You’ve probably experienced this.
You meet with a client, listen to their challenges, ask the right questions, identify a clear need, and present a solution that truly adds value. The client nods, shows interest, and tells you it’s exactly what they’ve been looking for.
Everything suggests the sale is on track.
A few days go by, you follow up, and there’s no response. You insist, and they say they’re still reviewing it. Another week passes, and suddenly there’s a new priority within the company. The conversation cools off.
They didn’t choose a competitor. They didn’t make any decision at all.
And that’s where the real obstacle appears: the issue isn’t that your proposal isn’t good — it’s that the client doesn’t feel enough urgency to take action.
Why doesn’t the client move forward?
Because change takes effort. And in most cases, even when the problem is obvious, the most comfortable choice is to delay the decision. “We’re still managing with what we have,” “This isn’t the right time,” “Let’s look into it later.”
It’s the well-known status quo — the feeling that, even if the current situation isn’t ideal, making a move may be riskier or more expensive than staying put.
The true challenge of consultative selling is not just to demonstrate the value of the solution — it’s to break that inertia and help the client move forward.
How to help the client break the status quo
One of the most common mistakes is focusing only on the benefits of the solution. But if the client feels there are no consequences to delaying the decision, chances are they will. Instead, you need to help them see the cost of doing nothing.
If the problem continues, how much time, money, or resources are being lost? If their team wastes two hours a week due to inefficient processes and they have 50 employees, that’s 400 hours lost every month.
If the company is losing revenue every month because its current strategy isn’t working, can they really afford to keep waiting?
Often, the real blocker isn’t lack of interest — it’s the perception that implementing the solution will be complex and/or costly. If the client feels that change will be difficult, they’ll likely avoid it.
That’s where you need to reduce friction: Can you offer a pilot? Can the rollout be phased? Can you guide them through the process to minimize the effort?
Another key point is social proof. Showing that similar companies have already taken the leap creates pressure and reinforces the idea that change is necessary.
If their competitors are evolving and they’re not, sooner or later it will have an impact.
And finally, understand that sometimes the first step isn’t to get the client to buy — it’s to get them to make a decision. Before selling the solution, you need to ensure they’re truly committed to solving the problem.
When a client doesn’t move forward, it’s not always because they doubt your proposal. Sometimes, it’s simply because the fear of change is stronger than the need to solve the issue.
And that’s where the consultative seller truly makes a difference: not by pushing — but by helping the client see that staying where they are isn’t a real option.
How many times have you lost an opportunity — not to the competition, but because the client never made a decision?
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about this or any other aspect of consultative selling — it’s what we do, and we do it with passion!
