6 Ways to Avoid Hearing “No” in Sales - EAS LeadGen

6 Ways to Avoid Hearing “No” in Sales Brian Campagna, CEO of EAS LeadGen January 2012

What to do when a prospect says “No!” The most dreaded words that a sales person hears are “no” or “I’m not interested”. All of their sales efforts suddenly come to a halt. All of the time and investment that has been put into the lead is wasted. There are a few things to do to avoid coming to this point, and if you do come to this point, do not look at it as a dead end.

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About Brian Campagna: Brian Campagna is the CEO of EAS LeadGen. A leader in the sales support and lead generation field. Prior to founding LeadGen, Brian was Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Kroll, Inc., where he defined, developed and implemented marketing strategies, management processes and sales support tools across Kroll’s 3,900employee organization. Prior to joining Kroll, Brian worked as the Executive Director of Assurance and Tax Business Development at KPMG LLP. His core responsibilities included the development and implementation of revenuegenerating marketing and sales plans. Brian earned his Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and holds a Masters in Business Administration from Pace University.

1. Avoid “Yes or No” Questions – The simplest way to avoid a “no” is not to ask a question where that is a possible answer. Example: Are you interested in this service? Vs. Which way is the best way to integrate this service into your current program? You still may receive a reply that the service will not fit into their program – but then you can follow-up with a “Why” question. 2. Buy In – Have the prospect buy in to the product or service before trying to close the sale. Show the benefits that they will receive. Have cost justifications prepared before going for the close. You should be prepared for any flags that may arise when asking for the sale. Example: Why don’t you want to increase your sales by 25% this year? 3. Research – Just when you think you are ready to close, the prospect will tell you that they are very interested but they want to look at other providers for the same product or service. Know your competitors and save the prospect some leg work. Provide them with what their competitors offer and differentiate your company from theirs by showing your positives. This is not a time to criticize your competitors – but you can demonstrate how your company offers better products or services and the philosophy/benefits they will receive. 4. Up Front Contract – At the beginning of the sales process with the prospect, offer to them what the results will be for the sale. Example: We will supply you with service for one year, which will result in a 20% savings and a sales increase of 10%. Would this service be something that you are interested in and what other benefits would you like to see as a result of this service? By doing this – you are laying it out there from the beginning. You are giving them the “wow effect” from the start, and then going to the nitty-gritty of negotiations. 5. Make Friends – The gatekeeper for your prospect does more than just gate keeping. They can be a wonderful resource; so it is import to build a rapport with them. They may give you some clues on projects that are being worked on, who else may be involved on the decision process…even what type of coffee the prospect drinks. Use this information to help you formulate your approach to the sale. A gatekeeper can be an assistant or another team member. Gatekeepers can be instrumental in getting you to the right place. 6. Exit Interview – Companies often give employees exit interviews when they decide to leave for another opportunity. They gather information that may help them retain other valued employees. If the prospect says “no” and you are not going to be able to close the sale, use this time for your own exit interview. Ask: Are you not going with our company? Are they going with another company? What would have made you choose us? What could we have done better? Some of the responses may not be what you want to hear, but it will help you with your next prospect. It is easier for a prospect to say “no” than “yes”. By using these techniques you will be able hear “yes” more often.

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