Your client unexpectedly shifts gears after showing interest. How do you navigate their change of heart?

When a client unexpectedly shifts gears after showing interest, it's important to assess the situation quickly and engage in a candid conversation to understand their concerns. Listen actively and empathetically, and show that you value their perspective. This can help salvage the relationship and potentially lead to future opportunities.

Sometimes the initial enquiry can come around from quite an emotional point, a knee jerk reaction to a situation which has taken place. Once this situation moves to the back of their mind, the sale itself also moves to the back of their mind. Ultimately, we need to identify in our experience, is this truly a one off? A blip? Or is it something much more serious that yes it's gone a way right now but will be back with a vegeance in 2-6-12 months time. If this is the case, we should advise accordingly, using our knowledge and real life examples to highlight this.

To address a client's change of heart, revisit the value proposition you initially presented and ensure it aligns with their current needs and objectives. Consider if circumstances have changed and how your product or service can still benefit them. Clearly explain how your product or service can solve their specific problems or enhance their operations. This can reignite their interest or open the door to further discussions.

Ultimately, it's not cost, and they don't always see the value. Do you have a solution to a very specific problem they are facing that they shared with you? Tailor your communication around that. If they no longer see that specific problem as a big problem, then it's likely that your deal will fade into memory. Asking to try and better understand what's changed is no bad thing. Maybe you can add to and fix the new problems as well with your solution which they don't realise. It might be time for a rediscovery.

To address a client's change of heart, offer flexibility in your offer. Show your willingness to adapt the scope, timeline, or pricing to better fit their needs. This demonstrates that you're interested in providing value and can help turn a potential loss into a win-win situation.

With our solution, it may be that one of the multiple pillars/solutions we provide is no longer a good fit for them. This is okay. All businesses want to protect their bottom line and if you empathise with that, they are more likely to appreciate your opinion and perspective. Redo your offer, redo the contract to suit the specific needs as of today, not when the initial enquiry was made. I truly believe in not selling something for the sake of it, if they do not need it, I'll let the client know. This builds trust.

I always try to leave calls with a secondary call booked in. Same goes for meetings. You want structure to the agreement so they don't feel like you are just pestering them for a sale. It shows composure and control. If other competitors are in the running, I try to seek to understand why they might think the competitors are a better fit. If they aren't, I return back to their aims and goals.

The key is to stay calm when caught off guard is to ask open-ended questions, and actively listen to understand their new priorities. For example, if a client suddenly hesitates about a financial product, instead of pushing back, ask, “What’s changed for you since we last spoke?” This allows you to reflect on how you’re aligning with their needs. Each pivot is a chance to learn, refine your approach, and build stronger trust. By embracing flexibility, you’ll show you’re truly there to serve them, not just close a deal.