Humans are either open or close minded to any suggestion. Once the mind is closed its nigh impossible to open it back up again until that person wants to re-open their mind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This \u201copen\/close minded\u201d idea pops up when our client says \u201cwe\u2019re switching\/going in different direction\/going with your competitor\u201d or something similar. Our client is now close minded to working with us.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As professionals \u201cno\u201d is the beginning, not the ending of a conversation, but we have two choices as to how we have that conversation after hearing \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. Beg<\/strong> \u2013 The best version of this is asking for another chance, promising to do better, offering a discount and\/or extra services for free. The worst version is us getting our emotional needs met by saying something like, \u201cso you\u2019re confident that <chosen competitor> can deliver\/meet your needs\/not screw up?\u201d (yes, salespeople say that). Either version does nothing more than break rapport with our client and likely ends our chances of ever working with them again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n