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Good Morning! Tired of the 24/7 political news cycle? You've come to the right place. Here, we only care about hitting quota and closing deals... though let's be honest, navigating internal company politics about who really sourced that enterprise deal might be more dramatic than the news coverage lately. If you know, you know. 😁
The science of ‘no’ 🗣
Don’t do this in your cold emails ✍
Is gov sales safe right now 🔨
Sales jobs & a meme 😂
The Science of Why People Say No
The word “no” seems to be my prospect’s favorite word these days…
But it makes sense when you think about it.
People don't always say "no" because they don't want your product.
They say "no" because saying "yes" feels risky.
It's actually hardwired into our brains - saying "no" preserves our sense of control and protects us from potential regret.
It’s like being asked to make dinner plans that you don’t want to go to. Once you say yes, a part of your night is in the control of someone else. But if you say no… you hold onto the power of deciding what you want to do.
Today, we're breaking down the psychology of why someone says "no" in sales and how to work with it (not against it).
Why People Really Say No
Your prospect's brain processes a sales conversation like a potential threat:
Saying yes means change (scary).
Saying yes means spending money (scarier).
Saying yes means time spent without a guaranteed outcome (scariest).
And the only thing that can get them out of those ‘scary feelings’ is a simple ‘no’ or ‘not right now’.
But here's the key: "No" doesn’t mean never. It just means “not right now”, or "I need more certainty."
The Three Types of No
1. The Protection No
This is when prospects say no to protect themselves. It's not about your product or price - it's about their own sense of security.
They're protecting their budget, time, status quo, and existing relationships.
Think about it like someone who won't try a new restaurant because they're comfortable with their usual spot. It's not that the new place is bad - it's that the old place feels safe.
To overcome this type of no, you’ll need to show them that staying put is actually riskier than making a change.
2. The Information No
When a prospect says "I need to think about it" or keeps asking different versions of the same question, you're dealing with an information no.
Signs you're hearing an information no:
Vague objections
Multiple, similar questions
"Let me think about it"
Asking for more data
These prospects aren't rejecting you - they're telling you they're missing something crucial to make their decision. It’s up to you to bridge the gap.
3. The Timing No
Sometimes no just means "not right now." Your prospect might love your solution, but genuine timing issues are holding them back.
Common timing issues:
Budget cycles
Current contracts
Organizational changes
Competing priorities
The key isn't to push harder - it's to stay top of mind until the timing is right.
How to Turn No Into Yes
1) Make It Safe to Say Yes
Break down your big ask into smaller, easier decisions:
Start with small commitments
Remove risk with guarantees
Show clear, specific outcomes
Provide proof from similar companies
2) Build Yes Momentum
Instead of asking for the sale, get a small yes:
Ask their opinion on something
Share valuable information
Request quick feedback
Schedule brief follow-ups
3) Stay in the Game
Most deals aren't lost, they're abandoned or forgotten about.
Create a follow-up system that:
Adds value each time
Stays professionally persistent
Maintains relationships
Catches timing changes
Changing a “No” to a “Yes” is far from impossible, and the facts prove it:
60% of customers say no four times before saying yes
92% of sales reps give up after four no's
80% of sales happen after the fifth contact
Persistence wins. But not blind persistence. Smart persistence.
Do most of your deals start with a "No"?
Cold Email Setup Offer
We started sending 10,000 cold emails per day, and scaled a brand new B2B offer to $108k MRR in 90 days. Now, you can have the same system set up (completely done-for-you) inside your own business - WITHOUT going to spam, spending thousands of dollars, or any manual input. Close your next 20 clients easily. We’ll set up the tech, write your scripts, give you the leads, give you the inboxes, and the sending tool - all starting at $500/mo.
Sales Tip of The Day 💡
When writing a cold email, make sure you’re not asking the recipient to do additional work!
This means there should be 1 idea and 1 call-to-action.
❌ Please take a look at the info at this link and let me know what you think.
❌ We help with your video editing, content creation, blog posts, SEO strategy, and more! Are you free for a call to discuss how these are currently being handled?
✅ Is it ok if I send over a custom report on how we can scale your SEO traffic?
✅ Is video editing something you’re handling internally at the moment?
The first examples feel like a chore. The second asks for a simple response.
Prospects are drowning with cold emails every day, so you need to make it easy for them to respond.
Sales Around The Web 🗞
🤔 The 4 big advantages of being a consultative salesperson.
📞 Now that AI can email 24/7, it might be time to switch back to the phone.
👀 Salesforce isn’t hiring any more engineers this year but will grow its sales team by 20%, all thanks to AI.
💰 A sales rep asks if government sales is a bad place to be right now, with DOGE cutting costs and laying off gov employees.
Cool Sales Jobs 💼
Business Development Rep @ StrongDM
Account Manager @ HackerRank
Account Executive @ Acquia
Sales Meme of the Day
Today’s newsletter was written by Nic Conley