Why Deadlines Are a Bad Idea

by Jeb Foster

Inevitably, you will find yourself with a fence sitter: A prospect who, for whatever reason, simply

refuses to say yes or no.

Maybe the person has a minor objection. Maybe they’re waiting for a better offer. Maybe they don’t see any urgency. Maybe the person is just plain indecisive.

In the past, we at InsureMe have suggested

setting deadlines for hesitant prospects as a way to get them to decide one way or the other, so that you can either make a sale or move on. We presented it as a practical way to save time.

Problem is, it’s terrible advice.

Artificial deadlines are never a good idea.

Why?

They’re a bad idea because they are intended to coerce, and coercion has no place in today’s sales climate.

Granted deadlines may seem innocuous—particularly when used innocently as time savers (as opposed to using them to pressure prospects and establish a false sense of urgency). But there is still one major problem (more than one actually) and that’s that you’re being dishonest.

Arbitrary deadlines are just that—arbitrary. They are manufactured to produce a desirable effect—a sense of urgency that results in either a sale or final answer—that is desirable only for you. The consumer doesn’t stand to benefit at all.

Taxonomically, artificial deadlines fit squarely in the “bullying” category. It is perhaps low-level bullying, but it’s bullying all the same. In today’s age, in which the internet has made consumers more powerful than ever, such bullying is especially hazardous—not only from a moral and ethical standpoint, but from a strategic one.

Don’t get me wrong: deadlines and other coercive tactics may indeed work in the short term—people do, in fact, respond to pressure—but they make for a lousy long term strategy. As marketing expert Seth Godin says, “The people you most need to spread the word, the people who are the best partners, the most loyal customers—they blanch in the face of bullying.”

You see, there are two primary kinds of customers—good ones and bad ones. The good ones do your marketing for you. The bad ones do too, but it’s not the kind of marketing you want. Coercion will land you a stable of bad customers—who have no loyalty to you and may actively detract from your efforts.

Persuade, don’t coerce.

(Per"suade tv. to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action.)

Here are a few elements of persuasion, according to Robert B. Cialdini, author of Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive:

Reciprocation: our social instincts tell us to reciprocate generosity. If you show great generosity to your prospects, they will react in kind—by buying a policy from you.

Social proof: we’re pack animals. That’s why referrals, testimonials and user-generated reviews on Amazon have such weight—they offer social proof.

Likability: likable people—those who can show interest in others and quickly build rapport—are persuasive.

Authority: present yourself as an authority in your area, and people will be more inclined to listen.

If your powers of persuasion can’t move the prospect from fence-sitting position, you’re left with a of couple options: tactfully keep at or move on.