I need to talk this over with...

Please post your response(s) to: "I need to talk this over with my... partner, spouse, etc."
-Jeff Blackwell

buyer: I need to talk this over with my partner, spouse, etc.
seller: What would happen if you didn't consult with him/her but instead made the decision by yourself? -SalesCoach

"Good. That's what you need to do then. I'd like to be a part of that if possible to answer questions. Sometimes things get lost in the translation. Is that something we can do or not?" -MitchM

How do you think your (partner, spouse, etc.) will respond to what we've discussed today? -Agent Smith

Okay, here's an idea. You can introduce me to him/her and we can go over this together. This way if he/she has any questions I can address them right then. Is he/she available right now? -Mikey

I think I understand. Just to clarify, you personally support the idea right? -SalesGuy

This can be real or it can be a stall. Always ask to speak to the other person. When you can't then rehearse with your prospect through benefit questioning techniques. I.E. What do you think your partner will say about X? Do you think your partner even believes Y will do what I say it will? Will your partner think Z is valuable enough to purchase our product? If it is a stall, you get a chance to move forward today. If it is real, you get to rehearse with the prospect to take to the talk to guy. -triadtraining

Great! You're doing the right thing by getting your partner involved because it's an important decision. What time are you both available so all three of us can sit and talk? -Faizalnisar

I try to discover why there is a need to talk it over with the spouse or partner. I will ask if there is a concern with the proposal,price,belief in the solution,price.

These things are asked due to knowing the urgency to move forward.When there is urgency to move forward what really is the motive or benefit to think it over or talk to a spouse? -rich34232

What is your success rate with that and what do you sell? -Gary A Boye

That's a good question. A common motive is to fulfill the agreement among partners or spouses that certain decisions will be joint decisions. A common benefit for such compliance is that it maintains the sanctity of the partner or spousal agreement.

I've learned to be respectful of such agreements as readily as I have always been reluctant to challenge an individual's core beliefs in a selling situation. I have never to my knowledge lost a sale because of my practice in these matters. -Gary A Boye

Some excellent responses here! I'd also love to hear how your prospects have responded when you've used them...i.e., do they typically still insist on having the discussion, or decide to include you, etc? -CoachMaria

I think we all can agree with large purchases there might be a need to talk it over with a spouse. A whole house re-pipe that will cost 15 grand then I need to talk to my spouse, partner is a real concern and is not a stall. The same with penetrating the concrete floor to remove the building drain destroying wood floors and turning their castle into a nightmare for him or her. Even at this time rarely do I receive I have to talk it over with a spouse or partner but it does happen.


When there is urgency to move forward what really is the motive or benefit to think it over or talk to a spouse?


This is a question I ask myself and I must discover the motives or reasons why the client feels that he or she needs to talk to their spouse. Repair or replace a faucet, repair replace a water closet, repair replace a water heater. These are just a few examples where the urgency is there to make a move by the client. There is always respect for the client. As in most things it is how you say it more than what is said.


I very rarely receive I have to talk to my spouse or partner due to the description, solution, and rapport that builds trust. I am crystal clear with each client with the information that includes why it happened, how to prevent it from happening in the future, what caused this to happen along with options that allow the very best decision by the client that fits into their budget. We walk each step together and the information received leaves no doubt in the clients mind. Granted a few will need to talk it over and the questions asked will inform the sales person this is a real reason.


I have discovered in the business to consumer industry I work in that I need to talk it over with fill in the blank is used when the perceived value does not outweigh the dollars. To me it is in the same category of that is more than I wanted to spend, that is more than I thought, I have to think about it. Once I have taken the proper amount of time to discover what is important to the client these stalls seem to disappear. The discovery of what is important is their perceived value and focus on those perceives values to make them real to him or her lessons this type of stall.


There is so much more to this than what I have already put on paper. To write it all would take a book to explain all the small details that must accompany the above. For me I must find out why the client needs to talk it over. Everything I have stated does not mean that a sale will be for sure with each client; it will increase your ability to have more satisfied clients that will not look elsewhere for the solution and or price.


I find in my industry I need to talk it over with my spouse or partner arrives at the end of the presentation and probably has more to do with not qualifying the client as having the ability to make the decision by him or herself. I also believe it is industry specific to how real the objection, stall is.
-rich34232

One of Art Sobczak's guest columnists did an informal survey on prospects that said they had to check with the partner. The survey involved calling back and asking to speak to the partner and 50% of the time there was no partner. That is when I decided to act as if there were and go into rehearsal benefit questioning mode. I'd be interested to know Faizalnisar's success rate is as well. -triadtraining

Triadtraining, absolutely no disrespect to you whatsoever--I know you are passing on information that you heard. But that "informal survey" story is highly suspect in my mind. "Partner" is a highly ambiguous term, btw. It's possible that a receptionist would not bestow that title on someone who the boss would. Happens all the times in organizations. -Gary A Boye

I really should have found out before hand if there was someone else that should be involved with a buying decision...however if I find out at the appointment he wants to consult with a partner, spouse, etc.

I don't blame you...i would never make a decision like this either without discussing it with my partner. We have talked about a lot of things today. It will be difficult for you to remember it all so I will make myself available to go over it again with you and your partner. When do you think would be a good time? -MPrince

I like what you've said Faizalnisar, however; this would only work in certain industries (as I can see Gary has flagged a concern despite dressing it up).

I feel many sales people always sell from their perspective and often burn their lead. I like how you have paced the customer and joined their model of the world and then offered a solution with the call back.

I think a better stat to look at Gary would be how many customers he has retained and later sold to compared to burning and not seeing them after this consultation. -MrCharisma

There is no reason to think or interpret that "success rate" and retention/follow-up sales would be mutually exclusive. A significant segment of the sales industry is represented by people whose process does not call for a one call close. In many of those segments it would be ill advisable to attempt it. Advertising sales and financial planning would be examples. -Gary A Boye

Being English.....I always could get away with outrageous ironic humour (yes...very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing)......

Anyway this was in my early days selling cars. The technique was to address the issue at the very very very very beginning of the interaction (where the customer was alone) by using humour to eliminate (or illuminate) the problem.

Ah ha...it's YOU (big smile) the only man (woman) brave enough to walk into a car showroom without a backup squad.....wife, husband, auntie, uncle, grandma. . . . . (yes of course smiling the whole time....cos this is obviously a big joke)

I always found out right at the beginning what the situation was...without ever asking outright. The information they gave mostly precluded the 'speak to partner' routine later on as it would lead to a loss of face once they had committed (at the beginning) to it being a sole decision by them.

I would NOT suggest this approach in a commercial (on their premises) situation however (but you guessed that right?)

. -helisell