Why Your Clients Say No

Have you ever wondered why someone says no? 

Perhaps you’ve just accepted that it’s just the way it is. The reality is people object for a number of reasons, some they know about and others simply because it’s a part of their fight or flight response. 

No, seriously, clients sometimes say no entirely out of habit. I’m even going to say there’s a good chance that you have as well. Ever gone into a store, and been asked “Anything I can help you with?” to which you responded “No, I’m good” and then the moment they walk away you wonder why you said that, because you actually needed help. 

This is an auto-response. Something that we say without even thinking about it. 

This happens to your clients often, while they may not say no thank you, the more common response would be “We need to think about it” or “I’ve got to chat with my <insert travel companion here>” 

These both sound like entirely reasonable requests. The catch to that is - they are also quite likely an automated response. 

The way to combat the automated response is with some simple questions for guidance. For example, when they say they need time to think about it, try following that up with “That’s great, what are you thinking is missing from our consultation?” or “Great, what is keeping this from being an instant yes for you?” Remember, they’ve already started the sales process by reaching out to you, then you’ve completed a full consultation with them and now you’ve presented them the proposal - so the question is really ‘what’s missing’. It’s common for people to say they need to think about it when they actually don’t know what the next step should be. By giving them specific questions that are not a yes or no question - it helps to disrupt the pattern of their conversation and make them switch gears into conscious thoughts vs the subconscious. 

A great way to shift the thought pattern behind “I need to talk to …” is to try ‘absolutely, if I could ask though, what kind of questions do you think they’ll have so that you can be best equipped to answer them’. You’ll be surprised how often this shifts the conversation. This is often a different way of saying “I need time to think about it” and often they don’t need to ask the other person. They would however use the other person as the excuse when they go elsewhere or simply not make a decision at all. 

I get it though, the fear of feeling pushy coming off as being that way. The reality is these as well as many other objections are rooted in a level of uncertainty that comes when your clients aren’t sure how to proceed. 

No matter how excited your clients are to travel, the reality exists that travel also triggers their needing to be outside their comfort zone. This can cause all sorts of resistance. Not because they don’t want to go or that they’re ‘scared’ to go, but because uncertainty creates a resistance that makes it easier to simply avoid. The pleasure of going is outweighed by the uncertainty and discomfort of not knowing what is waiting for them. No one ever said sales was about rational thoughts and processes - after all this is a very human experience. 

Check out our podcast about Selling in times of uncertainty - Episode 87 or The Cost of Client Indecision - Episode 84