What to Say When a Prospect Says "Not Interested"

"Not interested" is the objection you'll hear most. In 300 million cold calls, about half of all objections were a brush-off like this. Here's how I handle the three you'll hear most, with the exact lines I use.

A brush-off is a reflex, not a decision

Gong and 30 Minutes to President's Club found that about half of all objections on cold calls are brush-offs: "not interested", "send me an email", "now's not a good time". The person hasn't decided anything yet. They're reacting to an interruption. Your job isn't to argue. It's to find out if there's something real underneath.

I'll use energy as the example, because that's where I made the most calls. The structure works for any product.

1. "Not interested"

"Not interested" isn't an argument, so I look for the reason underneath:

"I understand. Is it that the price difference isn't important to you, or does switching sound like a hassle?"

Now there's something real to talk about, and something I can answer. If switching sounds like a hassle, I explain that it isn't. If the price doesn't matter to them, I thank them and move on. Both are fine. Guessing isn't.

2. "Send me an email"

I usually don't. An email goes on a pile. I want a real next step:

"I can make you a price comparison, completely free: what you pay now and what we could do for you. But it only makes sense if we go through it together. Shall we talk again in three or four days?"

If they really prefer an email, send it, but book the follow-up call in the same breath. People who also get a call reply to emails almost twice as often.

3. "We already have a supplier"

Of course they do. Everyone has a supplier. My answer back then went like this:

"Of course, and every cent counts these days. Another supplier keeps the lights on and the house warm just the same. So why not, if the difference is 20 to 25% a year? The comparison is free, switching is free, and the only thing that changes is the name on your bill."

You're not attacking their current choice. You're giving them a reason to compare.

What I never do

Argue or talk over someone. You won't win a debate on a cold call.
Fake urgency or invent a deadline.
Keep pushing after a clear "don't call me again". Then you stop, and you don't call again.

The real skill: staying calm

Handling objections is mostly confidence, and confidence mostly comes from volume. Someone who has heard "no" 200 times handles the next one easily. Someone who has heard it 20 times still flinches. Make the calls.

More on the full call in my 13 cold calling tips.

Sources: Gong and 30 Minutes to President's Club, analysis of 300+ million cold calls (2024); Gong Labs, cold call research (2018).