“N-o.” Two letters. One word, one syllable and this one little word can change everything for the new entrepreneur or freelancer.
For the wisest of us, handling rejection or objections will provoke us to take a step back and ask ourselves what does “no” really mean? Most often…

Have you provided a clear, concise, compelling reason for your request? Do you have 3rdparty validation or a reliable reference? Is there another way to show and share that may be more comfortable for your prospect? In this case, “no” means show me more.

Sometimes we can do or ask for the right thing… at the wrong time. Most people are time-pressed, stressed, distracted, and will often say “no” by reflex. Check your timing. Ask for short increments of meeting/presentation time to share your value proposition (10 minutes max.) If you’re effective in piquing interest in that timeframe, the prospect will ask you for more time.

Are you communicating with the right person? Do others need to be involved to make a decision? There’s a profound difference between having power and having influence. A person of influence may be able to affect a decision but the person with power has the money/budget to say “yes.” Know the difference.

Get creative. Don’t ask them to buy the whole pie. Present them with a slice instead. Think about unbundling a portion of your service and deliver less (if you can) in order to retain the value of your total offering and avoid discounting. If they say the price is too much, ask: “as compared to what” and stay in the VALUE lane.

Despite your best efforts, the delivery of an outstanding presentation, and a phenomenal marketing plan, and great pricing… everyone who meets your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is not going to be interested in your product or services. If they are so inclined as to share why they’re not interested, make note and move on. NEXT!

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