New What Should You Say When a Client Says They’ll Think About It?Blog Post

What do I do when a client says they’ll think about it? Treat it as fear of getting the decision wrong, not as a no. When a client says they’ll think about it, name what’s behind the stall, give a narrow recommendation instead of more options, and never let the conversation end on silence. For a Realtor in the first three years, that is the difference between a client who goes quiet and a client who goes with someone else.

I learned that the expensive way.

Is “I’ll think about it” really a no?

Usually not. Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna analyzed 2.5 million sales conversations for their book The JOLT Effect and found that 40 to 60% of lost deals weren’t lost to a competitor. They were lost to no decision. In about 56% of those stalled deals, the buyer actually wanted to move forward. They just couldn’t decide.

That is sales research, not a real estate study, but the buyer’s journey works the same way in our business. Confused buyers don’t buy. Overwhelmed buyers don’t buy. Scared buyers don’t buy.

Most deals don’t die from a no. They die from a maybe that nobody helped with. For a newer agent, those are the people who liked you, wanted to work with you, and still went somewhere else.

What does “I’ll think about it” usually mean?

It usually means “I’m afraid of getting it wrong.” In our world, this is one of the biggest transactions a person will ever make. The mortgage payment seems daunting, and so does everything that goes with it. Even someone who has done it before feels the stress. They don’t want to mess it up.

Most people respond to that in one of two ways: push harder, or back off and wait. Neither one helps.

What happened when I waited too long?

For me, waiting was the nemesis. I had a client who wanted to work with me and, I still believe, was loyal to me. Every time I reached out, the answer was “we’re not ready.” A couple of times they emailed or called, I answered a question, we looked at a property, and it wasn’t the right one.

I’ll be honest: I got disenfranchised. The next time they reached out, I didn’t respond right away. The next time I reached out, they had gone with someone else.

I could have been upset, and I was a little frustrated. But when I thought it through, it was all on me. I wasn’t asking the right questions. I wasn’t listening to what they were saying. I didn’t understand they had fears, and I wasn’t ready to answer any of them. I thought I was giving them space. To them, it probably looked like I didn’t want to help.

I still struggle with this because I’m not a pushy person, but pushing isn’t the fix, and neither is silence.

How do you figure out what’s behind the stall?

Start with how the person communicates. I look at it through DISC, a behavioral assessment, because it shows how someone communicates and why they might not be. These are the four stalls:

•D: stalls when you seem unsure or the payoff isn’t clear. Be direct and give the bottom line.

•I: stalls when things get slow or impersonal. Keep the momentum moving and keep it personal, and a little fun.

•S: stalls under pressure. This is the biggest group, and you’ll see it more than any other. They need time to digest, so give them the information upfront: the timelines, the expectations, what happens next. You can’t speed up, but you can show them the road ahead.

•C: stalls when the information is vague. Bring specifics and answer every question. The odd questions are often C or S style, and they are asking for clarity.

Can AI help you read a stalled client?

Yes, as a clarity check. If you don’t know the person’s style, paste in their emails and ask AI to guess. It won’t be perfect, but there are triggers, and it can help you respond in the right style.

I would never have AI write the response for you. Use it to clarify the picture and tighten up the email or the conversation you’re about to have, so you can respond the way that person needs.

What should you ask a client who isn’t ready?

Ask what would need to be true for them to feel ready today to buy, to list, or whatever “ready” means for them. Then listen. You may need curious follow-up questions afterward, and the “why” questions are always good ones.

Should you send more listings or fewer?

Fewer. Confused buyers usually got that way because we overwhelmed them with too much information or pushed too hard.

Give a recommendation, but keep it simple. You might not say “if I were in your shoes,” but you can share an example from a past client who was in a similar spot, what they decided, and how it worked. And don’t send a pile of listings or comparables. Instead of 10 listings, send two that fit them exactly and tell them why you picked those. Next time a client stalls, stop adding options and narrow to two, and if you can, recommend one. Confirm with your brokerage how that conversation should go.

How do you make the decision feel safer?

Never let silence be the last word. I love silence. I love the uncomfortable kind, because it makes someone say something when they don’t want to answer the question. But with a stalled client you can’t end on silence, because silence produces fear.

If they don’t answer a question or a suggestion, go back, narrow the options, and take it back to the story. Every agent has an example of a client who didn’t act on a property and it cost them. Share those stories. We relate to stories, and they make the stakes clear without any pressure.

Then follow two rules:

•Answer every question from a stalled client within a day.

•Make every follow-up useful, or give a clear next step. Never just check in.

What’s the leadership lesson in “I’ll think about it”?

I don’t like pushing, and that’s not a bad instinct. But staying quiet when someone is stuck isn’t respect, it’s absence. Pressuring people toward your decision isn’t leading. Leadership helps them reach their own.

It’s okay to ask a client a question. It’s not okay to make them make the decision.

They weren’t saying no. They were saying help me. Silence isn’t a no, but leave it alone long enough and it becomes one.

What should you do this week?

Next time a client stalls, stop adding options. Narrow to two, and recommend one if you can. Answer every question from a stalled client inside a day, and make sure each follow-up gives them something useful or a clear next step.

And tell me about it: where did you lose a client to a maybe, or what did you do to keep one? I’d love to hear the success stories too.

FAQ

What do you say when a client says they’ll think about it? Ask what would need to be true for them to feel ready, then listen. Follow with curious questions, including the “why” ones.

Why do clients keep saying they’re not ready? Usually because they’re afraid of making the wrong decision, especially on one of the biggest transactions of their lives. Each DISC style shows it differently: D’s stall when the payoff is unclear, I’s when it feels slow or impersonal, S’s under pressure, and C’s when the information is vague.

How do you follow up with a buyer who went quiet without being pushy? Don’t push, and don’t disappear. Narrow the options to two, answer any question within a day, and make every follow-up carry something useful or a clear next step instead of “just checking in.”

Free AI Starter Pack, with the prompts I use: https://go.thejblteam.com/starter-pack

Watch the full video: watch now Listen to the podcast: eProfessor of Real Estate, Episode 52

Sources Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna, The JOLT Effect (2022), summarized at https://salesmotion.io/blog/jolt-effect-overcoming-buyer-indecision. Sales research on 2.5 million conversations, not a real estate study.

Justin Letheby, The JBL Team