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Why does hearing the word no scare us so much?
Salespeople tiptoe around it constantly.
We avoid it like the plague and it prevents us from moving forward.
1987’s and 2010’s Wall Street are in the rear-view.
Bud Fox and Gordon Geikko both did time in the pokey.
Jordan Belfort pleaded guilty to fraud in 1999, spent 22 months imprisoned and was forced to pay millions in restitution to the folks he ripped off.
I love these movies as much as the next guy.
But, the don’t take no for an answer while preying on people’s emotions and perceived weaknesses, approach is played out.
Every salesperson, at some point, has had a manager give them this piece of advice before a call or meeting.
There are a bevy of memes, slogans and rah-rah speeches about never taking no for an answer.
Close at all costs – no exceptions.
But, I Can’t Go for That
In my early days selling B2C, I was that guy.
Not the guy with the mansion chauffeured around town in a limo wearing Gucci loafers next to arm-candy extraordinaire sniffling his way through the day.
But the guy in a boiler room who was Ah-Ah, Ah Aggressive and sold with reckless abandon.
In those days, the word No was an invisible barrier.
It was the cue to summon the smooth criminal within and if that didn’t work, PUMP UP the volume.
Today, I cringe at the insanity I spouted at prospects to close deals.
And for my behavior, I was applauded and rewarded handsomely.
I was black Superman in a three-button, double-vent Canali.
A real stand up guy – sitting down.
No Can Do
While transitioning into B2B sales a decade ago, I realized there was no room for that never take no for an answer b.s. even though it was still a huge part of the Sales lexicon.
It was then I learned to adopt a new mentality.
Prospects are not victims.
They’re partners, equals and potential sources of revenue for years to come when approached with tact, respect and solutions that make their lives easier, save or make them mo’ money.
Realizing that No in Sales isn’t the enemy takes adjusting and frankly, I’m still getting used to it.
We often perceive No as a personal attack.
We get defensive and vindictive even though we know better.
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If you’ve spent as little as three months in Sales, you’ve probably already heard your fair share of No’s.
And as disappointing as each one is – the moment you hear it, you know exactly where you stand.
After all, isn’t that what we all want?
A definitive answer among the thousands of mysteries and questions surrounding our lives.
If Nostradamus Was Here, He’d Know What to Say
The B2B sales cycle can be a serious yankfest.
One day you’re in pole position with a high-ticket prospect secretly rehearsing your acceptance speech and the next, your sure thing has turned you into a needy little bitch by not returning your calls.
Even as sales professionals using our best efforts – prospects fall out.
And when they do, we create elaborate scenarios justifying why they left us at the altar.
We assume they’ve chosen another vendor, our fees are too high or maybe they found those racy photos of us doing keg stands in diapers on social media.
Here’s the rub.
We don’t know what other people are thinking until they tell us.
To avoid uncertainty, I’m asking prospects in the beginning of the cycle if they’re comfortable with telling me No if and when our objectives aren’t aligned.
Part of my problem is recently, I’ve been asking this too late.
And by too late I mean when they’re already ghosting me.
Fast forward – I’m setting the precedent at the beginning of the sale so there’s no confusion.
Truth Hits Everybody
It sucks when you hear the stripper you’re stalking doesn’t want to smash or the male underwear model responsible for your journaling isn’t interested.
But there’s a benefit to knowing the truth.
Hearing No means you’re free to stalk other strippers and cruise the back of JCPenney catalogs for your next undergarment target.
Sure, rejection’s rough.
But it’s still better to know than to not know.
The Back End of Crappiness
Asking for No comes down to whether you’re treating Sales as a job or a career.
When you get a definitive No from a prospect in complex sales, 9 times out of 10, it’s temporary.
In the ocean of No’s I’ve received thus far, never have I heard a prospect say:
“Don’t ever call me or anyone at my company for as long as you live”.
So what I’m sayin’ is – there’s a chance.
It’s not that you aren’t Mr. or Mrs. Right, you’re just not Mr. or Mrs. Right Now.
Stay respectfully aggressive and don’t burn bridges.
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When turned down, find out what it means for the future.
Is there an opportunity to circle back next quarter or year when vendor contracts are up or new decision teams are hired?
If you can get them on the phone, they’ll tell you why they’re not using your services.
Even if you never get the answer, mark the opportunity as Dead for Now – never Dead for Ever.
Taking No For an Answer at Your Job vs Taking No in Your Career
If you’re bouncing around sales gigs every six months across multiple industries, you’ll never get a chance to follow through with Dead for Now’s because you’ll be gone.
Conversely, as a sales professional staying in one company or switching outfits within the same industry, you can follow up with these opportunities in six months, a year or two and see if anything’s changed.
Luckily, prospects admire persistence as long as it’s respectful.
Revisiting a conversation after a year shows you’re not some fly by night Lothario there to just hit it and quit it.
You’re in it for the long haul.
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I’ve closed large companies after years of rejection.
It’s only by staying in the same industry and being persistent that those wins were possible.
Now, how you react to No sets the tone for your current mental state and that of your future business.
Don’t bother coercing enterprise-level prospects into signing.
There’s a fine line between professionalism and douchebaggery.
And if they don’t dig the cut of your jib today, play the long game and avoid looking like a tool.
If You Don’t Know, Now You Know
Asking for No upfront doesn’t mean tamping down sales efforts and selling like a wet noodle.
It’s our responsibility to always know where we stand in each deal as Sales professionals.
Let’s respect our prospects’ schedules but also convey to them, that our time is also valuable.
Don’t be afraid to take No for an answer.
Embrace it…
No one will die.