NO is GOOD for Business

NO is a great answer in sales!

We often think about only the buyer having the ability to say no, and it often hurts our egos when they do. There is huge power in saying no to a prospect. I recommend it be done with professionalism, some empathy, and at least a hint of rationale.

Saying no to a prospect tells them that you have a clear understanding of your own business operations and what makes for an ideal client relationship – one that is most beneficial to all involved – and that this is outside of your ideal.

It says your standards, brand, expertise, and team talent are worth more than just revenue. You seek true partnerships with clients.

No is often better understood as “not yet” or “not now”.

A great sales agent might follow it up with some ideas of what it might take to make a successful partnership later – pricing or budget fluctuation, capacity or support, risk tolerance, or a host of other misalignments from EITHER party.

Saying no builds confidence in your own processes and allows for more ideal YES opportunities.

At any time, you can say NO to current client relationships (given that established exit procedures from agreement are followed) in order to protect internal interests and make room for better YES opportunities!

In a previous role, I said NO to my bottom 20% of clients annually. 

I would ask the client if they thought our relationship was beneficial in order to come to a mutual decision. 

Many times it actually worked by transferring the client to a different team within the company. Often, the new Account Manager was better-suited to help them grow together. 

Within 60-90days, I was able to replace the ‘lost revenue’ with either new and larger clients, or by growing existing clients. 

#business #sales #brand #humancentric #idealclient