Getting a “no” from a potential client isn’t necessarily a bad thing — and it isn’t always the end of the road from that prospect either. In fact, understanding why someone said no to your funnel or to a sales pitch can be an incredible learning opportunity to better your business and improve your offer going forward.

Think of it this way… Every “no” you receive opens up the chance to do real-time market research with your ideal client on what you could be doing differently.

Before we cover the 5 most likely reasons that your prospect turned down your pitch and how you can use this information to improve your offer, let’s quickly cover how you find out the reason they said no. 

Obviously, you can’t read your potential client’s mind. Unless they just freely offer why they’re turning you down, it’s your responsibility to follow up.

Here’s a simple example of an email you could send either automatically through your sales funnel or manually after a sales call, to a client who has decided not to invest in working with you.

Hi, [FIRST NAME],

I know you’ve decided that now isn’t the right time to [WORK TOGETHER/PURCHASE MY COURSE/ETC.], and I completely respect that.

I know decisions on when and where to invest your resources are never easy!

If you have a minute though, I’d love to get just a little feedback from you on why you made this choice.

Was this opportunity…

1. Not at the right time for you
2. Not the right fit for your needs
3. More of an investment than you’re currently able to make
4. Not enough value for the cost
5. Not the best fit personally

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Wishing you the best!

[INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]

This is a fairly basic template that you can add your own personality and business specifics to, but it at least gives you a place to start as you work to improve your offer with some on-the-job market research!

Now, digging deeper into the reasons your prospect said no and how this helps you…

Reason #1: This wasn’t the right time for your potential client to sign up or work with you.

If your ideal client wasn’t ready to take the leap and invest in themselves or their business, there truthfully may not have been a lot you could do differently. However, the good news is that this “no” is one of the most likely ones to turn into a “yes” down the road!

Sometimes people just aren’t ready to jump in, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t resonate with you or your offer. They may still be working through some imposter syndrome or they may be slow to make decisions, and by you respectfully giving them space with gentle follow-ups in the next few weeks or even months, you may still move these “nos” into the “yes” column eventually.

In fact, according to Sales Donut, “80% of prospects say ‘no’ four times before they say ‘yes.’”

Reason #2: The price was too much and adjusting it may improve your offer.

Okay, so pricing is a tricky “no” to receive because I never want to encourage you to lower your prices or devalue your work, but knowing that a potential couldn’t afford what you were selling does give you valuable information to use towards improvement.

This may not mean lowering the cost of your course or services, but instead offering a mini-version of the course or a smaller package to those who do want to work with you but can’t afford to at the highest level.

And this point leads beautifully into the next reason. Which is…

Reason #3: Your potential client got the wrong offer.

Maybe someone ended up in the wrong funnel or showed interest in a service or course on your sales call that didn’t meet their exact needs.

They may not be able to afford a done-for-you marketing package, but could they invest in a once-a-month strategy session or a content calendar?

They may not be able to join your coaching mastermind, but could they benefit from a done-at-your-own-pace course that costs less and requires less structured time commitments?

Your potential client may really want to work with you, but the offer they got just wasn’t the right fit either financially or logistically! In this case, the way to improve your offer may be to present them with a different offer altogether.

Reason #4: Your potential client didn’t resonate with you.

This is a tough one because the answer here is that your offer can’t really be improved to meet the needs or desires of this particular prospect. 

The truth is that you aren’t meant to work with everyone and not everyone is meant to work with you. And if you’re not someone’s cup of tea, that’s OKAY!

It’s actually way better to realize you’re not the best fit before working together than to have an uncomfortable (and occasionally ugly) parting of ways later on.

Reason #5: Your potential client didn’t understand the value you were providing.

Of course, it’s also possible that your client can afford to work with you, really resonates with you, and this was the right offer, but something simply got lost in translation. They didn’t understand why your offer was worth their investment and didn’t see all of the value you’re providing with it.

In this case, the best way to improve your offer is to revisit how you’re presenting it. Does your email funnel or your sales page need some new copy? Do you need to look at those social posts or show up more live to answer questions?

Honestly, this is the best kind of “no” in my opinion because it means you’re doing SO much right and you simply need a little polishing (which is exactly where my team and I can come in!).

If you need help with your funnel or other marketing, I would love to connect. You can start by scheduling a FREE 30-minute consultation. I am happy to chat, offer you some valuable tips, and determine if we are a good fit for one another in future endeavors!