Crave the NO

When I am doing sales training, I tell my would-be sales gurus that to be successful in sales, they must learn to "Crave the NO" - meaning they must learn to not just get comfortable hearing the word "no", but they must crave it. Why? Because in sales it takes approximately 10 "no's" to get a "yes" - so each time you hear the word "no" it means you are one step closer to hearing "yes" and getting that big sale. Therefore - crave the NO. Champion sales people understand that hearing no is part of getting to yes. Average sales people let every nuance of the word no strike them like arrows and deflate the rest of their sales presentations.

In fact I recommend that companies work within their sales organization to track, celebrate and create goals for getting turned down. This eliminates the stigma of hearing "no" and relieves some of the emotional stress that comes with getting turned down. Therefore, you start setting goals for how many no's you can accumulate, rather than the usual goals for sales, or yeses. What many people end up finding out is that it is actually hard to reach these goals. They go for a "no" and wind up getting a "yes", and it's "Oh, damn!"

"You can achieve virtually anything you want--if you're willing to hear 'no' often enough," says Andrea Waltz, co-author of Go for No! Most people, she says, live in a "Go for Yes" world. "They do everything within their power to get yes and avoid no. That leads to a mediocre life where you're always in your comfort zone." If you're not hearing no, she adds, you're not giving yourself the opportunity to be successful.

It is also important to keep things in perspective. "No" means "not yet" it doesn't mean "never." When a prospect of mine gives me a "no" I remain persistent, within reasonable bounds, in still communicating with them. I may send them an article that applies to their business for example. Just don't let the opportunity die! Most sales professionals will reach out to their prospects and when they don't hear back - they give up. They have a fear of looking pushy or aggressive and to avoid being perceived that way, they may not go back one time, let alone two or three times. And it takes going back over and over again with some accounts to get an answer.

Why else is it important to understand the value of "no"? Because you should keep the customer's best interest in mind at all times. A good no is much better than a bad yes. You don't want the prospect to buy from you when it is not a good solution for them. You will end up with a world full of unsatisfied customers. Remember the commonly known fact - it is much more expensive to get new business than it is to renew existing business. The truth is, there is about a 40% differential in this situation. In my company most of our business comes from word-of-mouth and referrals. So keeping customers happy and in good shape at all times is critically important for us. But the truth is it should be the top priority for ALL companies.

Additionally, each time you hear the word "no" it is a chance to learn. Ask the prospect: "Why was it no?" It's important to find out as quickly - and casually - as possible what the no had to do with. Sometimes, it might arise from some misunderstanding that you need to clear up, for instance if the customer thinks an item will be more expensive than it really will. Other times, the no will be final, but you may learn something, such as that you need to adjust your product or pricing or pitch, or target a different type of customer. It's important to obtain this information, Within every "no" is the information needed to move forward. When a sales person neglects to gather the reason the prospect said no they fail to truly understand their needs and desires. Sales is about discovering a prospect's pain and putting together a solution that will solve it.

It is true that how often you hear the word "no" will depend to a certain degree on your abilities and skills as a sales person. But more so what you do and say after hearing "no" will make a world of difference in your closing ratio and in your personal bottom line. There’s a whole lot of selling to be done after you hear the word "no". It’s just a matter of understanding the many meanings of the word no, selecting or uncovering the one this particular client means, and working with it. When you understand that “no” doesn’t always mean “no sale,” those words will roll off your back like a duck sheds water and you’ll keep paddling forward in the sales process.

No matter who you are or where you are in your career as a sales professional, it is important to come back to the basics some times. Remembering the sales cycle is about as basic as it gets. So, remember that "no" is an important part of the sales cycle. So CRAVE IT.