Why you are getting the slow ‘no’ from your clients and what to do about it — Part 2

Part 2 of this topic, here are the other reasons I’ve given people the slow ‘no’ and my recommendations on what to do about it. Here is Part 1.

3. I have really wanted to do the deal, but didn’t have the internal backing to go ahead with it

Why does it happen? I was the wrong person to speak with in the first place, but I still like it, so I am stalling and trying to get to the right person. In other words, you didn’t properly qualify your lead.

How to identify it? Don’t confuse this with the slow burner from the previous point. People in this category will likely commit to a timeline to get back to you and will speak with more detail of what they need to do to get things done.

Can you do anything about it? Be patient. Schedule a reminder to revisit the conversation according to the timeline you’ve been given by your contact. That is likely to be missed, so plan for at least 1 delay. Use this opportunity to further understand why your product would be a good fit and after you’ve given it enough time, try to get to another stakeholder, but not without keeping your existing contact in the loop if you try to do that. Bypassing someone who is working hard on your deal will kill it then and there. Trust me.

4. I didn’t trust what you were telling me

Why does it happen? You have failed to gain the trust of the person you are selling to. Maybe you didn’t communicate things properly, maybe you presented things as flawless (come on, we all know that’s rarely the case), maybe they just didn’t like you as a person. The bottom line is, they don’t want to do business with you.

How to identify it? The best way to do this is to pay attention to the other person’s manners, body language, expressions, etc. This is a very subtle thing, especially in places like Britain, where people are polite and wouldn’t outright show you they don’t like you.

Can you do anything about it? The best thing would be to get someone else to speak with the client or if you don’t have that option, change your approach. Very difficult to turn this around, but not impossible.

So, what do you do with all this?

If you are the seller, you should learn to identify these behaviours. Do it early and allocate resources appropriately.

Don’t take it personally, as with most things, it isn’t.

It is entirely up to you to manage the situation and not let this be a factor in your business development.

If you are the offender, stop this right now. It will make you a better business partner, a better human being and it will save you time you can use for more pleasant things. Learn the art of saying no.

I’m sure this is not an exhaustive list, what is your experience?