How embracing the word "No" can actually boost your real estate sales.
The power of "No-oriented" questions and how they help you build trust with prospects.
Practical tips for using the "Go for the No" strategy in your prospecting efforts.
How to reframe rejection as a valuable step toward success.
Why inviting a "No" can lead to more productive and honest conversations.
Ready to transform your prospecting approach? Let’s dive in!
Real estate agents often dread hearing the word "no." Traditional sales wisdom teaches us to chase the "yes" at all costs. However, real estate coach Brandon Mulrenin and other experts argue that "going for the no" can actually be a smarter way to advance your next sales conversation. Counterintuitive as it sounds, deliberately asking questions that prompt a “No” from prospects can lower their defenses and open the door to more honest, productive dialogue. This approach can transform how you prospect for new business.
Hearing “no” is a natural part of prospecting. In fact, prospecting is largely a numbers game: you need some no’s to get to yes. Top prospectors, including Brandon Mulrenin, understand that every rejection brings them closer to the right client.
Instead of taking rejection personally, view it as useful feedback or simply a step on the journey to an eventual yes. By shifting your mindset to see “no” as progress rather than failure, you stay motivated and resilient.
There’s also a psychological reason to embrace “no.” Sales experts have found that prospects actually feel more comfortable and in control when they can say no.
By inviting a "no," you give the other person a sense of power and honesty in the conversation. As Brandon often says, giving your prospect an "out" allows them to feel empowered, leading to more honest and productive conversations.
No means comfort: People feel safer when they can decline, which builds trust faster than chasing a forced "yes."
Empowerment: Allowing a prospect to say "no" gives them control over the conversation, making them more willing to engage.
How do you “go for the no” in practice? The key is to reframe your questions.
Instead of asking questions that fish for a "yes" (which might put subtle pressure on prospects), flip them into no-oriented questions that the prospect can comfortably answer with “No.”
Brandon Mulrenin often encourages agents to phrase questions in ways that make it easy for prospects to decline. For example, Brandon teaches real estate agents to use permission-based openers - questions designed to invite a "no," so prospects feel comfortable agreeing to continue the conversation.
Instead of: “Do you have a few minutes to discuss your home sale?”
Try: “Would it be a bad time to discuss your home sale for a few minutes?”
(Now, the easy answer is “No, it’s not a bad time,” which still gets you the permission to talk.)
Instead of: “Are you open to hearing about some options?”
Try: “Would you be opposed to hearing about some options?”
Reframe the question: Change the phrasing of your question so that it leads to a “No.” For example, instead of asking for a time to meet, you can ask, “Would it be inconvenient if I stopped by?” or “Would it be a bad time to have a quick chat?”
Make the “no” sound reasonable: Prospects feel more comfortable saying no when the question isn’t confrontational or overly direct.
By giving the prospect an easy opportunity to say “no,” you accomplish two things:
You diffuse their instinctive resistance.
You signal that you’re not going to pressure or trap them.
Brandon Mulrenin has embraced the “go for the no” philosophy as a core element of his Reverse Selling method. He often emphasizes that in order to succeed in prospecting, agents need to invite rejection early in the conversation.
In one of his cold-calling experiments, Brandon tested various opening lines and found that traditional cheerful openers (like “Hi, this is [Name] with XYZ Realty, how are you today?”) had dismal success.
Instead, he flipped the script and encouraged prospects to reject him upfront—only to find that most wouldn’t! Brandon’s technique allows the prospect to feel in control of the conversation by offering them the option to say “no” right away.
For example, using a line like:
“Hi [Name], this is [Name]... I know you weren’t expecting my call. Do you have 30 seconds, or would you rather hang up now?”
This approach invites a “no” and removes the pressure. By offering the option to say “no,” Brandon is giving the prospect control of the conversation, and it leads to higher success rates.
Brandon often says, “Going for the no is like giving your prospect the power to say no and still say ‘yes’ to continuing the conversation.” This reverse psychology tactic disarms the prospect and opens the door to a more genuine discussion.
More honest conversations: Prospects feel they can be more candid and less defensive.
Control: When you allow them to say no, they feel empowered and respected.
Psychological Reactance: A “no” from a prospect often leads to them wanting to push back against the notion of hanging up or rejecting further.
Offer them an "out" early in the conversation.
Ask the right no-oriented questions that make the prospect feel comfortable.
Use humor or self-effacing lines that encourage a "no" without pressuring them.
Brandon stresses that when you give the prospect permission to say “no,” you reduce their resistance, which ultimately increases the chance that you’ll hear a “yes” down the line.
Now that we’ve seen why “go for the no” works, how can you apply it in your own real estate prospecting? Here are some practical tips and techniques to make the most of this approach:
Practice turning typical yes-seeking questions into no-oriented ones.
For example:
Instead of: “Can I stop by to see your property?”
Try: “Would it be crazy if I stopped by for 10 minutes to see the property?”
Most reasonable people won’t think it’s crazy, nor will they say they’re opposed.
Early in a conversation, explicitly give the other person permission to decline.
For instance: “If now isn’t a good time or you’re not interested, you can hang up - I won’t mind.”
This creates a low-pressure environment, which makes it more likely that they’ll continue the conversation.
Set goals not just for yeses or appointments, but for number of no’s. It may sound odd, but this strategy helps you avoid the fear of rejection.
If you haven’t heard a no, you probably haven’t asked for enough business!
When a prospect says “No,” don’t end the conversation. Instead, stay curious and calm.
You might follow up with a question like: “No problem at all - I know selling on your own is going well. Would you be against just keeping me in mind as a backup plan?”
Adopting a “go for the no” mindset can be truly liberating for a real estate agent. Instead of fearing rejection, you start to see rejection as useful feedback and even a tactical advantage.
When you remove the fear of hearing “No,” you prospect with more confidence and creativity. You’ll ask bolder questions - the kind that either get a solid “no” (which is fine) or open the floodgates to the real conversation you wanted to have.
A quick yes can often be false or meaningless, but a sincere no can be the beginning of trust.
Prospects will lower their guard, and you’ll stand out as the agent who isn’t pushy or desperate for a yes at every turn.
In the end, “no” doesn’t mean never - it often means not now or tell me more. By skillfully prompting a no and handling it with grace, you advance the conversation to a place of greater understanding.
So, the next time you gear up for a cold call or a listing appointment, try this flip in approach. Don’t be afraid to go for the no! Embrace the word that most agents dread. When you start hearing “no” more often (by design), you’ll find your conversations become more authentic and productive.
Ironically, by seeking more no’s, you’ll end up gaining more yeses - the kind that truly count.
As the saying goes, every no is one step closer to the next yes. So go ahead and give yourself permission to hear “no” - and watch your sales conversations reach the next level.