Why Don’t Prospects Commit? How “Negative Close” Can Be A Powerful Way To Help Prospects Move Forward

Picture the following scenario:

Winston is a lead financial advisor at Furguson Financial. He has been working with one couple, Nick and Jess, who set up an initial call with him several weeks ago. Nick and Jess seemed like ideal clients in many ways – their assets, phase of life, and overall philosophy towards money are well-aligned with Winston's approach. During calls, they have seemed engaged and even excited about the process.

When it came time for the plan presentation call, Winston invited Nick and Jess to officially become clients. However, they asked for more time to think and talk it over. Not wanting to push the issue, Winston agreed to let them have more time. Since then, his follow-up efforts have been met with limited success. Every time he checks in with them, they either fail to respond or affirm that they're still interested but continue to ask for more time.

Winston is starting to feel at his wits' end. He doesn't want to follow up too aggressively, fearing it will push Nick and Jess away; however, he also doesn't want to simply neglect them. He's also unsure about how much more time to put into them – with each follow-up call and email chain that doesn't lead to a decision, Winston invests more time and energy into the relationship with nothing to show for it.

While Winston genuinely hopes Nick and Jess will eventually become clients, he's not sure how much longer to pursue them. At this point, he's most concerned with just determining if they're truly interested or simply unable to commit.

This isn't an uncommon story – a promising prospect shows initial enthusiasm, momentum builds, and yet, when it's time to make a decision… the prospect simply won't commit. One thing or another keeps coming up. The prospect may affirm interest, but they avoid taking the next step.

This situation leaves advisors like Winston in a conundrum: How much do they follow up? What sort of language do they use to re-engage a prospect who seems to have gone silent? And at what point do they just pull away – potentially leaving thousands of dollars of future income 'on the table'?

Why Prospects Don't Commit

There are many reasons why a promising, seemingly interested prospect may not immediately commit (other than to make the advisor miserable – an unlikely reason, despite how it may feel at times!). Often, 2 common blocking points come into play:

1. The size of the commitment may feel daunting. It's difficult to put the price of an ongoing fee into perspective, especially when the industry standard is a long-term advisor/client relationship – often spanning decades or sometimes even for a lifetime.
2. Prospects may be shopping around. Because of the length and magnitude of the advisor/client relationship, prospects are likely evaluating multiple advisors to figure out what they want and what will fit their needs best. Many prospects aren't deeply familiar with the intricacies of the financial planning industry and use prospecting calls to explore their options.

These issues often tie back to an advisor's value proposition and how clearly it's communicated – a prospect's understanding of the value being offered may be totally different from what the advisor intended to convey. This can offer opportunities for the advisor to refine how they articulate their value. Alternatively, it may simply indicate that the prospect isn't a good fit for what the advisor offers.

However, there are several other reasons a prospect may hesitate to become a client – even when they're excited about the process and understand the value of the service offered:

• Life is busy. Depending on the stage of life – or, let's be honest, regardless of the stage of life – prospects are juggling a thousand different priorities that are calling for their attention at any given time. Finding a good advisor may be important, but it may not feel like (or be) the most important thing on their to-do list… even if they've gotten 90% of the way there.
• The Social Acknowledgement effect. Some prospects may feel a false sense of accomplishment just by reaching out to an advisor. Simply contacting and talking with another party simply to acknowledge the problemmay give prospects enough of a psychological boost to feel as though they've 'solved the problem' even if no real decisions have been made. For example, in this case, Jess and Nick may feel a sense of accomplishment or even relief in having contacted and held several meetings with Winston – even though in reality, none of their original problems have been solved!
• Status quo bias. Humans are naturally averse to risk and change – we like to maintain the status quo and stay with what is familiar, even when it's not in our best interest to do so. Which means that prospects may choose to stick with their current financial situation – no matter how unsatisfactory – because it can feel safer than committing to something new.
• Conflict avoidance. Prospects who have reservations may struggle to bring them up. People want to self-identify as good people, and for some, that may translate into difficulties in voicing reservations or asking questions in a way that doesn't feel combative.

Notably, these reasons often have little to do with whether a prospect likes the advisor or thinks they would be a good fit. While advisors can address some of these challenges by inviting questions during prospecting calls and setting clear commitments and expectations with prospects, ultimately, they have limited control over a prospect's own priorities and communication style.

Why The Negative Close Helps Advisors Close More Sales

When an advisor is looking for a commitment from a prospect, one potential approach is the 'negative close'. This sales technique involves asking a 'negative' question to elicit a response. For example, after finishing the explanation of the value the firm provides, an advisor may say, "Is there anything that would stop you from moving forward at this time?"

The nuance of the negative close is that, in an ideal world, the prospect responds negatively with, "Nope, nothing! Let's do this!" And this is why the technique is called the negative close – the advisor is aiming for a "no" response to affirm a positive outcome. Negative close questions are designed to make this intent clear, but they also serve another important purpose: lowering the stakes for prospects to voice disagreement. By creating a safe and straightforward way for prospects to express hesitation, the negative close encourages open communication, allows for vulnerability, and builds trust.

Consider, the difference between an advisor asking, "Are you ready to do this?" versus the aforementioned negative close question, "Is there anything that would stop you from moving forward?" The latter opens the door for the prospect to say, "Yes, actually, I have some questions about…" This approach reduces the pressure to either commit commit or voice reservations, creating a more comfortable environment for the prospect.

Some advisors may hesitate to use sales tactics like the negative close, as these strategies can bring to mind the industry's more old-school, sales-driven roots. However, when used thoughtfully and in the right context, the negative close can be a powerful way to surface and address reservations, enabling prospects to make a more confident decision.

The 3 Key Tactics Of A Negative Close

There are a few psychological tactics that advisors can use to make a negative close more effective –and less pushy – when opening a conversation to uncover why a client really isn't converting or encouraging a decision.

Helping Prospects Convince Themselves With Self-Persuasion

The first tactic is the foundation of the negative close: self-persuasion. When a prospect responds to a negative close with "No, I want this because…", they begin persuading themselves. In a traditional sales relationship, it's the salesperson (in this case, the advisor) who tries to persuade the prospect of the value they offer. However, self-persuasion happens when the prospect articulates their own reasons for valuing a particular product or service. This process helps solidify both the logical and emotional reasons for making a decision, as prospects get to hear themselves advocating for the choice.

For example, let's say that Winston, the advisor from the case study presented earlier, manages to get on a phone call with Jess. Their conversation goes as follows:

Winston: Hi, Jess.

Jess: Hi, Winston. I'm sorry it's been a while!

Winston: That's OK. I hope everything has been all right?

Jess: Yes, things have been busy, but it's all fine.

Winston: I'm glad to hear it. Actually, that's what I wanted to ask about. You and Nick clearly have a lot going on. And given that it's been so long, it seems that right now might not be a good time for you two to join Furguson Financial – does that sound right?

Jess: No, wait. Nick and I are still interested! As you know, I'm a teacher, and things have been really busy since the start of the school year. We just haven't had time to sit down and get back to you. We still really want and need your input.

Winston: Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. In that case…

By using a "negative close", Winston has at least gathered a few pieces of information: Jess is still interested, and he now understands why she and Nick have been unresponsive.

Invoking Empathy To Make It Easier To State The (Unspoken) Problem

Another tactic Winston may choose to use as a part of the negative close is invoking empathy. Rather than immediately jumping into the question, Winston can begin by addressing what he suspects is Jess and Nick's main blocking point. In this next scenario, he acknowledges their likely emotion – fear – before posing the negative close question. By evoking this emotion, Winston invites Nick and Jess to confirm or deny that fear is their primary hesitation (even though, as with most negative close questions, Winston would prefer for the answer here to be, "No."). This empathetic approach gives Jess and Nick a chance to candidly and courteously 'call a spade a spade'.

This tactic works because all 3 parties – Jess, Nick, and Winston – likely see themselves as good people. By naming and addressing the unspoken issue, Winston relieves the burden on Jess and Nick to articulate their reservations, which can feel uncomfortable or confrontational.

For example, consider the following dialogue in an alternative scenario where Winston calls both Jess and Nick:

Winston: Hey, you two! I'm glad to be meeting with both of you after a few weeks. How have you all been?

Nick: We've been well, thanks!

Winston: I'm really glad to hear that. Listen, folks, I won't take too much of your time. I just wanted to follow up and ask you both if you'd had a chance to think about where things stood, and if you had an interest in joining on with Furguson Financial.

Jess: I'm sorry it's been so long, Winston, but we still don't feel ready to make a decision. Could we have a few more weeks?

Winston: I get it. It can be a really scary financial jump to make, right?

Jess: Totally!

Nick: I mean, we like what you offer, but the reality is I write for a living. My income can really vary from year to year, so we don't want to overcommit ourselves.

Winston: I totally understand why you'd be nervous. Let's talk about that more…

In this case, Winston primarily leads with empathy, stating the emotion, and finishes with a 'negative close' affirmation. And, it's worth noting that Nick and Jess don't respond with, "No, this isn't a scary financial decision to make." Instead, they confirm that this is one of their genuine reservations. The negative close gives Nick a safe way to express his worry about the advisory fee and the long-term financial commitment compared to the financial value.

Notice that Winston's approach is intentionally vague – he simply notes that this is a large financial commitment to make and lets Nick and Jess elaborate on their feelings. Starting with phrases like "I get it" or "I see that" and following up with an affirmation (e.g., "It can be a really scary financial jump to make") may invite Nick and Jess to share more. This also sets the stage for Winston to ask some thoughtful follow-up questions, knowing that the prospect will feel heard and supported rather than confronted.

Using Scarcity In The Negative Close

Finally, when phrased a certain way, negative close questions can also invoke scarcity. Scarcity communicates to prospects that the advisor isn't just in it for the sale. Instead, it conveys that the advisor has limited availability, highlighting their quality and demand while creating a sense of time sensitivity. Prospects may feel that they're being offered one of the 'last spots' to engage with the advisor.

One primary (and courteous) way to communicate scarcity can be to emphasize time limitations. For example, an advisor might frame this as follows:

I can only onboard 3 clients in a given quarter. I am currently holding a spot for you, and I'd love to work with you. Are you interested in onboarding this quarter, or should I reach out to others who are looking to onboard?

This approach allows the prospect to say, "No, please save a spot for me."

When prospects are truly reluctant to commit, a stronger version of the negative close might be framed as follows:

It seems like you're not interested in this anymore. Should we agree to close this?

Ironically, this question often elicits a follow-up response from prospects who are interested. However, if it's used too early – such as after the first time a prospect delays – it may feel off-putting or overly abrupt. Advisors may run the risk of feeling too pushy and impatient. To avoid this, advisors can reserve this question for later in the process after giving the prospect a few chances to consider their decision.

How To Use The Negative Close To Close More Prospects

Advisors interested in using the negative close may find it helpful to consider which prospects are the best fit and the timing of their approach. Good candidates for this technique are prospects who align well with the firm – those whose needs, goals, and ability to pay fees match the advisor's services – and who have already heard the advisor's pitch. These are prospects who have gone through a presentation or similar meeting where the advisor explains their value and proposes they work together, but who have delayed committing once or twice.

Empathy-based negative close questions can be particularly useful after the prospect's first delay, as they help the advisor dig deeper into the 'why' behind the hesitation. Scarcity-based questions, on the other hand, may be better reserved for the final stages of the process when the advisor is ready to reach a resolution one way or another.

Advisors may opt for either asynchronous methods (e.g., email) or synchronous communication (e.g., phone calls) to ask negative close questions. Notably, because tone can be difficult to convey in written communication, it's important to emphasize enthusiasm and be cautious that the text doesn't come across as passive-aggressive or overly self-pitying.

Regardless of the medium, it's best to avoid overusing the negative close. Excessive use can feel insincere and may lead prospects to question whether the advisor truly believes in their own services. As a general guideline, limiting the use of negative close questions to no more than 2 in any given conversation can help maintain trust and authenticity.

Some Scripts And Strategies For Effectively Using The Negative Close

Here are some basic starter phrases that can help advisors introduce negative close questions:

• "Maybe this isn't a good fit for you right now."
• "Would it be unreasonable to consider [X], given [Y]?"
• "Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to explore this further?"
• "Is it too soon to start…?"
• "Would it be a bad idea to…?"

To establish empathy before asking negative close questions, consider phrases like the following:

• "I understand that this is a big commitment…"
• "It's totally normal to be nervous at this point in the process…"
• "I appreciate that you're being so thoughtful about this…"
• "I get it if…"

Empathetic phrases are particularly effective when they directly name the prospect's emotion – such as fear, apprehension, or the size of the commitment. Addressing these emotions can help both the advisor and the prospect address the unspoken concerns that create the elephant in the room so that they can begin a more candid conversation.

Finally, when invoking scarcity, advisors may want to use language like the following:

• "I can only onboard a certain number of new clients in a given quarter…"
• "Starting [date], my capacity to onboard new clients will be limited for a few months…"
• "I'm starting on projects related to [significant date for client, such as tax returns], and I'd love to include you in that… "

These phrases can be powerful tools in the right circumstances. Advisors may find it helpful to practice writing or speaking them in different ways to see what feels most natural and authentic to them.

Responding Well To Client Reservations

After asking a negative close question, such as "Is it too soon to begin working together?", the ideal response is, of course, for the prospect to say, "No, it's not too soon to start! Let's do this!" However, a key point of these questions is to give prospects a gracious way to express their reservations.

Responding defensively to a client's reservations may feel like the natural way to respond– especially when advisors are confident they can help – but it can be off-putting for many prospects who may justifiably think, "Well, you asked!" Instead, when prospects share "We are interested, but…" statements, it's crucial to remain gracious. Thanking them for their honesty and empathizing with their baseline feelings – regardless of whether the advisor agrees with their conclusions – can go a long way in maintaining trust and support.

In synchronous conversations, such as phone calls, it can be especially helpful to ask a few follow-up questions. This not only gives the advisor time to process their emotions and avoid a defensive reaction but also provides more context for crafting a fuller, more thoughtful response.

Finally, it's important to recognize that some prospects may respond to a negative close by confirming their reservations – saying, for example, "Yes, this doesn't resonate with me" or even, "Yes, you're right… I'm not interested anymore". Others may not respond at all. And this is OK. The goal of the negative close is to bring clarity and closure as reliably as possible, while allowing the advisor to protect their time and energy by signaling that the opportunity may close soon.

When To Actually Use Negative Close

A well-paced follow-up schedule might look something like this:

1. Within a day of the presentation meeting: If a prospect asks for some time to think things over, the advisor can follow up with a fairly open-ended message. This might include a recap of key points, an expression of their excitement about potentially working together, and an invitation for the prospect to reach out if they have questions. At this stage, using a self-persuasion negative close question may be informative.
2. One week later: If there's been no response, the advisor can send a gentle nudge via email or other channel. This follow-up might include a check-in to see if the prospect has any additional questions or concerns, accompanied by an empathy-based negative close question.
3. After multiple touchpoints: By this point, the prospect has had 3 chances to articulate their willingness to move forward. If no clear answer has emerged, it may be time for a scarcity-based negative close question that sets expectations around the potential closing of the opportunity.

Throughout each touchpoint, it's important to maintain a positive tone and to continue emphasizing enthusiasm and warmth, focusing on what the prospect can look to accomplish by working with the advisor.

In that same vein, if an advisor uses scarcity-based language with a specific deadline – for example, "If I don't hear a response by Friday, I'll assume that you're not interested" – it's necessary to honor that commitment. Don't give a Friday deadline, and then email them on Monday – this will only undermine the advisor's credibility. If a prospect clearly opts out, let them go. That being said, advisors may be surprised by how often negative close questions can bring out what a prospect is really thinking, especially when there is an underlying reason they haven't committed.

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Ultimately, the key point is that the negative close – and the rhetorical tools surrounding it – can be a powerful way to help ambivalent prospects move forward, one way or another. And by creating clear opportunities for prospects to voice reservations or opt out entirely, advisors can foster more productive conversations – and gain more clients in the meantime!