“no” is a long term game.
Potential clients say “no,” “not now,” or “not yet” to us all the time.
But, how often do we respectfully offer it right back?
Not often enough. We’re told time and time again to not accept “no” as an answer.
Unpopular opinion: I’m not opposed to the word “no” or any of its varieties. 🤷♀️
…
Last week, I was introduced to a boutique branding & design agency in Los Angeles by a close client/friend. They were eager to learn more about my sales process and how I could be their salesperson going forward.
I discovered within the first 30 minutes of the call that they were not ready to activate me. Any salesperson would be caught in an up-hill battle – struggling to convey what the company excelled in and what unique skill sets they brought to the table. The sales messaging and materials were not in-sync.
Knowing that this is super common for creative agencies – as they are so focused on the client’s creative that they forget to work on themselves – I had to tell them “not now” and dig deeper with them.
We extended the call another hour to discuss what was necessary before starting any sales outreach:
Determining their positioning in the industry
Getting clear on their target audience
Defining their favorite types of projects
Identifying projects they’d refuse to take on (equally important!)
Knowing their self-worth & express it boldly
Expressing all the above in their marketing/sales materials (visually & verbally)
So rather than diving into sales, the month of May is tackling just that! I’m leading discovery sessions so we can get clear on the above and develop key sales tools for the future. Then later this month, we can resume the initial salesperson conversation.
🔑: If I would have activated the client as-is, I’d likely be frustrated with my work, and they’d likely be frustrated with my results. That’s a total waste of time and investment. After this discovery phase, whether the client hires me or someone else as their salesperson (hey, no ego here!), I’ll know that they are much better positioned for success. And if it is me leading the charge, I’ll be that much more excited to see our hard work paying off in the long game.
To confidently saying “no,” “not now,” or “not yet,”