Don't Mistake No Response for a No

I recently assumed that a long-ago close colleague had forgotten all about me, because he had not responded to my occasional emails and voicemails. But when I visited his company, another person told me that my ex-colleague was in the habit of forwarding my newsletter to others in his organization. 

A few weeks later, I ran into him. He seemed delighted to see me, and sat down for a long talk about his business, and mine. 

I’d been dead wrong in assuming that his lack of response meant he either didn’t like or care about my work anymore.

This happens all the time. We mistake “no answer” for bad news: we didn’t get the deal… our prices are too high… s/he is annoyed with me.

And it happens across all walks of life – sales people get discouraged when customers don’t return calls, managers become frustrated when it’s hard to get a meeting with a co-worker, and customers become exasperated when a supplier seems to ignore their requests. 

In reality, there are lots of reasons why people don’t answer, especially now that normal routines have been disrupted. Maybe they’re busy, overwhelmed or not getting their mail. Maybe they can’t predict what they need, so they don’t know what to say to you. Maybe their out-of-school kid spilled coffee on their laptop. And so it goes...

But the fact remains that you still need to get work done, sell, and make decisions with others. So what do you do in response to silence?

First, you can use that extra time wisely. A CEO I know whose business has slowed is taking this time to build new capabilities in his firm and develop new service offerings. You might use your time to learn something new or tackle that project you’ve never been able to find time for.

Second, reach out to people in new ways. Ask a customer to speak at a virtual event you’re hosting, or invite them to an after-hours virtual wine tasting (with wine sent to each person’s home). You might send them an article you’ve contributed to, or a framework that they might find helpful. Serve instead of simply selling.

Third, try again. Don’t let someone’s failure to answer according to your schedule turn into a unintended rejection.

I hope you are doing well during these unusual times. I believe we may look back on this as one of the most innovative times of our lives. Please get in touch if I can be of service. 

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Amanda Setili helps successful leaders and their teams agree on what needs to change and how to make it happen. She is author of Fearless Growth: The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate Your Markets, and The Agility Advantage, How to Identify and Act On Opportunities in a Fast-Changing World. 

For more strategies, videos and free materials, please visit www.setili.com. Or, contact Amanda to discuss how she works with companies to improve profits, performance and growth.