“Sales Rejection…Just Get Over It!”

So the prospect said “No” even though you had the deal of the lifetime for them! Well, that is life in sales. Even the sales ace gets rejected, but they deal with it effectively and learn from it to further refine their approach. I asked sales professionals about handling rejection and they said the first step is to try to reduce the chance of rejection with an effective sales approach. They all agreed that there will be times that you will still be rejected even when being on top of your game. Here is what they shared with me:

1. Maintain Your Objectivity
   • Everyone gets a “no” or “not interested” in sales.
   • Step back and get a frame of reference: this is part of the sales process.
2. Learn from the Experience to Improve
   • Obtain the true reason why the prospect said “No”: Was it the product, competition, price or your sales approach?
   • Did you gain credibility with the prospect?
   • Did you really listen and ask questions? Did the prospect believe that you understood their needs?
   • You answered their questions…confidently and completely?
   • Did the prospect believe that you would be working for them?
   • You provided solutions that were relevant?
3. Be Aware of Your Feelings / Control Your Emotions
   • Disappointments can drum up feelings of insecurity and past experiences. Remember, this is not your mother, father, boyfriend or best friend rejecting you. Keep it in its place.
   • The prospect doesn’t know you.  Are they having a bad day or did they just get word of budget constraints?  It could very well be the timing of your presentation and their need for your product or services. So, often a “no” could mean “not yet”. So, don’t give up.  
   • Don’t take it personally.  The prospect is rejecting the product or service, not you.  At the same time, some sales professionals suggested that it could be personal: that there just isn’t chemistry between you and the prospect. It is not realistic to think that we will click with everyone. All you can do in this case is be yourself and try and provide the necessary information so that the prospect can make an informed decision about the value of your product or service.
4. Get Over It and Move On
   • Focus on your sales goals;  always keeping in mind the goals of the potential buyer.
   • This is temporary and part of the sales process ebb and flow
   • Remember the law of averages:  you will have production swings of high and low points.
   • Stay tenacious and know that sales is a numbers game where experiencing “No’s” will be followed by “Yes’s”.

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