It’s rare to hear an investor say no. They usually give you a long-winded answer which boils down to a “not now”.
The reason for them to act like this is simple: Nobody wants to turn away the next Mark Zuckerberg. Unless an investor thinks you’re completely useless she will be much better off giving you a nice, warm, fuzzy “come back later” than show you the door.
What does that mean for you?
Unless an investor says yes, it’s a no. And you can always come back later — so: Come back later.
Don’t be discouraged if your potential investors don’t bite. Listen carefully to their feedback, ask direct questions (“What is missing to make this project interesting for you?”) and work your butt off to build the best possible company.