Blog post

OWN YOUR “NO” IF YOU “KNOW” IT WON’T WORK

I realize that sounds counter intuitive to a sales process, so here’s what I mean and how you can use this particular “no” as a way to establish your expertise.

 When the client presents you with some – let’s say “imaginative” –  solution for their closet space that they’ve seen on TV or had a vision about in the middle of the night, don’t hesitate to own your “no” if you “know” it won’t work.

Listen closely. Jot down some notes. Ask them to sketch it out. Let them get their idea out of their head.

As you review the idea and run it through your own filters of experience, don’t hesitate to share your expertise and explain what the challenges are to functionality and structural integrity.

And go right for price if you think that will be a factor. Who wants to spend hours figuring something out that they don’t believe in, determine that it’s going to be super costly and present it to the client only to have them say “Whoa. That’s way too much.”

Do all you can to address the price issue before you ever put pencil to paper. It’s an enormous saver of time and energy. But more importantly, it adds to your “street cred” that you’ve designed a few closets in your career and know this is a solution that won’t fly.