When Someone Else is in the Room (Even When They’re Not)
I’ve been working with a family for years. I helped the parents buy their first home here. Then I helped two of the three kids buy in Manhattan.
I’m down to the last one.
The son reached out recently and said he was ready to buy. "Great!" I said, and then he said, "Well, except for one thing. One of my parents isn't sure I should buy now."
Even though the entire family lives here, and even though he does too, he’s currently renting. The concern? That he’s in too much of a transition to put down roots, and just like that, it’s not a straightforward deal anymore.
This is something that doesn’t get talked about enough in sales.
You’re not always working with one person or one decision-maker.
Sometimes you’re working with their parents, their partner, their friends, an entire system of people weighing in. So the client has their own internal back-and-forth influenced by all these people whom you might never even meet.
You feel it in the hesitation and pauses, and in the "I'm not sure."
This is where a lot of salespeople go wrong.
They try to push harder, build a stronger case, and add more logic. But it's not a logic problem, it's an influence problem.
So instead of pushing, slow down and ask better questions.
What’s making you hesitate?
What feels like a risk right now?
What would make this feel easier?
The goal isn’t to override the other voice. It’s to understand it and help the client clarify what they actually want.
Sometimes it leads to a deal, and sometimes it doesn't, but it always leads to a better decision. In the long run, that builds trust, and it's why I've worked with this entire family.
