Going for no.

When you think of sales, most people think that you need to do your utmost to push the client to say yes. If the prospect seems like they do want to purchase from you, than you can do that, but if they seem disinterested, or are giving mixed signals, as to whether it not they actually want to buy from you, that is when going for no is helpful.

Going for no is when you realize that you can’t force someone to say yes, so you ask them outright if their answer is a no. This act is often so unexpected that the prospect will perk up, and start listening.

There are several benefits to this negative reverse. First, if someone seems generally uninterested in your product or service, but they have even an inkling of a desire to purchase from you, they will suddenly not just be invested in your conversation for the rest of the time, but they will even try to swing you back to a yes, which also pushes themselves closer to that response. It’s like a pendulum, it’s hard to push it one way, but if you let it fall the other way, it will swing back even even higher. Second, if someone truly has no interest in purchasing from you, then having an hour long sales conversation in which you try to constantly push them towards yes, will only waste both of your time. When you go for no, it offers the prospect a chance to say open up and be honest about their position, without hurting your feelings, and lets you end the meeting early, with no hard feelings, and with much more time in your day.

In conclusion, next time you are in a sales conversation and you can’t seem to get a reaction from the prospect, try going for no, you’ll be surprised by how much easier the next phase of your conversation is.