8 Strategies to Overcome "I Want to Think It Over" and Win More Deals

It‘s happened to every salesperson. You pour your heart into an opportunity, investing significant time and resources to demonstrate how your solution is uniquely positioned to solve the customer‘s pressing challenges. The buyer seems genuinely interested and engaged throughout the process.

But when you go to ask for the sale, you get hit with the dreaded phrase: "Thanks for the info. I need to think it over and get back to you."

Your heart sinks. Did you misread the buying signals? Is the deal really in jeopardy? What does the prospect actually need to "think over"? And is there anything you can do to get things back on track?

Before you resign yourself to a stalled deal or misplaced optimism, consider these proven strategies to tactfully dig deeper, uncover the real objections, and increase the odds of securing a positive buying decision.

1. Clarify Their Specific Concerns

"I want to think it over" is often a smokescreen obscuring the real reasons holding a buyer back. It could be anything from budget concerns to timing issues to competitive pressure. The only way to find out is to ask.

Try responding with curiosity rather than pushing for a close. You might say something like:

"I completely understand the need to think it through. As you‘re weighing the decision, are there any specific aspects of the solution you‘re unsure about or want to explore further? I‘m happy to provide more details!"

The key is to invite them to elaborate so you can zero in on their hesitations and proactively address them. Even if you can‘t resolve things on the spot, you‘ll be better positioned to provide the exact information they need to feel comfortable moving forward.

2. Quantify the Cost of Inaction

If a prospect is stalling, it often means they don‘t feel sufficiently motivated to change from the status quo. One way to create urgency is to help them see the tangible business impact of not taking action.

For instance, you might say: "I certainly understand needing to weigh this carefully, especially given everything on your plate. As you‘re considering, I would encourage you to think about the potential revenue/cost savings we discussed that you‘re leaving on the table each additional quarter this initiative is delayed. Conservatively, that‘s [insert number] based on the goals you shared."

By quantifying the opportunity cost, you‘re not arm-twisting, but rather holding up a mirror to the implications of standing still. Inertia is a powerful force, so it‘s critical that buyers see a compelling, quantifiable rationale to embrace change now.

3. Summarize Their Objectives

Sometimes a prospect gets so bogged down evaluating options that they lose sight of what they‘re trying to achieve in the first place. Reminding them of their overarching goals is a subtle way to get the momentum going again.

You might say: "You know, Mary, I was thinking back to our initial conversations and the objectives you laid out for this project – increasing sales productivity by X% and adoption of the new CRM by Y date. Those are ambitious but achievable goals. If we can lock in a decision this month, we‘ll be able to work backwards from those targets and get you there on schedule. What else can I provide to help you feel great about moving forward?"

The buyer will appreciate that you‘re focused on their success, not just making a sale. And gently revisiting the objectives provides a north star to guide their decision criteria and timelines.

4. Offer Relevant Resources

Some prospects need to think it over simply because they don‘t feel they have all the information required to make a confident decision. In that case, the most helpful thing you can do is offer to fill in any blanks.

You might respond by saying: "I‘m glad to give you the time and space you need to make the right decision. What additional information would be most helpful as you‘re weighing options? I‘m happy to share relevant case studies, ROI analyses, or technical documentation. And I can set up a call with our product experts or references in your industry. Let me know how I can make the evaluation process easier for you!"

Most buyers will appreciate the offer of additional decision support, as long as it‘s not positioned as a pressure tactic. Providing tangible resources shows you‘re there to help, not just hound them for a signature.

5. Involve Other Stakeholders

Occasionally "I need to think it over" really means "I need to get my boss/team/spouse on board." If your contact is not the ultimate decision maker, then your best bet is to expand the conversation to include other key stakeholders.

One way to broach this is to say: "It sounds like there are others on your team who will be central to this decision. Since alignment is so important, what do you think about bringing them into the conversation sooner than later? I‘d be happy to walk them through the proposal details, answer any questions they have, and ensure we have consensus around the right solution. Let me know if it would be helpful to get a meeting on the calendar."

Looping in other stakeholders doesn‘t have to be pushy. Position it as a way to streamline the evaluation process, build agreement, and ensure no one is caught off guard down the line. Nine times out of ten, your customer will appreciate you doing the heavy lifting to get everyone on the same page.

6. Set a Concrete Next Step

If a prospect truly does need more time to make a decision, the worst thing you can do is leave things open-ended. Always end the conversation with a clearly defined next step, ideally with the prospect committing to take a specific action.

For example: "I‘m happy to give you the room to think it through and discuss with your team. Let‘s reconvene next Tuesday afternoon to go over any outstanding questions and see if you‘re ready to move forward. How does 1:30pm look on your calendar? And please let me know if you need any other information in the meantime."

Establishing a firm follow-up touchpoint accomplishes two things: 1) It prevents opportunities from slipping into no man‘s land, and 2) It subtly positions a decision as the expected outcome of the next conversation. Of course, some flexibility is required, but at least you‘re maintaining some control of the timeline.

7. Follow Up with Value

Let‘s say you‘ve agreed to give the prospect a week to review things with their team before reconvening. Don‘t just go radio silent during that time. Find authentic reasons to stay in touch and add value along the way.

For instance, you might send over a relevant article with a note: "Hi John, I saw this piece about the top X challenges leaders in your industry are facing this year and thought of you! It echoes a lot of what you shared in terms of your key priorities. Let me know if you‘d like to discuss further. Looking forward to continuing our conversation next week!"

Or maybe you come across an insight specific to their business and send a quick email: "Mary, I was doing some additional research on your company and noticed your CFO mentioned plans to expand into X new market in the latest earnings call. That‘s really exciting and, from my perspective, only reinforces the need for the type of solution we‘ve been discussing to ensure those growth plans are well supported. Happy to chat live if you‘d like. Talk to you Tuesday!"

The key is to stay top of mind without being a pest. Focus on being genuinely helpful and you‘ll strike the right balance.

8. Ask for Honest Feedback

If all else fails and the prospect goes dark or continues dragging their feet, don‘t be afraid to ask for direct feedback. This is your final Hail Mary to resurrect a stalled deal and/or get closure you can learn from.

Try something like: "Hi Steve, I know we had planned to regroup today to discuss next steps on the project. I haven‘t heard back from you, so I‘m guessing you‘re still not ready to move forward. I completely respect that and just want to open the door to honest feedback. Are there concerns I haven‘t sufficiently addressed? Or has something changed on your end? If this isn‘t the right fit or timing, I understand. I‘m just looking for candid input so I can improve. Let me know if you‘re open to a quick call!"

Hopefully, you get a response that breathes new life into the deal or at least gives you insight into how to handle similar situations better in the future. And if you don‘t hear back at all, then it‘s probably safe to assume it‘s time to move on.

Ultimately, "I want to think it over" is an objection that requires a delicate mix of persistence and patience. The worst thing you can do is gloss over their concerns or back off completely. Instead, ask questions to understand the root of their hesitation, gently nudge them to verbalize next steps, and focus on delivering value regardless of the outcome. If you show you‘re genuinely invested in solving their problems, not just closing the deal, you‘ll be in a much stronger position to turn a "maybe" into a "yes".