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entrepreneurs: when a prospect says "no."

By on June 18, 2013
DisappointedWoman

Annemarie Cross has the answers to keep you from losing a sale.

 

Hearing ‘no’ from a prospect can be difficult.

Especially for a heart-centered coach and entrepreneur who wants nothing more than to be of service to her clients.

In fact, a ‘no’ can be a devastating blow to her self-value and self-worth as she perceives the ‘no’ to be a rejection, not only to her services, but also – to herself.

What then follows is a barrage of negative emotions and strengthening of unhelpful beliefs, such as: “I’m not worthy”, “No-one will hire me”, or “I’m just not cut out for this”, to name a few.

 

Can you relate?

 

If so, and you’re a heart-centered entrepreneur, it’s important to realise that having sales conversations with prospective clients is a fact of business life AND a crucial one.

After all, if you’re not signing up new clients, you’re not generating income. And a business can’t survive on dreams and hope alone – you need cash flowing in too!

So, along with the excitement of hearing a ‘yes’ and being able to celebrate having just signed on a new client, there will also be times of disappointment where a prospect will say no. And, it’s important to tell yourself that this too is ok.

[By the way, you can check out the following articles to ensure you’ve got all the right steps in place to strengthen your sales process so you can have influential conversations that convert].

 

 

If you’re like hundreds of other heart-centered entrepreneurs who dread having a sales conversation here are three things you DON’T want to do should you receive a ‘no’ from your prospect:

 

1. Don’t take it personally

There are many factors that can influence a prospect’s decision making process – the least of which is YOU.

Their own beliefs and whether they believe they are worth the investment

They may not yet be ready

They still have questions they need answered

They generally tend to take longer in their decision making process

And the list goes on.

 

Don’t assume that they’ve said ‘no’ because they don’t like you or your services. Don’t take it personally because it’s NOT personal.

Let me leave with a quote I often share with my clients:

“Has a prospect just said no? It’s not personal. They may not be ready YET. Be there when they are!” @AnnemarieCoach Click to Tweet

 

2. Don’t take yourself out

How does a heart-centered solopreneur keep herself safe so she doesn’t have to experience disappointment?

She avoids any situation where the likelihood of disappointment can occur.

Are you avoiding having that sales conversation with a prospect?

Do you speak about everything OTHER than how they can work with you?

Do you end up giving away WAY too much of your time and your Inner Brilliance (i.e. expertise and intellectual property) because you just don’t want to tell your prospect that for any more support and information they need to hire you? So you just keep giving, giving and giving?

STOP!

If you’re unsure whether you’ve got all the right steps in place to strengthen your sales process so you can have an influential conversation that converts – learn!

In fact, go ahead and apply for one of my Business Breakthrough Strategy Sessions and I’ll help you identify the gaps and show you what you need to do.

 

3. Don’t resort to discounting

While you may be tempted to lower your price, quote a significantly reduced fee, or offer a discount as ways to get a prospect to say yes – don’t.

This will only serve to strengthen your belief that: “You’re not worth it and the only way you can get someone to hire you is to devalue and discount your services.”

Are you attracting the right client who values their own self development and therefore is willing to invest in themselves?

Have you distinguished your services and built a strong and reputable name in your industry with a powerful, authentic Signature Brand?

Do you continue to build your influence and impact factor by showcasing social proof and testimonials from clients who’ve invested in you and achieving incredible results?

You should be!

 

What about you? Do you find yourself doing one (or a combination) of these three things? What will you do to change this moving forward? Go ahead and share. It’s always great to hear from you!

 

Annemarie CrossAnnemarie Cross is an authority in influence and impact – a Business Coach residing in Melbourne.

Money, Marketing & Mindset Business Coach for Women Entrepreneurs: Annemarie draws on her 18+ years’ award-winning expertise to provide ‘step-by-step’ personal branding, business building and marketing strategies alongside breakthrough personal, business & money mindset principles for women in business so they can stand out, get more clients and build a wildly successful business doing what they love. Annemarie is also the International Award-Winning Podcast Host of the www.AmbitiousEntrepreneurShow.com

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