To Get a "YES" ask for "NO" | 169
If you want to close more deals you have to cut off all the other options. This means asking for "NO" a lot. What do I mean? How could this possibly work? Listen to today's show and find out. Season 2 Show 47 Episode 169
If you want to close more deals you have to cut off all the other options. This means asking for "NO" a lot. What do I mean? How could this possibly work? Listen to today's show and find out.
Please note: The notes below do not do this strategy justice. I've used this for everything from closing multi million-dollar deals to getting my kids to clean their rooms. You've got to listen to this episode. Please click the link and listen today.
Most people who make decisions are afraid of risk. They're afraid they will get burned or look stupid or not get a great deal or be laughed at or have someone tell them they made a mistake - or all of those things and about one thousand others. This leads them to say "NO." a lot.
"No" is safe. "No" makes them comfortable. "No" is empowering.
When you give people permission to say "No" they trust you.
That's when a real dialogue can begin.
When you are starting a sales process or a business development process or a negotiation, always give people questions they can answer with a "no" right at the outset.
"This isn't a good time to talk is it?"
"You wouldn't be interested in helping me put my kids through college would you?"
"You don't have an extra million dollars in your budget to invest in my services, do you?"
Those are funny little throw-away lines and they can break the ice but they also have a powerful psychological impact because they give your counterpart the opportunity to say "no" to you and that makes him comfortable.
As you go through the sales process you need to keep testing your counterpart and let him know you expect him to say "no."
"So Mr. Smith, you said you didn't have a budget number in mind and I understand that. Would spend one million dollars on this service?
"No."
"Ok. Would you spend $100,000?"
"No."
Ah. So, How about $50,000? If the return on investment looks like it's 100%?
"Maybe."
You see how that worked? We went from "I'm not giving you a number!" To a reasonable range.
You can do this with any question or situation.
"Mr. Jones, when would you like to start?"
"I'm not sure."
"Tomorrow?"
No.
"January?"
No.
"Okay so sometime in the next three months."
Here's the bottom line, at the outset of your conversation, you give your counterpart the opportunity to say "No" and you can then get the answers you want.
Please note: The notes below do not do this strategy justice. I've used this for everything from closing multi million-dollar deals to getting my kids to clean their rooms. You've got to listen to this episode. Please click the link and listen today.
Most people who make decisions are afraid of risk. They're afraid they will get burned or look stupid or not get a great deal or be laughed at or have someone tell them they made a mistake - or all of those things and about one thousand others. This leads them to say "NO." a lot.
"No" is safe. "No" makes them comfortable. "No" is empowering.
When you give people permission to say "No" they trust you.
That's when a real dialogue can begin.
When you are starting a sales process or a business development process or a negotiation, always give people questions they can answer with a "no" right at the outset.
"This isn't a good time to talk is it?"
"You wouldn't be interested in helping me put my kids through college would you?"
"You don't have an extra million dollars in your budget to invest in my services, do you?"
Those are funny little throw-away lines and they can break the ice but they also have a powerful psychological impact because they give your counterpart the opportunity to say "no" to you and that makes him comfortable.
As you go through the sales process you need to keep testing your counterpart and let him know you expect him to say "no."
"So Mr. Smith, you said you didn't have a budget number in mind and I understand that. Would spend one million dollars on this service?
"No."
"Ok. Would you spend $100,000?"
"No."
Ah. So, How about $50,000? If the return on investment looks like it's 100%?
"Maybe."
You see how that worked? We went from "I'm not giving you a number!" To a reasonable range.
You can do this with any question or situation.
"Mr. Jones, when would you like to start?"
"I'm not sure."
"Tomorrow?"
No.
"January?"
No.
"Okay so sometime in the next three months."
Here's the bottom line, at the outset of your conversation, you give your counterpart the opportunity to say "No" and you can then get the answers you want.