For sales professionals, a “no decision” can be a far bigger hurdle to getting new business than any single competitor.  Understanding what prevents customers from making a purchase decision is a great place to start in overcoming this all-too-common barrier.  First, we need to recognize that indecision stems from insecurity.  The sources of buyer insecurity are varied, but fairly consistent:

‍Fear that the purchase will not serve the organization’s best interest:

• Lack of confidence that ROI will be realized
• Disconnect between proposed solution and corporate goals, culture or expectations

Fear that the purchase will not serve buyer’s best interest individually:

• There is not sufficient buy-in from other key decision makers in the organization
• This individual does not have the authority to make the purchase decision
• This solution/investment does not match budget allocated or expectations of superiors
• The buyer does not have sufficient information to sell the solution internally

Busting the indecision blockade requires the sales representative to identify the source of insecurity and eliminate it. The importance of EXPLORATORY SKILLS in this effort cannot be overstated! Explore to uncover fears and concerns. This will simultaneously uncover areas of opportunity for you to support the buyer in their internal sales effort, and may include some combination of the following:

• Clear articulation of current GAPs at the client organization, including data to support their existence
• Clear and succinct documentation of GAP closure and ROI provided by your proposed solution
• Data to support past ROI/impact of your solution for other buyers (case studies, customer testimonials, independent research, customer evaluation data)
• Public and active participation in the internal sale of your solution
• Behind-the-scenes support via information/data/presentation materials provided to the buyer
• Performance guarantee

Effective action on your part to bust through the indecision barrier will not only win the sale, but will greatly strengthen your relationship with the buyer.