Not the second best answer?
The power of no. It is final. It is final. It brings closure and can sometimes take the pain out of waiting. Let’s go back and think about this for a minute.
What do you really want to think about? I see it as a way of not. Maybe the person you asked the question doesn’t want to tell you no. They like you too much. They think they will hurt you. It is an easy way out for them. For now! I receive no and will think about it or contact you later every day of my professional life. I just turn it off and move on. There are so many fishes in the sea. I just see it as his way of saying no. Usually, I end up saying, “It’s not my style to be a pest. I’m here when you’re ready.” The power of the absence of pressure is amazing. If they’re really thinking about it and they call me weeks or months later to say, “Paul was ready. Let’s get started.” Those are bingo moments for the closing that ends on a positive note. It happens to me all the time. This is also the power to do it over them. Don’t lose sight of that.
It’s in our personal lives that “I want to think about it” really gets sticky. It moves on a personal level. Go from a business decision to a personal decision. One really needs to be skilled at asking probing questions at this stage. I have experienced this on a personal level recently and it did not come to a happy ending. It is much harder to say, please contact me when you are ready with your response. We are the ones who end up being judged as opposed to a business decision that often has to do with your product or service.
Business or personal I think a No is the second best answer. It allows us to ask why. If it’s valid, we move on. If it’s unfounded, we can ask a few more probing questions. It is not manipulative. It’s just about addressing the problem and ensuring the reason for the no. Your client or personal relationship will thank you. It goes both ways. Both parties want closure. All the things to think about when we have the dreaded “I want to think about it.” Go for the “No.” You may be pleasantly surprised.