You Can Say No

One of the greatest strengths a person has in sales is giving clear indication and words to the expression: you can say no. It's okay to say no.

I'm speaking in general terms from my experience and it may be that "You can say no." is also an expression anyone can use but it fits my personality. It wasn't always like that.

Over the decades before I started a business with a direct sales/network marketing company, I read books upon books about sales, marketing and promotion. I read the classics and studied them the way one studies stamp or coin collecting, or the history of English prose - it was a passion but all theory and ideas.

I ventured into a few ventures, made some sales, and mostly bungled my way into a small sale. Nothing much really.

Twelve years ago my current business began and all the sales jargon and impressions, tips, and guruish advice filled my wanna be head with ideas. On top of that came our company training and support.

Some of the best advice I got I mostly ignored for a while. Then I read "High Probability Selling" and it helped clear the air and my head. Five readings later it still does that.

BUT my own reading of what I've learned from trial and error, from my reading of HPS, and from all the resources that have informed me, is that one of my strengths has become: you can say no.

Along with that comes: take all the time you need to consider it. I don't care if it takes a week or a month or if you never buy. It has to be right for you and a solid commitment.

That may fly in the face of other sales situations or the urgency of needing to make a sale in certain markets and circumstances, but in mine it's a truism that works well for me.

Whether I'm talking with someone about our products which I believe will benefit everyone who uses them or the business opportunity, "You can say no." has improved and increased my business, greatly lowered attrition, and put the products into the hands of people who for the most part are committed to their proper use.

Any discussion or not on this topic?

MitchM

Personally i find that adding humor to your already strong sales techinques can really be a huge benefit. This humor can really be to your advantage if you can get people to laugh and feel comfortable. The "you can say no" comment works because it gets the buyer thinking that your looking out for their best interests, your not pushing something on them, you give them a choice. I like it, anyone else have an opinion, i know i pretty much just stated the obvious.

One way of looking at sales is to distill the entire process down to this one simple concept:

"Get your prospects to make a decision."

I think that leaving the option open to say "No" does let them feel you are in it to help them. While we all love sales pushing it on someone who really doesn't want to buy can cause unwanted chasing...or phantom sales and stress that we don't need.

Knowing this up front will allow you to move on to the next prospect.

Any one else have an opinion?

Smiles,
Lisa

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrobertson

I think that leaving the option open to say "No" does let them feel you are in it to help them. While we all love sales pushing it on someone who really doesn't want to buy can cause unwanted chasing...or phantom sales and stress that we don't need.

Knowing this up front will allow you to move on to the next prospect.

Any one else have an opinion?

Smiles,

Lisa

Lisa, I agree that "pushing" is not the best way to sell (having said that, some salespeople have been very successful at pushing their products over the years).

Lisa, what are "phantom sales?"

We use words in different contexts and think we speak the same but don't. One man's change is another woman's status quo and so it goes. You make a good point that appears to agree with mine, Lisa.

Skip is also correct in saying that many people have made a good living pushing their products. Some have done that in extremely aggressive ways I don't do and others have "pushed" as in agressive promotion without being "pushy" in a "grab 'em by the collar and" do whatever it takes to get the sale then get out of town. Many in my business which is multi level marketing work like that and I don't like it.

There's no doubt that agression, subterfuge, bait-and-switch. hype, smoke & mirrors, etc. have all been used to build small and large and sustained fortunes. Anyone who denies that is living on Mars.

I believe those who post here - the regulars including the "experts" aren't sellers who work like that. I read different methods and differences of opinions about how to prospect, the best way to sell, etc. but also read integrity into most of the posts here. I don't think I'm reading that into what's posted but out of what's being posted.

For me, letting the prospect know it's okay to say NO from either side of the table and that that prospective is clear from the beginning is important in creating a relationship of trust and respect AND not making a sale one later wishes would not have been made.

One might even call it a smart selling tactic.

I'll end with the same question Skip asks - what is that phantom sale, Lisa?

MitchM

You Can Say No

Sales Forum