Handling the 'we will think about it' reply

When a buyer says "we will think about it", the polite meaning is not always "yes later". It can hide one of four blockers the buyer has not named: money, someone else's approval, a doubt about you, or a better option elsewhere. Handle it with three short questions before you end the call, listen for which blocker appears, and agree a date to speak again. Keep the voice level and the questions plain.

A school principal in Jalandhar

Imagine a Jalandhar sports goods maker who has quoted cricket kits and indoor games to a school. This case is invented to show the questions at work. The principal says, "We will think about it." The maker's old habit was to say "sure" and ring after ten days.

Ten days later the school had bought from a dealer in Ludhiana, a ₹1.2 lakh quote lost. The maker never learned why.

Next time the maker asked three questions. To "what part do you want to think over?" the principal said, "The delivery. Sports day is in three weeks." Asked who else would have a say, the principal answered, "The management committee meets on Saturday." Asked what would make it an easy yes, the principal said, "If you can promise delivery before the 15th."

The maker could not promise that date, and said so. But the indoor games already in stock were on offer, along with a one-page note the principal could put before the committee. The cricket kits were dropped, so the order that finally came was about ₹35,000, a fraction of the first quote. It was still an order, and the reason the rest had gone was now known.

What the phrase hides

A buyer who looks at the figure and says it is "a bit high" has told you the price is the blocker, and you need the number they had in mind. One who says "let me discuss internally" needs another person's yes, and you need that person's first question. One who asks about references and says nothing about terms is unsure about you. One who says "we are still looking" holds another quote. Some buyers give no reason and no date at all; they are not ready, and something has to happen first.

Many buyers find it hard to say no to a face or a voice. "I will think" is easier because it ends the meeting without friction. The trouble is that the real objection stays unspoken, and you cannot answer what you cannot hear.

The three questions, in order

They are not tricks. They are what a friend would ask.

"What part do you want to think over?" Lets the buyer name the issue. "The price" or "whether the timing fits" gives you the real conversation. "Everything", or "nothing in particular", points to a polite exit.

"Who else will have a say in this?" If a partner, a manager or a family member decides, you need their questions as well. Offer to send a short note the buyer can share, or to speak to them with the buyer on the line.

"What would make it an easy yes?" The best of the three. Buyers can often say exactly what is missing: a reference, a sample, a different payment schedule, a delivery date. If you can supply it, say so there and then. If you cannot, the deal was never yours, and it is better to learn that now than after ten days of silence and two reminders.

Then agree the date: "May I call you on Thursday afternoon to hear what the committee decided?" A named day turns "I will think" into a plan.

Replies that end the deal

"Of course, take your time" is kind, and it can end the deal because the buyer now has no reason to come back. "What if I reduce the price a little?" tells the buyer the figure was soft, and answers a question nobody asked. "This offer closes tomorrow" is invented urgency, easy to spot and costly to trust. "Did you find a cheaper option?" sounds like an accusation.

None of these helps the buyer decide. They ease your discomfort, while the three questions ease theirs.

Say the questions slowly, and let the buyer finish. A pause of three seconds feels long on a call and is where the honest answer arrives.

When to let it go

Not every "we will think about it" deserves a chase. Let it rest when the buyer names nothing to think over and gives no date. Let it rest when your offer cannot match what they need and you have said so. Let it rest when the same buyer has said it on three earlier quotes without ordering once, or when you are the third supplier, invited only to hold down a price.

Close politely with one message: "If your plans change, message me and I will pick it up from the last quote." Then record the real reason in your sheet. A lost-deal note with a reason is worth more than a long list marked "pending".

Keep the reasons to a short list so you can count them: price, timing, committee, another supplier, no reply. After twenty lost quotes, the count tells you what to fix. If "committee" leads, send the forwardable note with every quote. If "timing" leads, ask about the deadline in the first call, not the last.

If many deals die this way, the cause may be earlier, in how you qualify. Practise the three questions with colleagues first.

Call one stalled quote tomorrow

Pick a quote sitting under "they are thinking". Ask the first question and write down the answer word for word. If you want help turning your stalled quotes into a practice set, objection handling training is part of how we help teams sell, and tell us what you need is how to start.