What is the Meaning of the Term "Buying Temperature" in Sales?

The meaning of the term "buying temperature" is a sales term that is used to describe any sales technique or sales skill that allows the sales person to determine how hot or cold the customer is to making a buying decision. Often during the sales process buying signals can be over looked by the sales person and the opportunity to close the sale will be passed by. When techniques are employed, through the use of asking the prospect the right questions, listening closely to the response, and also being alert to the prospects body language and other reactions, the sales person will be able to zero in on buying signals that are being expressed. These signs and signals, be they positive or negative -- hot or cold -- will help to demonstrate to the sales person how far along or far away the prospect is to making a decision, hence the term "buying temperature". The definition of "buying temperature" was once thought to have originated from the idea that when a prospect gets excited about the product or service being sold, his body temperature goes up.