A great deal of mis-conception and mis-information exists when dealing with outcomes by telephone.

If you’re calling for a purpose (to set an appointment, follow up a contact made at an event, marketing an event, obtain information, etc) then you’ll inevitably come into contact with people who are quizzical, sceptical, suspicious, and even hostile. They want to know who you are and why you’re asking the questions you’re asking.

 

All their reactions can be analysed to death at the alter of psychology, however at the root, fear of dealing with the unknown is in the driving seat here.

 

So why is getting a “No“ a good thing?

 

You’re at least certain of the outcome. “No” will always be better than “maybe” or “I’ll need to think it over”.

 

You don’t want to work with people that aren’t open to what you do / have/ represent anyway, do you? You avoid wasting their time and your own.

If you’ve introduced your call well, inviting the other person to make a judgment (Yes / No) as to whether it makes sense to discuss the situations you excel at dealing with, when they say “no” you don’t waste time calling them again about the same topic.

 

You can’t work with everyone. You’ll run out of time, resource, or compromise on delivery somehow – basically you’ll be found wanting.

 

The more “no’s” you get will enable you to establish more facts about the types of business or person you will be best placed to serve (and not to serve). If you’ve been calling accountants and solicitors and are getting no positive response from them there is probably a reason. If the people listening to you are in surveying or buildings management then it makes more sense to develop and refine your service/produce with this type of business in mind.

 

Once you get a “no” on one topic, you can move onto another topic, which effectively removes any pressure that you and the prospect were feeling in relation to finding no match between you on the previous topic. Ensuring that both you and the person you speak with are both comfortable on a call is a skill worth working at.

Copyright: Shaun Gisbourne 2009

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