It's OK to Say No to Your Clients

Here's a behavior I see all the time: a prospect asks for a proposal, and the rep races to send it the same day. Usually that's the worst move you can make.

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If you prefer to read - here is the transcript:

If you've known me for a week, you know that I love dogs. But we are not dogs. Specifically, as salespeople, we are not retrievers. We're not golden retrievers who love to fetch the ball in exactly the same way it was thrown.

As a sales rep, you have to think differently. You have to think more like my Rhodesian Ridgeback hound. When you throw the ball out, she runs after it, then she stops and thinks, "What am I doing out here? I could be doing something better." And she leaves the ball there for you to pick up.

Here's how that relates to the behavior I see when we're managing opportunities. The prospect asks for a price, or they ask for a proposal, and the sales rep thinks, "I've got to get them that price. I've got to get them that proposal immediately, or the deal is going to be dead." Usually, the opposite is true.

We need to stop and think. What's the better way to do this? Am I ready to send a proposal? Is the prospect ready to receive one? Do I have all the information? Is this a fully qualified opportunity?

It's okay to stop. Look at your prospect and explain why you're not ready for pricing.

Because if they ask too soon, before you really know this is a fully qualified opportunity, you're giving them the fodder they're asking for to go back to their current supplier or the competition and shop your price.

So don't give out a price just because the prospect is asking. Don't send the proposal just because they ask for one. Follow your sales process, the methodology, the line of questioning that you know is going to create a win.