Keeping the Door Open for Future Sales
You may spend considerable time with a prospective client only to hear “No”. Or you may have spent considerable time preparing for and travelling to a job interview only to hear “No”. The experience is aggravating and deeply disappointing, however, there are ways to make a comeback and negotiate an improved outcome.
Moving the Conversation to “Yes”!
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Questions to Ask:
1. Ask for a de-briefing as to why you were turned down. Explain it is not to be argumentative but to learn from the experience. As long as you do listen and not take offense, your credibility will dramatically increase.
2. Ask if you are able to address a specific need that was missed, would they be willing to move forward. Chances are the answer will still be “no”, but it’s always good to ask to avoid missing a possible second chance. Surprises occasionally happen.
3. Ask if “down the road” they would be willing to reconsider. Frequently, you will hear a “Yes” answer to this. When this is the case, ask when you should follow up and put it on your calendar!
In the case of a job, sometimes a new spot opens up that is a better fit or the selected candidate suddenly leaves. If you believe the position will be good for your career, pursue it! On a personal note, I went back to a company two years later, and the finally acquired job turned out to be the best of my sales career.
Be of the mindset to learn from every experience. Asking the above questions serves to build the relationship. This is business development at its best as well as building a credible personal brand. Each experience gets you closer to your goal until you find the Smooth Sale!
Read Addtional Strategies and Techniques:
Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, Sourcebooks
HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews, Career Press
