How to Address a “Not Interested” Reply

With email response rates at record lows and the resulting inefficiencies created for sellers, sometimes a simple “Not Interested” reply from a prospect can feel like a minor victory. It can also lead to giving up on an account prematurely, particularly if the reply is from someone who has (or appears to have) a significant level of influence within an organization based on their title. In determining the next appropriate activity in the account, sellers should gain a better understanding of the motivation of the contact who expressed disinterest and whether or not their sentiment is well-reasoned and truly reflective of the level of value they can provide the individual or their organization.

Does Mr./Ms. Vice President Care About Their Organization or Primarily Themselves?

There is a natural tendency to assume that because someone leads a department or function, they are highly concerned about the overall success of their company. In many cases, particularly in those where the executive’s variable compensation is tied directly to company performance metrics, they do in fact care about results beyond themselves or their team. Humans are inherently selfish, and even many executives may not look far beyond what is best for their short-term personal success. In an era of low job security and short tenures at companies, this dynamic is even more pronounced. While “Never Take No for an Answer” is not an effective mantra for modern selling, neither is “I Should Probably Just Give Up”.

Interpreting What “Not Interested” Really Means

While it’s impossible to fully get inside the head of a stranger, sellers should recognize the wide range of possible interpretations of a “Not Interested” reply and work to clarify if it is due to one of them-or something else entirely. In reviewing the following sampling of possible rationales, it becomes evident that you may have no idea of what really is going on behind the scenes:

• “My inbox is so full that I would rather take a step to get you to stop emailing me than actually think about your product or service, even if it might benefit me/my company”
• “I am having a bad day or had a bad experience with another salesperson who has no connection to you but decided to take out my frustration on you with a blunt reply”
• “This could be valuable to my company but I am not the proper contact and don’t want to bother referring you to who is”
• “I already work with your competitor and we are locked in for two years, so it’s irrelevant (for the time being) if your service is better, cheaper, etc.”
• “It probably makes sense to talk to you but it’s not an immediate priority (or it should be but I can’t bear the thought of adding another item to my list)”
• “My brother-in-law works for your competitor and I am compelled to work with him (even though I don’t really like him and his product is terrible)”
• “I just asked my CFO for budget for an unrelated product and am afraid to ask for more”
• “You’ve failed to present a compelling reason for me to share more or speak with you”

How Sellers Should Adjust – and Minimize “Not Interested” Replies to Begin With

While there is certainly a time and place to move on and not ponder every possible reason like a teenager receiving a breakup text from their latest love interest, sellers should not reflexively take “not interested” at face value. While it is quite possible that the recipient is in fact so inundated with sales outreach that they did not give your message a fair shot, if they took the time to read it and reply, it is also quite possible that something caught their attention. Therefore, sellers should *delicately* view it as an opportunity to learn more.

When crafting a response:

• Thank them for replying.
• Don’t criticize or judge them for saying no. I actually had a former colleague tell a prospect that they “must have rocks in their head”, which worked out as about as well as you’d expect. Instead, make it clear that you value their opinion.
• Reiterate why you reached out in the first place, such as how you’ve helped similar people in similar in the past, while I acknowledging that it may in fact not make sense for them to speak with you.
• Include something to the effect of “Given your level of responsibility at XYZ Company, I am confident that you hear from a lot of people like me. Because you fit the profile of people we have helped address <insert problem>, I value your opinion. Therefore, when you say that you’re not interested, is it not a not a current priority, not relevant at all, or something else?”

While such follow-up may not generate the additional information you seek, it can certainly increase the odds of keeping the door open, whether it’s getting a referral to someone else or being granted permission to follow up in the future. While it’s a topic for another article, in attempting to get more “Yes, I’m interested” replies to begin with, remember that you are selling to an individual and lead with how you can address problems or create opportunities that are of likely interest to them personally-as well as the company that they should, but may not, care about.