The phone rang, and the person on the other end had obviously researched me. “Hello, Mr. Harrison,” she said. “I’m the Human Resources director for ABC corporation (name eliminated to protect the innocent), and we’re interested in having you do some sales training for our sales force.” She went on to explain the size of the sales force, the general layout of the company, and how many days’ training she was seeking.
“Great,” I said. “Who is driving the project?” She explained that she was researching trainers, and I said, “No, by that I mean, who is the ultimate decision maker, whose budget this is coming out of?” She said, “That would be our Vice President of Sales, Chris XXXXX (again, not the real name).” “Terrific,” I replied. “When can I talk to Chris?” “You can’t,” she explained. “I just need you to send me a proposal, and I’ll send it on to Chris.” I then said one of the most important words in selling – a word that every salesperson should know and be comfortable with.
“No,” I said.
“Excuse me?” she asked. I clarified my answer.
“No, I won’t send a proposal without speaking to Chris. I won’t, because from past experience I know that if I don’t speak to the person driving the project, I’m only guessing at what to propose – and hence my proposal wouldn’t be for the right program aimed at the right needs. Which means that I won’t get the business anyway.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said. “We would have liked to have you involved in this project.”
“If I can speak to Chris, I’m happy to change my stance,” I said. She replied, “That won’t be possible.” We wished each other well, and that was that. Except that it wasn’t that. Three days later, my phone rang again.
“Troy, this is Chris XXXXX,” the caller said. “I understand that you refused to offer sales training to my company?” I explained that, in my experience, unless I had the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with the decision maker, I didn’t get the business anyway, and I simply don’t have the time these days to issue non-viable proposals. “Well, we’re talking now,” he said, and we ended up having a conversation about his needs. Three days later, I received a FedEx package with a signed contract and a check.
What made the deal happen? Well, it seems counterintuitive, but refusing to propose was the difference. Had I simply spent time creating a proposal and sent it (as four other sales trainers did), I’d have been at the buyer’s mercy, and I wouldn’t have gotten the engagement.
Customers give us orders and strong requests all the time, and sometimes it’s not in our best interests to follow them. Yet salespeople are petrified by the idea of saying “no” to a customer, even when they know they should. It’s okay to say “no,” particularly when doing so means that you are guarding the value of your own time and resources. Here are some examples of times when saying “no” is the best option:
- When you get a blind Request For Proposal: We get RFP’s all the time. Too often, we simply follow directions, fill in numbers, send them back, and hope. That’s a monstrous waste of time. Here’s a good rule of thumb: For every RFP you receive, someone is driving it and has written it. A salesperson has been able to talk to that person. If that salesperson isn’t you, you’re probably not going to get the business. When you get an RFP, you should endeavor to meet with the decision maker, and if you can’t, you should ask yourself why you’re taking the time to respond. “But Troy,” you’re saying, “If I don’t respond they’ll take me off the bid list.” So what? Every time you get the RFP and don’t get to talk to the decision maker, your results will be the same.
- When your customer makes an unreasonable request: The old saying is, “The customer is always right.” Nonsense. Customers are wrong every day. Not to mention unfair, unreasonable, and downright unpleasant. Note that I don’t mean ALL customers – most are terrific. But sometimes even the best, most well-meaning customers can be unreasonable without knowing it. Your instinct, as a customer-friendly salesperson, is to accede to any and all requests – but sometimes that’s the worst thing you can do. When you accept an unreasonable request from a customer, you train the customer to be unreasonable. Sometimes, to protect yourself, you have to say “no.”
- When your customer asks for something that’s not in their best interests: As a consultative salesperson, your job is to help your customers make buying decisions that are in their own best interests. Sometimes, your customer will ask for things that are not in their best interests, and when they do, you have to be brave enough to say “no,” and explain why.
These, of course, are only a few of the times that “no” can be your best friend – but it takes courage to say “no” to a customer. I do it, and every time I do, I’m aware that I’m jeopardizing a relationship. But, to be effective, sometimes that’s what I have to do. It works the same for you. Don’t be afraid to say “no;” sometimes it can result in your best relationships.
The conversation I detailed at the beginning of this article was over two years ago. That client has engaged me on numerous occasions since then, and continues to do so. Had I just said, “Yes,” it wouldn’t have happened.
