How to Politely Decline a Sales Offer Without Burning Bridges

If you run a successful business, chances are you get dozens of emails every single day. The harsh truth is: not all of them are worth your time.

However, there is no shame in saying “no” to a sales offer — on the contrary, it is better for your image to politely decline instead of ignoring such an email.

Declining this kind of offer could be made painless for both recipient and sender. However, true email marketers still exist, and one day you can find in such a situation and you will have to decline a personal sales offer in your inbox.

Let’s find out how to politely decline a sales offer and make it less painful and time-consuming for both parties. We’ll also share some templates to reject an email properly.

Let’s get to it!

Three Reasons Why You May Have to Decline an Offer

There are several reasons you’d like to politely say no to a salesperson. Some of the main reasons why you may want to reject a sales email are:

  • You don’t need the suggested product. Sometimes we receive offers we simply don’t find useful or pertinent to your company.
  • You don’t have the budget for it. You cannot afford the proposed product or service right now and therefore have to reject a sales proposal politely.
  • The investment isn’t a wise strategy. Business can hardly be considered a piece of cake, especially when it comes to meeting the demand of market tendencies. Rejecting an offer is sometimes a strategic move.

Now that we have covered the main reasons to say no, let’s move on to the rejection itself and discover how to refuse an offer politely.

How to Politely Decline a Sales Offer

In a nutshell, the general rule of proper rejection is being short yet informative and straightforward. Let’s consider these points in detail.

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Thank the Person 

As he or she spent considerable time researching the information about your company and writing the letter, it’s inappropriate not to thank him or her for their effort. Starting your letter with “thank you for your time/email/offer” can ensure that the salesperson will be more understanding of your rejection.

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After all, this person is just trying to do their job. Don’t consider it as spam, be understanding and show empathy.

Deliver the News Directly

People tend to drag their feet while rejecting a sales proposal. Our advice on how to decline a sales offer is, to put it bluntly. You don’t want to give the salesperson false hope; it’s better to rip off the band-aid fast.

Explain Your Reasoning

If you explain your rejection thoroughly, there would be no need for further communication. Make it clear exactly why you are not interested in the offer. It will make the conversation simpler and shorter for both of you.

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Suggest Other Ways of Partnership (If Appropriate)

Salespeople can’t know for sure what are you looking for and sometimes miss the spot. If you see alternative business opportunities, mention them in your email. Sales pros are often looking for any potential opportunity and will be happy to help you with your requests.

Three Tips on How to Reject Politely in an Email

You have the letter structure down. Now let’s discuss the subtle aspects of refining your email:

Keep the Professional Tone of Voice

Formality is superfluous in daily life, but not in your rejection email. Don’t begin with “hi;” try “Dear Sir or Madam” for an anonymous letter or “Dear [Name]” if you know the name of the person. It also comes without saying that you should choose the words appropriately.

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Don’t Explain Rejection with Price

Don’t complain about the price tag for the offered services. Trust us — you will receive several discount offers after that. If you didn’t need the product in the first place, it would quickly turn into a waste of time for both you and salesperson.

End Your Email Appropriately

You will never know which of your contacts will eventually become crucial. This is why being open to further opportunities will ensure a positive experience. Write that you are looking forward to any possible collaboration opportunities and are ready to discuss any relevant one right away. Remember: the proper ending is half of a deal.

Email Templates and Examples

Now, let’s move on to the how to decline a sales proposal politely sample that you can use in your rejection emails.

We will cover two basic situations: when you are turning down the offer but still interested in a future partnership, and when you cut the communication once and for all.

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Rejection with a Willingness to Receive Other Service Offers

Dear [name/Sir or Madam],

Thank you for the email regarding [product].

Unfortunately, we are not considering [product] proposals at the moment as we already work with [similar product] and feel happy with the results we get.

Nevertheless, we find your offer appealing and would like to stay in touch for further cooperation. Please keep our company updated on other services you offer.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]

This template does not only show your appreciation for the email but also requests other product offers. If you are truly interested in maintaining the line of communication with this salesperson, keep tabs of when they engage with your outreach by sending templated, trackable emails with Nimble. 

Final Rejection

Dear [name/Sir or Madam],

I am writing to thank you for your email and to inform you that we gave our careful consideration to your proposal. Unfortunately, we have to turn down the sales offer.

We want you to know that it does not reflect our unwillingness to work with you. Our company is moving in another direction at the moment and, therefore, cannot consider your offer. We would appreciate it if you could remove our email address from the mailing list.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Little harsh, isn’t it? At the same time, it’s 100% appropriate to turn down irrelevant offers and make it clear that you don’t see any further partnership possibilities.

In the client-oriented line of work, companies and entrepreneurs tend to lose most potential clients due to poor communication. The professional relationships between a service provider and a client should be properly established from the very start of your business dialogue. Don’t fall for the same mistakes inexperienced freelancers do – employ Nimble CRM for expert-adjusted handling of client communication.

The Bottom Line

Any industry is full of proposals. It’s no surprise you need to reject an offer from time to time. Make it informal while beating around the bush, and you’ll show your incompetence and unprofessionalism. Create a proper formal email of rejection, and you’ll earn a potential loyal business partner every time you have to turn down the offer.

Stay professional no matter what. Don’t forget, there are real people like you behind the emails you receive.


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