24 Handling “NO!”: Which “No” Is That?

No can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

—Mark Twain

When a prospect or a suspect says “no” to an appointment, to

a callback, or to the next step you suggest at the end of a cold

call, as discussed in Chapter 23—it’s important to know

which no you are dealing with.

There are four kinds of No’s, an idea we first heard articulated

many years ago by sales training guru Larry Wilson.

The Four No’s

1. No Trust. The prospect may have a need, but something

about you, your approach, or your proposal has led them to

feel that you can’t meet the need. The prospect doesn’t trust

you and/or your company to do what you say you will. Salespeople

from small companies selling to prospects in large

companies encounter this doubt all the time. It’s a legitimate

fear—and one you particularly need to anticipate when cold

calling to a prospect who is unlikely to have heard of your organization

before.

2. No Need. You may not be speaking to a legitimate need.

If that’s the case, you aren’t talking to a real prospect, so move

on. But it also may be that you have not sold the prospect on

the idea that they have a need—even though you’re convinced

the need is there. When that happens, it’s called denial. Doctors

run into denial all the time. “Geez, Doc, it’s just a

headache. Brain surgery? I don’t think so.” Sometimes your

first sale is selling the prospect on their own need.

3. No Help. Sometimes there is a legitimate, important

need to be met and the prospect knows it. But something about

your proposal or your company or your call feels “off.” They

don’t see your proposition or product working the wonders

you’re promising. You have a solution, they have a need, but

they don’t see the two meshing. And they aren’t ready to let

you convince them otherwise.

4. No Hurry. There is a need, you have a good idea, and it

probably will work. But what’s the rush? Somehow, you and

the prospect don’t see eye to eye on the urgency of doing

something. Rearranging one’s retirement plan to downplay

stocks, particularly technology stocks, didn’t seem an immediate

need to most investors in early 2000. It is often incumbent

on the Knock Your Socks Off prospector to create the motivation

to act in one’s own best interests.

Knowing Your No’s When You See Them

1. The “No Trust” No.

Trust is the bedrock of business transactions. If the

prospect doesn’t believe you, or suspects your intentions, you

can never build a relationship—or sell him a stick of gum. If

the prospect has never done business with you or heard of

your organization—especially in today’s low-trust business

environment—–it is a reasonable guess that no trust might be

the issue. If your company has been in the headlines for a negative

reason, you can be sure trust will be an issue.

Signs and Symptoms of No Trust

_ “I would have to know more about you folks . . . .”

_ “That’s a pretty big claim.”

_ “I’ve never heard of you.”

_ “I’m pretty happy with who we are doing business

with today.” (Even though I don’t have a clue why.)

_ “I don’t really know.”

Just about anything that puts the prospect in the “I don’t know

you and you have not earned the right yet to take up more of

my time” mode—yep, that’s the trust thing.

2. The “No Need” No.

Sometimes a prospect just doesn’t need what you’re selling—

even if your homework says they should. They may, for

instance, have just purchased a product or service similar to

yours from a competitor. (Hard as that may be to believe!)

Sometimes, however, the words “we just bought one” are simply

a way to get you off the phone. You need to check out the

reality of the statement.

Five Signs of Denial or a “No Need” Stall

When you hear one of these five statements from a prospect,

it’s even money they haven’t actually evaluated their need lately. Or, if they have, they don’t want you to make life complicated

by forcing them to take action on the need.

_ “We’re happy with what we have.”

_ “We’re not in the market just now.”

_ “We aren’t ready for an upgrade.”

_ “We haven’t gotten all the value out of the Acme

4000.”

_ “It is not a priority for me right now.” (Even though

the holes in the dam are getting bigger, and the flood

is coming.)

Any of these forms of No’s should prompt you to probe

on.

3. The “No Help” No.

No Help is the No that says you and the prospect are connecting

about there being a need, but not about the solution.

Or at least, not about the likelihood that you and your organization

are able to provide a viable solution.

Symptoms of a “No Help” No

You and the prospect are probably in the no help tango

when you hear phrases like these:

_ “We would never need anything this complicated.”

_ “I don’t see how your product meets a need for us.”

_ “We already do business with someone who can do

that.”

Getting a prospect to talk here requires you to focus on a

solution the buyer can see. Ask, “What could our product do

better?” or “How do you see your needs changing over the

next year in this area?” You need to move the prospect off

their current center. If you are not the lead dog on a dog sled,

the view never changes, but the starting point has been left

behind a long time ago.

4. The “No Hurry” No.

TIP: If a prospect says “we just bought one” and

you think you’re getting shined on, say something

like, “Great, may I ask which widget stretcher you

settled on?” Followed by, “May I ask what attracted

you to the Acme 4000?” At the very least, you’ll be

learning something valuable about a competitive

product/service.

The classic “no hurry” No comes from the life insurance

prospect who figures he’ll live forever or the health insurance

prospect who avoids thinking about illness—at all costs. They

both understand the product and the need for it. They may

even trust the organization and the salesperson to deliver it effectively.

Where do things break down? At the “what if” barrier:

“What if I never get ill? What a waste of money this would

be.” And “Everyone in my family lives a long time. If I spend

dollars on this, I’m really dumping money down a hole.”

Sounds of the “No Hurry” No

The no hurry No is probably at the root of an appointment, or

callback, or next step refusal when you hear things like:

_ “We’ll need to do that eventually—but . . . .”

_ “I’m sure that when we really need to do that, you’ll be

on our list.”

_ “If you’d like to send me something, we’ll keep it on

file.”

_ “We’re just not ready to . . . .”

_ “I’ll get back to you when . . . .”

To counter this one, recognize that the real issue is

change. Change is inevitable, but no one likes to change. Here

is where you ask about changes the prospect is facing and gain

agreement that they need to change faster than they think.

They are stuck in neutral on the tracks of change and don’t see

that train coming.

Plan to hear the four kinds of No’s throughout the

prospecting process, and be ready for them—especially at the

end of a cold call. If the summarize-bridge-pull technique explained

in Chapter 24 produces a No, it most likely will be one

of these four.

No can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

—Mark Twain

When a prospect or a suspect says “no” to an appointment, to

a callback, or to the next step you suggest at the end of a cold

call, as discussed in Chapter 23—it’s important to know

which no you are dealing with.

There are four kinds of No’s, an idea we first heard articulated

many years ago by sales training guru Larry Wilson.

The Four No’s

1. No Trust. The prospect may have a need, but something

about you, your approach, or your proposal has led them to

feel that you can’t meet the need. The prospect doesn’t trust

you and/or your company to do what you say you will. Salespeople

from small companies selling to prospects in large

companies encounter this doubt all the time. It’s a legitimate

fear—and one you particularly need to anticipate when cold

calling to a prospect who is unlikely to have heard of your organization

before.

2. No Need. You may not be speaking to a legitimate need.

If that’s the case, you aren’t talking to a real prospect, so move

on. But it also may be that you have not sold the prospect on

the idea that they have a need—even though you’re convinced

the need is there. When that happens, it’s called denial. Doctors

run into denial all the time. “Geez, Doc, it’s just a

headache. Brain surgery? I don’t think so.” Sometimes your

first sale is selling the prospect on their own need.

3. No Help. Sometimes there is a legitimate, important

need to be met and the prospect knows it. But something about

your proposal or your company or your call feels “off.” They

don’t see your proposition or product working the wonders

you’re promising. You have a solution, they have a need, but

they don’t see the two meshing. And they aren’t ready to let

you convince them otherwise.

4. No Hurry. There is a need, you have a good idea, and it

probably will work. But what’s the rush? Somehow, you and

the prospect don’t see eye to eye on the urgency of doing

something. Rearranging one’s retirement plan to downplay

stocks, particularly technology stocks, didn’t seem an immediate

need to most investors in early 2000. It is often incumbent

on the Knock Your Socks Off prospector to create the motivation

to act in one’s own best interests.

Knowing Your No’s When You See Them

1. The “No Trust” No.

Trust is the bedrock of business transactions. If the

prospect doesn’t believe you, or suspects your intentions, you

can never build a relationship—or sell him a stick of gum. If

the prospect has never done business with you or heard of

your organization—especially in today’s low-trust business

environment—–it is a reasonable guess that no trust might be

the issue. If your company has been in the headlines for a negative

reason, you can be sure trust will be an issue.

Signs and Symptoms of No Trust

_ “I would have to know more about you folks . . . .”

_ “That’s a pretty big claim.”

_ “I’ve never heard of you.”

_ “I’m pretty happy with who we are doing business

with today.” (Even though I don’t have a clue why.)

_ “I don’t really know.”

Just about anything that puts the prospect in the “I don’t know

you and you have not earned the right yet to take up more of

my time” mode—yep, that’s the trust thing.

2. The “No Need” No.

Sometimes a prospect just doesn’t need what you’re selling—

even if your homework says they should. They may, for

instance, have just purchased a product or service similar to

yours from a competitor. (Hard as that may be to believe!)

Sometimes, however, the words “we just bought one” are simply

a way to get you off the phone. You need to check out the

reality of the statement.

Five Signs of Denial or a “No Need” Stall

When you hear one of these five statements from a prospect,

it’s even money they haven’t actually evaluated their need lately. Or, if they have, they don’t want you to make life complicated

by forcing them to take action on the need.

_ “We’re happy with what we have.”

_ “We’re not in the market just now.”

_ “We aren’t ready for an upgrade.”

_ “We haven’t gotten all the value out of the Acme

4000.”

_ “It is not a priority for me right now.” (Even though

the holes in the dam are getting bigger, and the flood

is coming.)

Any of these forms of No’s should prompt you to probe

on.

3. The “No Help” No.

No Help is the No that says you and the prospect are connecting

about there being a need, but not about the solution.

Or at least, not about the likelihood that you and your organization

are able to provide a viable solution.

Symptoms of a “No Help” No

You and the prospect are probably in the no help tango

when you hear phrases like these:

_ “We would never need anything this complicated.”

_ “I don’t see how your product meets a need for us.”

_ “We already do business with someone who can do

that.”

Getting a prospect to talk here requires you to focus on a

solution the buyer can see. Ask, “What could our product do

better?” or “How do you see your needs changing over the

next year in this area?” You need to move the prospect off

their current center. If you are not the lead dog on a dog sled,

the view never changes, but the starting point has been left

behind a long time ago.

4. The “No Hurry” No.

TIP: If a prospect says “we just bought one” and

you think you’re getting shined on, say something

like, “Great, may I ask which widget stretcher you

settled on?” Followed by, “May I ask what attracted

you to the Acme 4000?” At the very least, you’ll be

learning something valuable about a competitive

product/service.

The classic “no hurry” No comes from the life insurance

prospect who figures he’ll live forever or the health insurance

prospect who avoids thinking about illness—at all costs. They

both understand the product and the need for it. They may

even trust the organization and the salesperson to deliver it effectively.

Where do things break down? At the “what if” barrier:

“What if I never get ill? What a waste of money this would

be.” And “Everyone in my family lives a long time. If I spend

dollars on this, I’m really dumping money down a hole.”

Sounds of the “No Hurry” No

The no hurry No is probably at the root of an appointment, or

callback, or next step refusal when you hear things like:

_ “We’ll need to do that eventually—but . . . .”

_ “I’m sure that when we really need to do that, you’ll be

on our list.”

_ “If you’d like to send me something, we’ll keep it on

file.”

_ “We’re just not ready to . . . .”

_ “I’ll get back to you when . . . .”

To counter this one, recognize that the real issue is

change. Change is inevitable, but no one likes to change. Here

is where you ask about changes the prospect is facing and gain

agreement that they need to change faster than they think.

They are stuck in neutral on the tracks of change and don’t see

that train coming.

Plan to hear the four kinds of No’s throughout the

prospecting process, and be ready for them—especially at the

end of a cold call. If the summarize-bridge-pull technique explained

in Chapter 24 produces a No, it most likely will be one

of these four.