7 Common Reasons Why Customers May Say No To You

A lot of people avoid getting involved with sales because of the fear of rejection. Their emotions and sense of self-worth sink every time someone turns them down. They see and judge the customer's objection to their product to mean the rejection of their whole being and it negatively impacts their self-esteem. 

Does this fear or perception describe you? Do you want to learn why customers turn salespeople down in the first place? Here are the 7 common reasons why customers may say no to you:

Wrong Timing

Mood defines the scope of many social experiences. So interpersonal interactions succeed because the mood is right.  When people are in the right frame of mind they are more open to other people and sales close faster and smoothly, and vice versa. A sales personnel who is not sensitive to the mood of the prospect will most likely receive an objection not because the prospect does not need the product he offers but because he is presenting to the prospect the right product at the wrong time.  

You Overwhelm them

You are throwing too much at them or driving too hard on them.  Over-educating your prospective customers on your products could overwhelm them and give them a negative vibe against you. It leaves them with the feeling of being choked and the only way to regain their space is to turn you down. It may not necessarily be because they don't need your product but about the approach. 

They don't understand you

Communication is a very important aspect of selling. A salesperson must learn to communicate effectively when selling. Listening is a major part of communication. A salesperson must learn to listen attentively to prospective customers to be able to understand where they are coming from and be able to identify the best way to win them over and close the sales.  Articulate and persuasive communication not only help the customer capture the substance of the message clearly but also helps the customer digest and act on information more quickly.  In addition, good communication skills endear you to the customers and make it feel easy to deal with you. On the contrary, the lack of communication skills will leave the prospect confused. A confused customer is likely to resist a call to buy because he would rather play safe.

They find your price unreasonable

If your prospect gets the impression that your product offers a value lower than the price they are being asked for, they will likely not buy. All customers want the best value at the cheapest price.  If they are convinced they are being asked to pay beyond the value your product offers them, they will feel exploited and will most likely object to your call to buy. 

You have given out too much 

Giving out too much information or over-educating a prospect to prove your depth of expert knowledge to them and close the sale,  could become counterproductive. This happens a lot especially if you are in the coaching or consulting industry. By over-extending the information you provide to a prospective customer, you may have unwittingly given out enough details that the prospect may no longer see the need for your service    The only thing left is to go and implement the solution they already got from you free of charge. 

They doubt you 

Successful sales have a lot to do with trust. People buy into you before they buy your product.  If you have a trust deficit with your prospect he will not likely buy from you. Customers value peace of mind. They do not want any headache over a product they spend their hard-earned money on.  If you have not earned their respect and confidence, that absence of trust will cast a shadow of doubt over your product and the value it offers to them.  If they can not validate you they cannot validate your product and will most likely turn you down. 

They can't afford your product

Your product may be everything the customer wants but if they lack the buying power, and are incapable of paying for it, their faith in your product and the willingness to buy will never materialize or translate to sales success. This often happens when you target the wrong customer. Some prospects often object to sales calls because they genuinely can't afford them. It's simply beyond the current scope of the personal budget and they want to respect that.  

It's not what they want

Customers seek products or services that meet a specific need for them. They will not suddenly change because you showed up with a product to sell. If what you are selling to them makes no economic or logical sense in relation to their problems they are most likely not going to buy. If as a salesperson, you ignore the importance of researching your prospective customer to determine what their critical needs are and the ones your products are designed to meet, you will most likely present them with the wrong product and end up with a sales objection. 

Finally, always have it at the back of your mind that sales objection is a part and parcel of the selling experience. Everybody cannot say yes to you. The essence of the post is to help you identify and manage the things that could cost you the opportunity to close the sale. You should take note of them and do the needful to avoid them.