3 Tips for Turning a NO Into a YES

Published on January 16, 2013

Have you been rejected by someone when you asked them to do something, buy your product or accept your idea?  If you are human, then you have been rejected more times than you probably care to remember.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you turn that rejection into a yes?  First you need to understand what the word NO really means.  NO is the answer of no risk.  Yes is the answer of risk.  If people feel there is too much risk in accepting your offer/idea or if they have too many unanswered questions, they will go with the answer that has less risk associated with it – the answer of NO.

Don’t make the mistake that many salespeople do: taking NO for meaning no interest at all!  Great salespeople know that it often takes more than five no’s before they get to a yes.  They understand that you don’t get penalized for a no.  After all, if the offer was not accepted in the past, what are you losing if they say no?  Top producers do understand that the rewards are realized when they hear the word yes!  Why is it that only 90% of all salespeople stop within the first three “no” answers? NO isn’t a rejection of the person or the product necessarily. It’s just no for now, based on the current information.

Here are three tips for increasing your chances of transforming a NO into a YES!!!

  • When you hear the word no, do not get emotional or take it personally.  Simply realize there is too much risk associated with the decision or that the person you are trying to influence still has too many unanswered questions. Find out what is missing and then address it if you can. It’s that simple.
  • Realize that no one is ever 100% satisfied with their decision. You may have bought the car of your dreams but did not like the price you paid. To gain buy-in in to your ideas and offers, realize you just need to get someone to a satisfaction level of 70% or more.  Once you are in this area, you have a good shot of getting the person to accept.
  • Sales and influence is often about timing.  You know the old saying, “timing is everything in life,”right? NO today does not mean NO forever.  It may be that the time is simply not right.  If you believe in your idea/offer and the benefits your customer will realize, keep going back at a pace where you are not being viewed as a pest.  Eventually, the timing may turn into your favor.

By implementing these three tips, you will transform a good number of NO’s into Yes’s. Learn more about Turning No’s into Yes’s in the CEO Bestselling Book Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way