When a prospective buyer says “no” it is not always a refusal to do business with you. In many cases N-O really stands for one or more of the following:

• Not the Official: You’re talking to the wrong person, so of course you’re getting a “no.” This is your opportunity to get to the official decision-maker with true buying authority.
• Not Open: Just like a chained and locked storefront closed for business, the mind of the buyer is shutdown and unavailable. Unless you engage her in a collaborative conversation that has tremendous value, she’ll continue to be inaccessible.
• Next Opportunity: There will be a next opportunity to attempt to do business. “No” is not a permanent condition. This is why salespeople must persist and stay top of mind in ways that prospects welcome.
• Not the Occasion – The prospect believes that now is not the time to explore doing business with you.

Your job, when you hear “no” is to understand which version you are hearing. Knowing the “no” puts you in the know, because then you know what to do next.