Your Toughest Competitor Might Be “Maybe Later”

You send the estimate. The customer seems to like your work. They ask a few good questions and say they'll get back to you later that afternoon.

Then, silence.

A week goes by. You know they had a deadline, so you figure you didn't win the job. Someone else must have offered a lower price or better terms.

But there's a good chance your customer still has the same leaky faucet, outdated website, empty office wall, or unfinished vacation plans.

So who won the business? "Maybe later" did.

You're not imagining it. In research for The JOLT Effect, which analyzed 2.5 million recorded sales conversations, Matt Dixon and Ted McKenna found that 40% to 60% of lost deals come down to customer indecision, not a competitor.

When customers put off a decision, lowering your price or explaining why you're better than another business may do very little. Overcoming sales objections like this starts with understanding what makes waiting feel easier than moving forward.

Remember Newton's first law of motion? An object at rest stays at rest unless something acts on it. Purchases work the same way. Without the right nudge, a potential customer keeps their credit card in their pocket and stays right where they are.

Here are six ways to help customers get past purchase inertia and take the next step.

1. Find Out What "Later" Means

"We're going to wait" can mean several things: money is tight, the timing feels wrong, someone else needs to approve it, or the work of buying, setting up, or changing looks like too much.

Each one needs a different response. Before you offer a discount, ask:

"What would need to change for this to become a good time to move forward?"

You don't have to wait until they walk out the door to ask, either. The question gives customers room to explain without defending their decision.

If they're waiting until after a busy season, ask whether you can reconnect then. If they're worried about disruption, explain how you manage it. If the purchase doesn't fit their budget, respect that (and know that's the reason they're least likely to say out loud).

You can address a specific concern. You can't do much with a mystery.

2. Make the Cost of Waiting Visible

Customers can see your price. They have a harder time seeing what putting it off costs them.

A business owner might delay fixing a confusing online booking process while answering the same scheduling questions every day. A homeowner might keep putting off organizing the garage while paying for a storage unit across town. Plenty of people have waited for prices to drop, only to watch them go up instead.

Help customers connect their current frustration to a practical consequence. Ask, "How much time does your team spend working around this each week?" Or explain, "Scheduling before your busy season gives us time to finish while fewer customers need access."

Use the customer's own circumstances and facts you can back up. Skip the dramatic predictions. The goal is to help them weigh the timing with better information.

3. Shrink the First Step

Sometimes customers want the result but dread the project.

A new website means gathering photos and writing copy. Hiring a bookkeeper means digging up records. Booking family portraits means coordinating everyone's schedules and outfits.

Your customer sees homework. Make the first step smaller and say exactly what it involves:

• "Send us your current website address and your three biggest frustrations."

• "Bring last month's statements. We'll figure out what else we need."

• "Choose your session date first. We'll send a simple prep guide."

Then review your own buying process. Does someone have to fill out a long form, create an account, or make several decisions before they get any help? Remove one unnecessary hurdle this week.

4. Show What Happens After Yes

A customer may hesitate because they can't picture what comes next. Will the project eat up their week? Will they have to chase you for updates? Will surprise charges show up?

Add a short "Here's what happens next" section to your estimates, product pages, or follow-up emails. For example:

"Once you approve the estimate, we'll schedule your installation, confirm your selections, and send preparation instructions. Your appointment should take about two hours."

Include what you need from the customer, the expected timeline, and how you handle changes. It's the same question customers ask on your website, and our small business website checklist covers how to answer it there, too.

A good testimonial helps here as well. Not just any testimonial: look for feedback that describes the experience, like easy scheduling, clear communication, or help choosing the right option. Those details speak to the work customers are dreading. If you need a system for collecting them, start with how to put your customer reviews to work.

5. Give Them an Honest Reason to Act

Real timing can break through buyer inertia. Seasonal demand, order deadlines, appointment availability, and prep time all give customers a genuine reason to decide.

Be specific: "To have these ready for your December event, we'll need approval by November 10." That gives someone useful information for planning.

Skip countdowns that restart and "last chance" offers that come back every week. The FTC has called out fake countdown timers designed to make shoppers think an offer is about to expire when it isn't. If you don't have a real deadline, offer a convenient next step instead, like two available consultation times or a clearly defined starter option.

Customers need a reason to move forward that holds up on a second look.

6. Follow Up With Something Useful

"Just checking in" asks customers to revisit a decision without giving them anything new. It can also wear on their patience.

Instead, answer a likely question, share a relevant example, or reduce uncertainty: "You mentioned being concerned about downtime. Here's how we finished a similar project while the business stayed open."

Or ask directly: "Would it help to revisit the scope, reconnect next month, or close this out for now?"

Give people an easy way to respond, including an easy way to say no. The same idea works for past customers who've gone quiet, too. Here's how to give repeat customers a useful reason to come back.

One more surprising sales tip: when a prospect has dragged their feet for a long time, try offering to take them off your list. Say it kindly: "It seems like this might not be a good time for you. How about I remove you from my follow-up list? If things change, just let me know." You may be surprised how many people don't want to be dropped and come back ready to talk.

Put a Stalled Sale to Work

Here's your homework this week. Pick one recent inquiry that went quiet. Review what you sent through the customer's eyes. Can they see the benefit, understand the process, and take one manageable next step?

Then improve one thing before your next inquiry arrives. A second set of eyes helps. Ask a fellow member from the Membership Directory to read your estimate or follow-up email, or bring the question to Business After Hours at Gallery Seven on Tuesday, December 8. Someone who isn't you will spot the confusing step right away.

"Maybe later" is a powerful competitor. It wins whenever doing nothing feels easier. Give your customer one clear, useful step they can take today and a reason to take it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you overcome a "maybe later" objection?

Find out what "later" means before you respond. Ask what would need to change for this to become a good time to move forward. Then address the specific concern, whether it's budget, timing, approval from someone else, or the work involved.

Q: How do you follow up on an estimate without being pushy?

Skip "just checking in." Send something useful instead: an answer to a likely question, an example of similar work, or a clear choice to revisit the scope, reconnect later, or close it out for now. Always give the customer an easy way to say no.

Q: Should I offer a discount when a customer hesitates?

Not first. Hesitation is often about timing, approval, or the work involved rather than price. Ask what's holding them back before you lower your price.

Q: Is it OK to use deadlines to encourage customers to buy?

Yes, if the deadline is real, like an order cutoff or limited appointment availability. Avoid countdowns that restart or "last chance" offers that keep coming back. The FTC has flagged fake countdown timers as a deceptive tactic.

More Resources for Lockport Business Owners

Looking for more practical steps you can use this week? Explore more Small Business Resources on the Lockport Chamber blog, and if you're not a member yet, join the Lockport Chamber to connect with local business owners who've lost a few sales to "maybe later," too.

This article was adapted from a piece by Christina Metcalf, a writer and women's speaker who works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals. She is the author of The Glinda Principle, rediscovering the magic within.