Question of the Month: What should you do when the prospect says, “I’m not moving?”

Many of our clients are commercial movers or sell products and services entirely dependent on a trigger event: corporate relocations. Nothing throws off a sales rep like a confirmed moving lead saying, “I’m not moving.” In fact, that objection can be enough to relegate the lead to what we call the “dead lead dumpster.”

But just because someone says, “I’m not moving,” should you give up on the lead? In many cases, a prospect who offers an unexpected objection feels cornered. You have knowledge of a piece of information that was not disclosed to you, and that’s enough to put a business owner or manager’s guard up. Who are you, and how did you find out about their trigger event? In the prospect’s eyes, it’s none of your business that they are planning a move, even if your services can ultimately make their lives a lot easier.

Should you discard the lead?

If a prospect tells you their trigger event is not happening, don’t discard the lead too hastily. After all, you may have caught the prospect on a bad day, and “We’re not moving!” is a fake-out to get you off the phone. Let a little time pass, and make at least a few more attempts before determining that the lead is no good. Remember, someone at some point told your lead source they were moving.

Try back at a better time

As time draws closer to the trigger event, your prospect may start to become more interested in what you have to offer. Even if the prospect is not receptive to a phone call, you may be able to reach them through other, less intrusive means. Try sending an information packet or an email. Dropping by in person to offer a free quote is another tactic that sometimes proves more effective than a cold call.

So how do you salvage that call?

If the prospect says they’re not moving, breeze over their response and get off the phone! You can say your boss put their name on your desk as someone you might be able to assist, and ask them to let you know if their situation changes.  Keep things light and friendly, since you want to avoid the topic of “Where did you get this information?” Follow up in a week or so. You can even try to find other contacts in the company who may be decision-makers in regards to the move.

Remember, when you purchase a list of sales leads, you have access to sensitive information. It’s possible that not all of the employees in a given company know about the move yet, so it’s best not to start talking about the trigger event right away. Instead say, “This is ___ from ABC Moving. We specialize in corporate relocation, and we have helped companies similar to XYZ plan successful moves. I just wanted to introduce myself and see if you are in the market for moving services.” Another great tactic is to pass on free information about how to plan a successful move or avoid common moving mistakes. Above all, allow the prospect to raise their hand and self-identify.

Don’t give up.

Sure, it’s possible you could have received a bad moving lead. But most of the time, you just caught your prospect at a bad moment and got a false negative. Remember, over half of your competitors will not follow up after being given a negative answer, so perseverance is the key to winning that move – which, in spite of your prospect’s objections, could probably  use your professional help.