Turning “No” into Magic  

One of the most frightening words for a media rep to say to a prospect or client is, “No”!

“No, we cannot offer that rate for that time frame.” “No, I can’t get you on tomorrow. We are past the production deadline!” “No, I can’t get you on this week. We are sold out”. “No, we can’t match the price of our competitor!” “No, No, No, and No!”

The natural fear of a media rep is that if I say “No”, they won’t ever do business with me again.

However, when it’s justifiable and the timing is right, saying “No” can be extremely powerful and almost “magical” in helping establish a more credible and professional future relationship with your clients.

Here are a few other times when saying “No” can have a great positive impact:

  1. When the client calls and says that they want to see you yet today or tomorrow. Saying “No” and that you can’t make it then will suggest that he isn’t your only client and that your other clients have value to you.

  2. When the client wants to run a schedule or do something that you are confident won’t have much chance for success. Tell them, “No, Mr./Mrs., I wouldn’t feel comfortable suggesting you do that, as I’m not at all confident it will work”.

There are two important ingredients to turning “No” into magic. One, you must train your reps on the “how” and “when” to use “No”. Not training them on this topic and expecting them to know it will leave them afraid of it. Equally as important, is giving them permission to say no, therefore taking away the fear of being reprimanded when or if the client should decide to walk.

If you want to gain and maintain the respect of your clients, and want more than just a token buy, say “No” once in a while.