Go For “NO”?

In a sales situation, sometimes it’s important to go for “no.” There are a plethora of reasons that going for “no” might make sense, and I will discuss some of them here.

One reason to go for “no” is because you think that it’s a “no” and don’t want to waste any more of you and your prospect’s time. Out of respect, you ask, “So, is it a no?” They might respond, “Thank you for giving me permission to say ‘no.’ It’s not something I’m good at. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re a good fit at this time. Check back in a year from now, though, because things may have changed by then.” See, by asking if the sale a no, the prospect feels free to confirm that no, it’s just not a good fit at the moment. People are often reluctant to just say no, and instead may him and haw forever around it, wasting time that you could be spending on a prospect who is a “yes.” So, out of respect for your prospect’s time and your own time, don’t be afraid to go for no.

On the flipside, if you think it’s a yes, but your client is pushing back hard, one way to deal with this situation is to go for “no.” Say, for example, that a client says “Oh gee, our prices are so far away. My budget is x, and you’re asking y. Wow. I’m not sure if we can make that work.” This would be an excellent situation to go for “no.” “Is it a no then?” “Oh, well, actually, we might still be able to work a bit. Could you meet me in the middle at z?” All of a sudden, that seemingly bleak situation where you were far away on your offer and your prospect’s budget doesn’t seem so bad. They’re not a “no,” but instead just need a bit more negotiating to come to a deal.

Those are two situations where going for “no” can be surprisingly effective!