market research and never intended to buy anything from us.
The sooner we find out who we’re talking to, the less time we’ll waste. This applies to both sides: the salesperson and the client.
At this stage, I also ask about the project’s priority. It’s important to quickly determine whether working with us will be the partner’s main focus for the day or just one of many topics to tackle this month. The best approach is to ask directly: “On a scale of one to ten – how important is this topic to you right now?” The difference between a three and a seven will be significant. Of course, we must not take offense at an answer that falls short of our expectations. The most important thing is to determine the reality of the company we’re dealing with before we commit the entire team to preparing an offer.
Asking the question this way also helps us avoid another pitfall. It often happens that we start working with clients we shouldn’t be working with. We let go of those who have the money but are harder to win over, in favor of those who are easier to win over but harder to work with in the future. Those who don’t deliver the promised materials, delay decisions, reschedule meetings – in short, despite signing a contract, they don’t treat us as a priority.
Don't just fix the symptoms. Start with a diagnosis
The client who feigns interest
A separate category of trouble is the so-called “false positive.” A client who collects offers as ammunition for negotiations with another supplier – and has even reached a preliminary agreement – but nevertheless expresses keen interest in working with us. Technically speaking, they aren’t lying. They genuinely ask questions, engage, and request details. However, their agenda is different from what they show us during the meeting.
How can you spot this? I like to give the client a little “homework.” For example, I send an NDA, ask for approval, and propose a longer working meeting. Someone who is just gathering comparative data will very quickly say, “I’d like to see the offer first, then we’ll meet.” That’s a classic shortcut. Seemingly innocent, but it means that someone wants to gain some knowledge without building a relationship and without much effort on their part.
The established order must be maintained: first the meeting, then the proposal. First, a discussion of the need, then a proposed solution. First, a minimum of mutual engagement, then deeper work. Sales don’t have to involve giving away your resources to anyone who expresses even the slightest interest.
When the conversation takes a wrong turn
Over the years of selling, I’ve learned that if I have a hunch, it’s best to speak up right away. Is the client fidgeting in their chair, clearly disinterested, and the conversation losing its rhythm? I ask bluntly: “Is what we’re discussing important enough to you that we should continue, or not?”
Some also use another trick, which involves… silence. Three or four seconds without a reaction after the customer finishes speaking. This pause makes more sense than it might seem. In an effort to break the silence, the client often suddenly adds something you’ve been waiting for: they dispel a doubt or admit to something they’ve been keeping in the back of their mind. It’s an inconspicuous but often effective way to elicit valuable information.
Of course, by making things clear, we may hear all sorts of things. There’s no need to fear this. If the client suddenly says, “I didn’t want this meeting; a colleague talked me into it” – fine, at least I know where I stand. I can simply confirm and ask whether it’s worth resuming the conversation at another time, or if we’re simply saying goodbye. Without taking offense or pretending.
The sales process shouldn’t be treated like a duel where we wear the other party down until we succeed. It’s a relationship between two adults who should know what they want and are trying to determine if they have something to offer each other. I give the client full autonomy: they can walk away from the process at any time. This makes much more sense than being pushy, which at best will end in insincere agreement, and at worst, ghosting.
It’s worth remembering that not every cool or passive reaction means there’s no potential for future cooperation. Sometimes we just catch them at a bad time. Sometimes a person really does have five meetings in a row, a new system rollout, a sudden change in management, and two operational crises before lunch. That’s exactly why you can’t base the process on assumptions. You have to ask questions, clarify, and verify. You talk completely differently with a company that’s determined to launch the process in a month than with someone who’s just starting to look around the market.
At Louder Higher, every project starts with listening, not with presenting ready-made answers. If you want to know what’s really blocking your sales process, schedule a conversation with our experts.
