In sales, you have to know the meaning of what your prospect says. Listening to understand is a key part of the sales process, but it isn’t always easy. Perhaps the hardest word to translate is the word “maybe.” 

When you get a “maybe” from your prospect, you must immediately stop the forward movement of the conversation and discover what they really mean.

Usually, when a prospect tells you “maybe,” it means one of two things: They don’t have the authority to make a definitive decision, or they are trying to be polite and not hurt your feelings by avoiding saying “no” outright. 

I’ve found that a big part of training salesmanship is teaching people to understand what the prospect is actually saying. 

When you hear the word “maybe,” stop and use this language template:

“Jim, it’s really hard for me to help you and gauge what the best next step is when we have a maybe. Usually we find ourselves in a ‘maybe’ situation when there are conditions beyond our control, such as not having the full authority to say yes or no or because you need more information to give a firm answer.

“Is there someone else on your team we may need to add to the process? Or is there additional information you need from me to give you more clarity and certainty?”

Then sit in the silence and wait for them to give you direction.

One of the most powerful sales techniques is to ask a question then wait for the prospect to give you direction. This gets them to move the process forward and provides you with important information. 

Nothing happens in the land of maybe. You have to have the confidence to lead the process to the next step.

Remember, sales coaching is important, but experience is your best teacher. So, give this strategy a try when you get your next maybe. This will help you hear “yes” more often and get more clarity in your sales process.