Guide

Why callers say "I need to think about it"

"Let me think about it and call you back" is the sentence that loses the most consultations. It is almost never about thinking.
Last reviewed October 25, 2026 · By Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH

What the sentence usually means

It is a polite way to leave a conversation where something is unresolved. Usually the unresolved thing is one of a short list: the fee, someone else who has to agree, whether this is the right firm, or whether they are ready to act at all. The caller rarely says which.

The wrong response

"Of course. Call us whenever you are ready."

Respectful, and it ends the relationship. The caller does not call back, and nobody at the firm knows why.

A better response

Understand the concern before answering it, then hold a slot and agree a follow-up.

"Of course, that is a big decision. What is the one thing you would want to be clear on before you decide? ... Let me hold Thursday at ten for you until noon tomorrow, and I will call you then to see where you are."

The concern is asked about, a slot is held and the follow-up is agreed on the call.

The four usual concerns

The fee. Restate what the consultation covers, state the fee once and ask what they were expecting.
Someone else. Ask whether they would like that person on the call, and offer a time that suits both.
Other firms. Respect the comparison, ask what matters most in a firm, and hold a slot.
Not ready. Say what the first meeting is for, and that nothing is decided in it.

Keep reading

Scope, plainly: everything on this site concerns the conversation that turns an inquiry into an engagement. Nothing here is legal advice, nothing touches the legal work or the attorney's judgment, and any wording a firm adopts is reviewed by the firm against its jurisdiction's rules on attorney advertising, solicitation and fee communication before it is used.

About the Author

Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH is a behavioral strategist and the founder and Chief Learning Officer of R2R Diagnostic Group. He is the former EVP of Learning & Development at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, where he trained sales professionals on the conversations that turn an inquiry into a commitment. He applies the same method, the R2R Assessment and a 14-item call-review scorecard, to law firm intake teams. The work is the conversation only; legal questions and judgment stay with the attorney.

The method, the scripts and the scorecard are on how it works, the script template and the scorecard guide.

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