Mastering the Art of Selling to Avoiders

Following on from my post yesterday, I wanted to write a post around how to deal with those customers who just can’t say “no”!

We've all been there. You've had a great initial meeting, your prospect seemed interested, and then... nothing. The dreaded radio silence. Welcome to the world of selling to avoiders - those people who would rather ghost you than utter the simple word "no."

Table of Contents

• Understanding the Avoider's Mindset

• Strategies for Following up With Avoiders

  • 1. Focus on Value and Relevance

  • 2. Make It Easy to Say Yes

  • 4. Leverage Indirect Communication

  • 5. Offer Easy Outs

  • 7. Knowing When to Move On

Understanding the Avoider's Mindset

Before we jump into tactics to break through that wall of silence, let's take a moment to understand why some people prefer to ignore you rather than say no:

1. Conflict Aversion: Many people find saying "no" uncomfortable and prefer to avoid potential conflict altogether

2. Hope for a Better Option: They might be keeping their options open, hoping a better or easier/cheaper solution will come along

3. Guilt: If they liked you but not your product, they might feel guilty about letting you down

4. Busy Schedules: Sometimes it's not personal - they're just busy

5. Decision Paralysis: They might be overwhelmed by choices and find it easier to not decide at all

Strategies for Following up With Avoiders

1. Focus on Value and Relevance

Make your proposition impossible to ignore by clearly demonstrating how your product/service saves time or improves patient outcomes. Use data and case studies specific to their speciality. Sometimes highlighting endorsements from respected peers in their field.

I know all of this is easier said than done, so let’s look at other methods other than “selling them on the product”.

2. Make It Easy to Say Yes

Provide a clear, step-by-step implementation plan for how they can proceed. This can be a no commitment trial of your product.

You need to make it easy for them to use your product. You can show how your solution integrates into their existing workflow or how easy it would be to change to you. Often people that don’t like to say “no” often don’t like change either.

Make sure that you ensure training needs are taken care of, from the person who orders your product to the end users and everyone in between (nurses/scrub etc).

3. Address the Silence

If you're being ignored, you can acknowledge it politely: "I understand you're extremely busy. I'm following up because I truly believe this could benefit your practice."

Find out if there's a better time or method to discuss your offering.

4. Leverage Indirect Communication

Use less direct questions to avoid confrontation, like "What concerns do you have?" instead of pushing for a direct yes or no answer.

You can try to engage with gatekeepers (nurses, office staff) who may have influence.

5. Offer Easy Outs

Provide simple, low-pressure ways for them to respond. This could be as easy as including multiple-choice options in a follow up email:

A) Yes, I'm interested. Come and see me.

B) I need more information about X before deciding.

C) This isn't the right fit for us right now. Sorry.

D) Please check back with me in 3 months.

This approach makes it easy for them to respond without feeling pressured into writing out an excuse or long reasoning for their mindset.

6. Make "No" Acceptable

Create an environment where "no" is an acceptable answer. In your communications, explicitly give them permission to decline. Tell them outright that you won’t be offended if your solution isn’t for them and you won’t take it personally.

That way, at least you can know if you’re wasting your time and can move on.

7. Knowing When to Move On

Set a limit on follow-ups and respect it. Thank them for their time and leave the door open for future contact. Your solution may not be right for them now, or not possible now due to contracts. But it might be perfect in the future!

Remember, selling to healthcare professionals requires a delicate balance of persistence and respect. By understanding their unique challenges and tailoring your approach, you can break through the silence

If you’ve found this post useful, I’d really appreciate it if you’d share it with your colleagues and friends. I spend my free time writing these articles to help people looking to improve themselves in a tough industry. I’d like as many people to read these articles as possible. Thank you! 🙏