Life Lessons

“Can I ask Why Not?”

And other reasons you’ve lost a sale

This is not exactly the best way to close a sale. (Image created using AI Gemini)

It was a thoughtful birthday gift from my sisters that brought me into one of those franchise spa places.

The massage — wonderful. Bleary eyed and full of Zen aura, my face looking like a human silly putty, I proceeded to check out.

And that’s when the Zen aura cracked.

“We’re offering a Summer Special now. Only $79 a month for massages — it’s normally $100. Let’s get you signed up while the special is still going.

My loose shoulders started to tense at the biased adjective, “only” followed by her assumption that this was happening.

“I’m good, thanks.”

“If you wait, you’ll regret it. That’s almost a $20 savings.”

Already the knot was back in my neck.

“I’m good.”

“So, you don’t want it at all?”

“That’s correct.”

“Can I ask why?”

What I Thought vs. What I Said

**Thought: **Seriously? What is wrong with you? Sure, you can ask why, but I don’t need to give you a reason. And is that annoyance in your tone? Are you literally giving me annoyance vibes now? Would you like to pay my bills? Would you like to know what I’m having for dinner tonight? Perhaps you would like to know when my last pap smear was?

Said: I have a lot of expenses now.

She shrugged her shoulders, rolled her eyes and said “Okay, fine.”

But it wasn’t fine. Her body language reminded me of a teacher or parent being disappointed in a child.

The Inside Scoop on Franchises

I couldn’t understand what the big deal was. Wasn’t the customer always right? Aren’t you entitled to say no without the employee getting their massage towels in a twist?

So, I did some research. It turns out employees at many major massage franchises have a strict sales script to follow, and this responsibility falls heavily on the front desk. Take this Indeed review from a former Hand and Stone Massage Front Desk Receptionist:

“They want you to meet a certain requirement for sales, and have a specific way they want you to do it. The actual providers do not know that we have a script we have to follow, which makes this impossible. I got in trouble for it many times when I brought up my concerns, they told me to take charge, even when it was impossible.”-Front Desk Receptionist at Hand and Stone Massage (Indeed Review)

Look, I get it: sales scripts can be highly beneficial for training and consistency. But executing a script without considering the human across from you — without reading the room — is a recipe for failure.

Authentic connection is required. People want to feel seen and heard. I don’t care what you are selling — it’s rarely about the product or service itself. It’s about making the customer feel like they matter.

Asking “Can you tell me why not?” is the antithesis of authenticity. It’s subterfuge disguised under a flimsy, high fructose corn syrup of care.

Would I have gotten the monthly membership if the salesperson had been genuine? Probably not. But I likely would have returned to that spa for future standalone appointments. Now? I’m never going back. Her aggressive tactics didn’t just lose a subscription; they lost a customer permanently.

To Make a Sale, Learn to Listen

Good sales is a lot like good writing: you show, don’t tell. Instead, this interaction relied on manipulation from the jump.

When it comes to money, “only” is entirely relative. “Only $79” to a corporate executive is a drop in the bucket. To someone else, it’s: “Holy crap, 80 bucks is a week of groceries.”**

The fact is, we are sitting at an economic crossroads with a tight job market and persistent inflation. These realities affect everyone. Prefacing an eighty-dollar monthly luxury with the word “only” doesn’t minimize the cost, it just exposes a lack of empathy. And telling a customer they will feel “regret” if they don’t buy right now implies they aren’t smart enough to make their own financial decisions.

To the defensive salesperson on the other side of the counter:

Rip up the script and listen. What are your customers saying with their body language? What are they leaving unsaid? Read between the lines instead of clinging to a verbatim, one-size-fits-all track.

And please, don’t treat a lost sale as an opportunity to disrespect the person who just walked through your door.

Author, Educator, Actor www.sheri-jacobs.com Author of THE FRIENDSHIP DIET and DREAM WRITE . She is Co-Creator of the podcast SERIOUS LAUGHS @seriouslaughspod (Spotify) https://www.youtube.com/@SeriousLaughsPod

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