A Practical Guide to Handling Positive, Neutral, and Negative Responses
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When reaching out to potential clients, the responses you receive will typically fall into one of three categories: positive, neutral, or negative. Each type of response requires a special approach to keep the conversation moving forward or to adjust your strategy accordingly. Knowing how to treat each type helps optimize the outreach and get a successful conversion.
In this guide, BMT Business Development outlining the best practices for dealing with responses in each category to enable you to modify your approach appropriately. From happy prospects to unsure leads, these methods will enable you to steer conversations that lead to increased conversions.
What happens when a positive reply is received?
The prospect is open to moving forward, so schedule a call right away. Clearly lay down the next steps for the potential client while also allowing them to choose a time at their convenience. A reply such as “Happy to hear that! I'm free this week, Wednesday, 12-5pm EST. Let me know which works best. I've also attached my calendar link, so you can pick whatever time suits you” makes it even simpler.
How to take a neutral response?
A neutral response means the prospect is still observable and has questions that require answering. You must engage even more by asking open-ended questions to get more insight as to the cause of hesitation. For instance “You mentioned reconnecting about LinkedIn Growth service in March - could you share what might change by then?”
What does it mean when a response is negative?
While negative responses have long been classified as rejections, they also provide opportunities. Asking the potential client for their thoughts or clarifying why they are not interested allows for further discussion. For example, “Thanks for getting back to me. If you don’t mind my asking, what is the reason for such a response: a) it is the wrong time; b) you have an in-house solution; c) you don’t require such a solution”.
How do you address concerns like price?
Price concerns are common in negative responses. The key is to first understand whether cost is the only barrier or if there are other concerns. So ask something like “I guess you're comparing it to some other solution. Could you share what it is and whether my guess is correct? And putting aside the issue of money, would you like to try it?”
How can you handle "I’m not responsible for this"?
When a prospect states that they are not the right person to speak to, it’s important to politely ask for a referral. And you can send this “Sure. Can you tell me who else might be involved in this process? I would be happy to send her or him more details and answer any questions if you provide their contact info or add them to the copy”.
For positive responses, focus on swiftly scheduling the next steps. For neutral responses, dig deeper to understand the prospect’s concerns, and for negative responses, politely probe to uncover the reason behind the rejection and offer a potential solution.
Ready to improve your outreach strategy? Download the full guide now and learn how to master handling cold email responses!
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