Hi,

So I’ve been thinking about some of the most frustrating parts of our job, and here’s what’s near the top of my list.

It isn’t losing to a competitor.

It isn’t even hearing “no.”

It’s hearing, “Let me think about it.”

Because a no is decisive. A competitor gives you something to work on.

But “let me think about it” keeps you in limbo. Just enough hope to hang on. Just enough ambiguity to keep it in the pipeline (and on your boss’s radar).

I’ve been there. You’ve been there.

So let’s talk about what’s actually going on — and what to do about it.

You walk out of the meeting with a smile. It went well. I mean, the client said, “Let me think about it.” That’s a good sign, right?

But it rarely means what you hope it means.

Yes, they’re thinking. But not about your proposal.

They’re thinking about how to tell you “No”.

From their side, the math looks like this:

So when you hear that line, it often means:

And now you’ve got a different problem.

It’s not logic.

It’s fear.

You probably felt relief when you heard:

It wasn’t a no, so you told yourself the deal was still alive. At least you had something to say in your 1:1.

And then it starts. You take vague words and turn them into good news. You turn delay into progress. You convince yourself it’s fine.

But it isn’t.

The deal still sits in your pipeline, shows up in your forecast and gets discussed every single week. And when your boss asks for an update, you get more creative. Timing. Internal stuff. Budget.

News flash: you’re living on hopium, not reality.

Because nothing is actually moving.

Here’s what “let me think about it” really does:

And the longer it sits there, the worse it gets.

So what can you do about it? (hint: don’t push)

OK, so now it’s crunch time. You’ve pushed the deal out as far as you can. Your boss wants clarity. (And yes, you want your bonus.)

So what do you do?

You push.

You send the “just checking in” email. You ask for a decision. You tighten the timeline. Maybe you sweeten the deal.

Please God, anything to get this across the line.

But here’s the problem. The moment you push, the pressure goes up. And when the pressure goes up, the risk feels bigger on their side.

Now it’s not just a decision — it’s a decision under pressure. And pressure makes people hesitate.

So they slow down. They avoid you. They say they need more time.

You push harder. They pull back further.

And just like that, you’ve fed the very thing that was killing the deal in the first place.

You thought you were accelerating it.

You actually made it scarier for them to say yes.

Instead of asking, “What do we need to do to get this across the line?”

Reframe their stalling tactics into genuine next steps:

Different questions. Different conversation.

You’re not pushing for a yes.

You’re getting clarity — so you can either move it forward or call it what it is: NO.

Pick one deal that’s stalled.

Not the biggest one. Not the one you’re hoping saves the quarter.

Just one where you’ve heard:
“Let me think about it.”
“Next quarter.”
“Budget cycle.”

Now follow these steps:

1. Stop chasing it.
No more “just checking in.” No more nudging for a decision.

2. Book a proper conversation.
Not an email. A call.

3. Open with this:
“I want to be straight — what’s actually holding this up?”

Then shut up and listen.

4. Get specific.
If they say “budget,” ask how it works.
If they say “internal,” ask who else is involved.
If they say “timing,” ask what needs to change.

No vagueness allowed.

5. Force clarity.
By the end of the call, you should know one of three things:

If you leave that call with another “let’s see,” you didn’t push for clarity.

You pushed for comfort.

Let’s get one deal unstuck this week. Have the conversation. Then reply and tell me what happened. I’d genuinely love to hear how it goes — and if it doesn’t go to plan, maybe I can help.

If this hits home, here are three resources that’ll help you turn stalled deals into closed ones.

This book focuses on a reality most sales teams ignore: the biggest threat to your deal isn’t the competition, it’s indecision. The research is clear — the highest performers don’t push harder, they reduce buyer hesitation.

If you want the data behind why “let me think about it” wins so often, this is worth your time. [Learn More ↗]

I've created a diagnostic template for the deals that don't budge — the ones where you've already asked the right questions and they're still stalling.

If you're five reschedules deep and ready to get real about what's actually happening, here's the tool that cuts through the noise. [Get the Template ↗]

If you want to stress-test your deal before the next conversation, use this ChatGPT (or Copilot, Gemini, Claude etc) prompt to play out what a skeptical buying committee is thinking. It surfaces objections you haven't heard yet — and shows you how to address them.

💡 Pro tip: Do the diagnostic template first for better results. You'll brief the committee with clearer intel, and their feedback will be more targeted.

The next time you hear, “Let me think about it,” don’t panic.

Don’t push.

And don’t start bargaining with yourself (or God).

Just slow things down. Get clear. Challenge your client to be specific.

Because those five words don’t mean the deal is dead. They mean there’s something you haven’t learned yet. Something that can either move it forward - or give you closure.

Either way, you’re back in control.

Hope this rundown helped. 

Until next time, Stay Account Minded.

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