What Buyers Mean When They Say “We’ll Keep You in Mind”

For sales professionals, it is one of the most common and frustrating phrases in B2B. It feels positive, but it rarely leads to a deal. This article is about decoding this specific piece of buyer psychology. "We’ll keep you in mind" is not a promise; it is a polite deflection. Understanding the real meaning behind these words is the first step to overcoming the inertia that stalls most deals.

Translation: "This is not a priority right now."

This is the most common meaning. You have failed to create a compelling reason for the buyer to act *now*. Your solution is a "nice-to-have," not a "must-have." The problem you solve is not painful enough to justify the effort and political capital required to make a change. They are not rejecting your solution; they are rejecting the urgency of the problem.

This is the silent battle every seller must fight: the battle against the status quo. It highlights the difference between a prospect showing interest versus intent.

Translation: "I don't have the authority to make this decision."

You may be talking to an enthusiastic champion who loves your product, but they know they cannot get it approved on their own. They need to convince their boss, their finance team, and their IT department. "We’ll keep you in mind" is a way of saying, "I don't know how to navigate this internal process, and I'm not confident enough to try."

When a buyer says "we'll keep you in mind," they are politely ending the conversation. Your job is to find a compelling reason to reopen it.

Translation: "You haven’t sufficiently de-risked this for me."

Every B2B purchase carries a career risk for the person championing it. If the implementation fails, it reflects poorly on them. When a buyer says they'll "keep you in mind," they may be saying, "You haven’t given me enough proof that this is a safe bet." They are looking for stronger case studies, more relevant social proof, or clearer evidence of ROI to feel comfortable moving forward.

How to Respond: Read Between the Lines

Do not take the phrase at face value. It is a signal to dig deeper, not to politely retreat. Your response should be aimed at diagnosing the true objection.

• To address urgency: "I understand this might not be a top priority today. Can you help me understand what would need to be true for this to become a Q2 initiative?"
• To address authority: "Typically, when a company like yours implements our solution, the Head of Operations is also involved. Does it make sense to loop them into the conversation?"
• To address risk: "It sounds like the potential impact is clear, but you might have concerns about the implementation. Here’s a case study on how we managed the rollout for [Similar Company], which I think might address some of those concerns."

The Takeaway

In B2B sales, your job is to be a translator. "We’ll keep you in mind" is rarely the truth; it is a symptom of a deeper, unstated objection. By learning to hear what is not being said, you can move past the polite deflection and start addressing the real issues that are preventing the deal from moving forward. Stop accepting politeness as progress.