Thoughtful Thursdays - Yes, we do use that product/service...

...but I must tell you that we have a supplier we are quite happy with. I have your card and will call you if anything comes up.

Do you say "Thank you for your time." and leave or is there another way to approach this? Most importantly, are you prepared to handle this objection?

When I encounter this kind of objection, my immediate thought is "Game on", and what do I need to do to get the prospect to listen to me? I appreciate that they will get back to me if "anything comes up", but I certainly do not expect them to do so without having a good reason.
Today's sales thought is about providing that good reason for your prospect to contact you when something does come up.

• Ask if they would consider having an alternate source
• Have a follow up strategy to make sure you are not forgotten and execute it
• Prepare for a longer sales cycle - persistence is key
• Clearly demonstrate the value in considering you as a supplier
• Become knowledgeable about the prospects industry
• Challenge yourself to connect with the prospect on a regular basis
• Communicate your competitive advantage 

Good selling,
Richard

P.S. Did anyone else loose posts this week due to the day long Blogger outage? I thank my RSS feed for providing copy and enabling this re-post.