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Rejection really isn’t the end of the world – especially if that world happens to be the world of sales…
 
Successful sales careers require ‘coming up to bat’ countless times – and the reality is that from time to time you will swing and miss. It’s statistically inevitable. However, few people realize that what separates the all-stars from the sales benchwarmers is not how many times they knock a close out of the park; it’s how they follow-up after they’ve struck out.
 
 Five Tips on Rebounding From ‘No’
 
1. Realize that rejection is not going to kill you – above all else, keep this mantra in the back of your mind. The first step to conquering an irrational fear is recognizing that it is, in fact, irrational. According to a study published by researchers from the Harvard University School of Business, the most successful salespeople know better than to take ‘no’ personally. Instead, they view periodic rejections as an opportunity to evaluate and polish their technique and skill set in areas where they may have become a bit rusty.
 
 2. Take stock – the next time you encounter a rejection or unsuccessful sale, pull out a notebook and make a list of what you’ve lost by not making the close. Chances are your list won’t look nearly as long, irreparable or menacing in black and white as it seemed while looming around your subconscious. Now list everything you have to gain by pushing past your momentary disappointment to approach the next sale with renewed determination.
 
 3. Re-examine your internal motivators –if you have difficulty coping with rejection, there is a possibility that you are unconsciously engaging in behaviors that act as defense mechanisms against certain types of conflict-based cognitive dissonance. Determine whether your inhibitions are causing you to engage in negative or approval-seeking behaviors during the course of the sale. It might even be worth requesting additional coaching in the form of shadowing from your sales managers, since it is often easier for observers to see the behaviors that are masked from the person engaging in them.

 

4. Take notes – Shift from reactive to proactive. While the details of the interaction are still fresh in your mind, jot down a few notes of reflection. Did the prospect display any telltale body language or other signs that, in hindsight, you may have overlooked or misread? Were there any objections that you fumbled, but that may be valid enough to research an answer to in preparation for future calls with other prospects? Were you unusually tired, hungry or preoccupied? Keeping track of all of these seemingly minor details may help shed light on recurring (and avoidable) pitfalls.
 
 5. Tune-up your prospecting – the simplest way to dodge rejections is to make sure that the prospect pool you begin with is as qualified and receptive as possible. Take the extra time to research and prepare for new clients prior to making the first sales call, and always ensure that you are calling at the appropriate level from the very beginning if possible. You may want to consider coming up with other, alternative means of developing prospects. Consider networking through clubs and professional organizations.

Remember, maintaining and projecting a confident attitude is an important part of building trust and rapport with potential clients. Learning how to view each initial encounter with a new prospect as a proverbial ‘tabula rasa’, regardless of the frequency of past rejections, can actually lead to hearing significantly fewer no’s in the future.