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“Call me after the holidays” is the second-most-heard objection in sales (the first being, “Your price is too high”). It comes up year after year, and salespeople get frustrated year after year, unnecessarily. Here’s what to do about it.

“Call me after the holidays” is not an objection. It’s worse. It’s a stall. Stalls are twice as bad as objections. When you get a stall, you have to somehow dance around it, and then you still must find the real objection before you can proceed.

Here are 11.5 clever lines and winning tactics to use that will help overcome the stall:

1. Close on the stall line. “What day after the first of the year would you want to take delivery?”

2. Firm it up, whenever it is. Ask, “Can I buy you the first breakfast of the new year?”

3. If it’s just a callback, make the prospect write it down. Writing it down makes it a firm commitment.

4. Tell them about your resolutions. “I’ve made a New Year’s resolution that I’m not going to let people like you who need our service delay until after the first of the year. You know you need it.”

5. Offer incentives and alternatives. Invent reasons not to delay. Bill after the holidays. Order now, take delivery after the holidays.

6. Question them into a corner – and close them when they get there. “Will anything change over the holidays that will cause you not to buy?” (Prospect’s answer – “Oh no, no, no.”) “Great!” you say, “Let’s get your order in production (service scheduled) now, and we’ll deliver it after the holidays.”

7. Agree. Then disagree. I know what you mean … lots of people feel that way. Most don’t realize that the money wasted between now and the first of the year will equal a huge savings if they buy now. Are you sure you want to waste the money?

8. Get testimonials. Ask customers who bought before the holidays and were glad they did to write you a two-paragraph letter. Get one paragraph about the value they received, and how they originally wanted to wait. The second paragraph should be about how happy they are about your service after the sale.

9. Drop in with holiday cheer. Use a small holiday plant or gift to get in the door.

10. Create urgency. There’s a product or delivery backup after the first – schedule now.

11. Be funny. Say, “So many people have said call me after the first that I’m booked until April. I do, however, have a few openings before the first. How about it?” Making the other person laugh (or smile) will go a long way toward getting past the stall.

11.5. Beg. Pleeeeaaase. I’ll be your best friend.

The success with which this stall can be handled is directly related to the quality of the relationship you have built with your prospect or customer. A good relationship allows more liberty to press for action. A weak relationship means you wait until after the holidays.

If you know this objection is coming, do something BEFORE it happens.

• Set price raises in September to take effect Jan. 1. Announce them right away and communicate them weekly into the holiday season.

• Create a holiday special. Have a five-day sale in December.

• Offer December price incentives or special value incentives.

• Throw a holiday party. Invite prospects and customers and offer them a “tonight only” deal.

• Hold a series of seminars about issues that are important to your prospects and customers. Have the best one just before the holidays. Serve great food.

• Create an internal sales contest with great first, second and third prizes.

• Build relationships all year long.

Happy holidays. If you need more information on this subject, call me – after the first of the year. Ho, ho, ho.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2009 Jeffrey H. Gitomer