Whether you’re new to sales or a seasoned veteran, regardless of your “technique”, you’ll still hear “NO” more often than “YES”.
This is a truism of sales. Most salespeople know this, but everyday go on calls always seeking a “YES”. They not only create unbelievable pressure on themselves, but set themselves up for mental failure, as well.
How do we in the training business address this seemingly weighty issue?
We teach people to go for a “NO” rather than the “YES”. This removes the pressure from the salesperson to always win in a business where losing is more often defined by “NO.” In essence, “NO” becomes a winning answer and leads to increased confidence and self-esteem.
For example, we suggest, “Mr./Mrs. Prospect, at the end of our call today we both have to make a decision as to whether or not we should continue in this process. If you decide you don’t want to continue, would you be comfortable telling me “NO”…And by the way, “NO” is okay.”
This is a personal paradigm shift…a new mindset…why? When prospects know upfront that it’s okay to say, “NO” the pressure is off. They don’t have to make excuses or offer “I want to think-it-over” responses.
Does this mean you should just ask an account “Will you please just tell me “NO” today?” Of course not! Prospects have the right to choose, so we let them know upfront, early in the call, that a “Yes or No” is expected by the end of the call. Once practiced, it usually takes new salespeople only a few weeks to make it a consistent habit.
The rewards are great…going for the “no” is liberating! Not everyone is a true prospect…so “no” is okay. This helps us deal with all the “I need to think it over” responses. Telling a prospect they can tell you “no” actually helps you reject them before they can reject your offer.
When we start consistently going for the “no”, more and more “yes’s” will happen. Going for the “no” helps to shorten the sales cycle, qualify prospects, and helps both parties manages expectations.
When prospects know they can say “no”, the pressure is off…they can concentrate on you, the sales process, and ways to say “yes”.
