Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching
"No" is the Second Best Response.
The best response you can get in the sales world is a "yes." However, the second best answer is a "no." What can drive sales people crazy is either no answer/response or some sort of delay from the person they’re trying to reach. This could be because the prospect may not truly understand how you can assist them, they're not a qualified prospect, they're busy and have other priorities now, or they're just trying to be nice and don't want to say "no."
By the way, if you do get a "no" - it may just be "no" for now, not "no" forever.
When we get a delay, it may be that there is not a sense of urgency for the prospect. Re-focus your conversation on why and how your solution will create a tangible (quantifiable) benefit for them.
If you think they're just trying to be nice (and just won't say no), find out what they like the best about your proposal, and how they think it would benefit them. Solving customer problems and fulfilling customer needs are critical to your successful sales efforts.
Hearing a "no" from your customer may not be the best answer you can get, but it will certainly save you time, save you frustration, and help keep your sales pipeline more realistic.
Have a great sales week!
In the sales business, a “no” response is considered normal. One should take negative response constructively so as to improve even further in the practice. It's like being a sales coach to oneself. One should first teach oneself to be open-minded and positive in every way. Take what is positive from the experience and learn from the negative. That is one of the best ways to grow in the field.
Posted by: Leola Highsmith | March 26, 2012 at 10:03 AM