The following is a blog written by Seth Godin. Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and marketing innovator, who often challenges his readers to think differently about business, marketing and sales. Over the years his work has provided inspiration to approach things in a totally different manner.

The “coalition of NO” is strong and often derails sales professionals on a daily basis. NO is the easiest objection there is and the most disarming – “Great, where do I go from here?”

The coalition of No

by Seth Godin

‍It’s easy to join.

There are a million reasons to say no, but few reasons to stand up and say yes.

No requires just one objection, one defensible reason to avoid change. No has many allies–anyone who fears the future or stands to benefit from the status quo. And no is easy to say, because you actually don’t even need a reason.

No is an easy way to grab power, because with yes comes responsibility, but no is the easy way to block action, to exert the privilege of your position to slow things down.

No comes from fear and greed and, most of all, a shortage of openness and attention. You don’t have to pay attention or do the math or role play the outcomes in order to join the coalition that would rather things stay as they are (because they’ve chosen not to do the hard work of imagining how they might be).And yet the coalition of No keeps losing. We live in a world of yes, where possibility and innovation and the willingness to care often triumph over the masses that would rather it all just quieted down and went back to normal.

Yes is the new normal. And just in time.(Seth Godin’s Blog, April 3, 2012)

JUST SAY YES!

How do we overcome the Coalition of No? The coalition does not expect you to ask questions once the NO is given, as if you should just move on and go about your business. So when NO appears, ask the question the coalition doesn’t want to hear – WHY? Now they are faced with the hard work that comes with the question! NO was easy – you heard my answer now go away and service my account in your normal routine and pattern. Don’t make me think – WHY makes you think – it requires innovative thought.

Resist the temptation to turn and walk away from NO. Instead, challenge and ask WHY? You will find that NO often becomes a “maybe” because you have required the customer to challenge the status quo, and this scenario sets the stage for opportunity, innovation and success. As Seth states, make YES the new normal!

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