I'm Not Interested

What they say

• “I'm not interested”
• “Not interested, thanks”
• “We're good”

What's actually underneath it

The ten questions that open it up

Ask one. Then stop talking. The answer is worth more than anything you were about to say.

1. 1.“When you say you're not interested, what specifically are you not interested in?”
2. 2.“Is that because you already have this handled, or because it simply isn't a priority right now?”
3. 3.“What have you heard so far that led you to that conclusion?”
4. 4.“Would it be unreasonable to take thirty seconds and determine whether this is even relevant to you?”
5. 5.“If there were a problem here worth solving, what would it probably look like?”
6. 6.“What would have to be different for this to become worth examining?”
7. 7.“Are you satisfied with the results you are getting now, or have you simply learned to live with them?”
8. 8.“Is your hesitation about the idea itself, the timing, or the company presenting it?”
9. 9.“What would you need to know before deciding whether this deserves another conversation?”
10. 10.“If we discovered this could materially improve your situation, would you at least want to understand how?”