How to make sales by saying ‘no’
  • sales
  • Blog post

How to make sales by saying ‘no’

Consider this scenario …

Rob, an inventory manager, needs a new inventory system. So he’s invited Inventory Insights to meet with him, his IT director and his CFO.

Donna Watson, the rep for Inventory Insights, makes a strong presentation. The IT manager is visibly impressed. He says, “We’re also looking for fleet management software. Is that something you offer?”

“We do,” Donna says. “But I wouldn’t recommend it. Our solution is designed for smaller companies. You’d outgrow it.”

The CFO cuts in: “How about shipping? Can you do that?”

Donna says: “For shipping, I’d suggest you talk to Smith Freight. Their service is great and the pricing is competitive.”

What’s Donna doing here? She keeps telling her prospect no!

She’s building credibility big-time — by pointing out her company’s limitations. She’s signaling to Rob and his team that she knows she can’t do it all. But when it comes to inventory management, she tells them, nobody does it better. And they believe her.

Nobody’s good at everything. You don’t expect your accountant to balance your books and give you legal advice. You can’t buy a car that gets great gas mileage and accelerates like a Maserati. So when a salesperson says yes to everything, it just doesn’t ring true.

Next time you’re tempted to tell a buyer, “Sure we can do that,” take a moment to consider before you reflexively say “yes.” Sometimes you’ll sell more in the long run when you just say no.

photo credit: TheTruthAbout…

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