Show Notes
If you want to close more deals you have to cut off all the other options. This means asking for "NO" a lot. What do I mean? How could this possibly work? Listen to today's show and find out.
Please note: The notes below do not do this strategy justice. I've used this for everything from closing multi million-dollar deals to getting my kids to clean their rooms. You've got to listen to this episode. Please click the link and listen today.
Most people who make decisions are afraid of risk. They're afraid they will get burned or look stupid or not get a great deal or be laughed at or have someone tell them they made a mistake - or all of those things and about one thousand others. This leads them to say "NO." a lot.
"No" is safe. "No" makes them comfortable. "No" is empowering.
When you give people permission to say "No" they trust you.
That's when a real dialogue can begin.
When you are starting a sales process or a business development process or a negotiation, always give people questions they can answer with a "no" right at the outset.
"This isn't a good time to talk is it?"
"You wouldn't be interested in helping me put my kids through college would you?"
"You don't have an extra million dollars in your budget to invest in my services, do you?"
Those are funny little throw-away lines and they can break the ice but they also have a powerful psychological impact because they give your counterpart the opportunity to say "no" to you and that makes him comfortable.
As you go through the sales process you need to keep testing your counterpart and let him know you expect him to say "no."
"So Mr. Smith, you said you didn't have a budget number in mind and I understand that. Would spend one million dollars on this service?
"No."
"Ok. Would you spend $100,000?"
"No."
Ah. So, How about $50,000? If the return on investment looks like it's 100%?
"Maybe."
You see how that worked? We went from "I'm not giving you a number!" To a reasonable range.
You can do this with any question or situation.
"Mr. Jones, when would you like to start?"
"I'm not sure."
"Tomorrow?"
No.
"January?"
No.
"Okay so sometime in the next three months."
Here's the bottom line, at the outset of your conversation, you give your counterpart the opportunity to say "No" and you can then get the answers you want.
What is Inside BS Show?
Would you like to work with better clients, make more money, and build a business that gives you true freedom?
Have you struggled with the loneliness that comes with working long hours and solving the dozens of complex problems you face as an entrepreneur?
Do you ever feel like the most valuable business secrets are shared behind closed doors—where only insiders have access?
Welcome to The Inside BS Show—your daily invitation to step behind the velvet rope and into the room where real business leaders talk strategy, success, and scale.
These are your people. They've been where you are, and they've gone where you want to go. But most importantly, they feel your pain and can help it go away.
If you're an entrepreneur, CEO of a private company, or leader of a professional firm, this show is your secret weapon.
On each show we break down the business growth strategies that insiders use to win—revenue generation, building influence, succession planning, hiring top talent, navigating legal minefields, and crafting an exit strategy that maximizes value.
But this isn’t just a podcast—it’s a community. We don’t just talk at you; we bring you into the conversation.
Your host, Dave Lorenzo (The Godfather of Growth), gives you an exclusive front-row seat to the insights, strategies, and behind-the-scenes conversations that drive business success.
A new episode drops each Wednesday at 6 AM.
Want to connect with Dave? Call (305) 692-5531.
What are you waiting for? Join us ON THE INSIDE.