The types of decisions people make can vary from person to person, based on many factors.
These can include concepts like time available, causes for concern and other resources’ availability.
But these days, one type of decision-maker can cause concern for even the best salespeople, and that type is the analytical and cautious thinker.
This type of person is a good critical thinker and may ask specific hard questions during a meeting.
They require you to be clear and precise on data and information. You may need to be overly prepared for this type of buyer.
The cautious buyer processes information differently from other buyer types and they ask many questions to find out precise information.
They like guarantees and warranties before making purchases because they want security, certainty and stability. Quality is high on their list of priorities, so do not rush in with discounts when negotiating because they may see this as a sign of product weakness, something that will be a warning to thye cautious decision-maker.
Here are some questions that you could use when dealing with this type of buyer:
Can you tell me what criteria you would use in making this decision?
What information do you need from me to help you make a decision?
When you bought this product in the past, what were your top three criteria?
Why those specific criteria?
How much will the quality of my products have an influence on your final decision?
What guarantees and warranties are you looking for?
You may find these types of buyers are slower than normal in making decisions because of their need for information and data. Sometimes you may feel they are suffering from analysis paralysis, wanting more and more information before they have the confidence to decide.
This will probably not be a quick sale so you must be willing to put in the hard work to determine how this person can be helped to be secure in their choice. Be aware that this buyer may cause you to feel there is no progress possible because of the time they are taking. This would be a mistake with this buyer, as sometimes the decision may take extra time, so don’t take this procrastination as a signal to not follow-up.
The cautious buyer can cause you some headaches; if you treat them as they need to be treated, you can give them the security that they have made the correct decision to go with you.
