The problem isn’t the price. It’s the lack of a decision.
You sent the quote. You answered the technical questions. You showed them samples of stitched PVC with double reinforcement. You even sent a mock-up.
And the customer?
“I’ll take a look.”
“I need to run it past my business partner.”
“Things are a bit tricky right now, but let’s talk next week.”
Three weeks go by. Then the bloke posts stories from an event featuring a competitor’s inflatables. And you’re left wondering where you went wrong.
You didn’t get the product wrong. You got the decision-making process wrong.
Let’s sort that out.
Why customers drag their feet (and it’s not out of malice)
They didn’t see enough value in your inflatable
This one’s on you. You talked about stitching, materials, durability. What they really care about is how many parties they can rent it out before something goes wrong, whether the design will impress their customers, and whether maintenance will be a hassle.
What to do?
Next time, instead of saying “we use double stitching”, say:
“This model handles 50 events without a single seam coming apart — fewer headaches for you and fewer returns.”
They’re scared to make a decision
Scared to invest in a new supplier. Scared of being left with dead stock. Scared your lead time won’t hold up.
The answer isn’t to keep pushing. It’s to take the pressure off.
Your inflatable isn’t a priority right now
For you, closing the sale is urgent. For them, buying now versus in two months might not make a difference. And as long as there’s no consequence for delaying, they will delay.
Ready-to-use messages for every type of foot-dragger
Use these responses. Don’t nag. Lead.
1. For the one who’s scared to decide — take the pressure off
“Don’t worry, you don’t need to decide on the full order right now. Would it make more sense if I gave you a call on Thursday to sort out just the first test unit, or would Tuesday be better?”
This breaks down the resistance. You’re showing you don’t need an order of 50 units. A single test unit gets your foot in the door.
2. For the one who’s been saying “I’ll take a look” for three weeks — get to the root of it
“Of everything we’ve shown you — samples, lead times, payment terms — what’s still making you hesitate to go ahead with this order?”
Then stay quiet. Let them speak.
If they say “the price”, you know it’s negotiation.
If they say “nothing”, then something else is going on. Be suspicious.
3. For the one who isn’t making your order a priority — test the urgency
“If you don’t order this batch of inflatables now, what happens in your business over the next 30 days?”
If they say “nothing”, you’ve just realised you’re not selling to them today.
If they hesitate, you’ve brought to the surface the cost of not deciding: losing sales to competitors, having nothing new for Easter/Summer/Christmas.
The strongest move (only use this when you’ve tried everything)
If the customer still drags their feet after these questions, do this:
“Look, I’ll be straight with you: would you rather I give you a call further down the line — in a few months — or do you actually want to sort this out now with something smaller?”
Those who want to sort it out, will.
Those who don’t, will take the dow sell: instead of 10 inflatables, let’s do 3. Instead of a giant bouncy castle, let’s do a smaller model. Instead of custom printing, let’s use one of our designs with a colour change.
A strong salesperson doesn’t beg. They lead.
Between the lines
Customers who drag their feet aren’t doing it to annoy you. They’re just managing their own risk. Your job as a manufacturer isn’t to push. It’s to show that deciding to work with you is safer than carrying on as they are.
Change the conversation. Take the pressure off. Get to the root of it. Test the priority.
And if it’s not the right time, leave the door open for a smaller first step.
Inflated greetings!
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