As a kid, you knew which parent would answer to your liking, depending on the question. For more ice cream, you asked your mom. For an ATV, you asked your dad. For permission to drive to the mall, you asked your mom; to take your buddies to the beach, you asked your dad.
Just this past weekend, I noticed the same holds true as adults. To split the bill, brother-in-laws conferred (blood relations should never confer on money); to get the spouse in the picture, the best friend calls out (who wants to have another picture taken with their spouse?).
When working a lead, sometimes that theory can be applied as well. You’ve seen all the buying signs, but you just can’t get the prospect to commit to an order. At Rally, we turn over leads if we can’t close it but we know they’re on the cusp. Prospects respond differently to a male voice, a female perspective, a shared experience, or a different articulation of the value proposition.
Sometimes you know what the difference is, and sometimes you don’t. But if you feel stuck on a hot lead that for some reason you just can’t convert, maybe you’re not the person to make the ask. Don’t take it personally. Find a sales partner to take it on, and get ‘er done. Or call your mom.
