In class we learned about Sandler Rule #31, which is “Close the Sale or Close the File”. As a salesperson, you are going to be put in many different situations. One of those situations may be having a prospect say no to what you have to offer to them. When they say no, you have to think about what the possible meaning behind that could be. Too often, when a salesperson gets turned down, most of them go into, “Oh no. They said no to me, I have to fix this and get them to buy something”. This should never happen. Them saying no to you can be a good thing for both you and the prospect in the long run. It could save you time, and the other person money.
In sales, as the salesperson, you should always be considering three questions: Is this a good fit? Is this person willing to work with me? Could my efforts be more productive somewhere else? You often know when you are at that the point when some people really want and need to say no, and it becomes clear that you are at the end of the line. If the client hasn’t said it directly or indirectly, then asking if asking if what you are talking about is what they are looking for.
The goal of any sales process is not to try to get the prospect to say yes, but to embark on a mutual discovery process to determine if the companies should work together. For example, you can ask, “Do you think there is a good fit for both of us?” It will only a good fit if you can deliver the product or service for the investment they are willing to make and in the manner and time frame that they require. It’s okay if a sale doesn’t end up falling through. What is best for the prospect and for your company is what is really going to be helpful in this situation.
BoweryJE22