If you work in any form of sales job, you have to face the fact that you will face some form of rejection at some stage of your career. That rejection could come from prospects at the initial stage of the relationship, or even when you are looking to take that relationship to the next level and seek out referrals or repeat business. In this blog lets look at how overcoming sales rejection could work for you!
Rejection comes part and parcel in sales, and as a seasoned sales professional myself, I have no doubt that many of you will reject this article and give up reading it at some stage.
However over the years, in my own career, and by watching and monitoring high-performing sales people, I have recognised that some of the best sales people of the world handle rejection much better than those that are not so successful; no different to how a top-scoring Premier League striker won’t stop shooting at goal just because he has missed several opportunities. I want you to make more sales, and I want you to perform as best you can, and that’s why in this article I share with you some of my top tips on how you too can overcome, and handle, sales rejection.
Come to Terms with Rejection
As I mentioned in the introduction to this article, you are naturally going to get rejected as a sales person. You are not going to close every single sales that comes your way, and every client you sign may at some stage move on to another service or product.
Remember yourself as a baby (ok, I know you cannot look that far back!) But remember how a baby at first cannot walk. They try taking their first steps but they fall over. They repeat this again and again until they can eventually turn that one step into two. And then three. And so on. Does a baby stop the first time gravity rejects them? No. And neither should you give up after your first rejection.
Do Not Take it Personally
Unless you have done something horrendously wrong, it is very rare that a prospect will reject you simply because of who YOU are. Do not internalise that rejection, and don’t let those little voices in your head drag you down. Hold your head high, and understand that the rejection has no reflection on you as a person.
Seek Feedback
This, in my opinion, is the most important step to overcoming sales rejection. It is important you seek feedback from your prospects as to why they have rejected your proposal, product or service. If you do not seek this feedback, then how will you ever fix the problems and barriers that are being caused, and how will you overcome this slump?
Share
Like many things in life, sometimes sharing your woes and down days can help you feel so much better. Share you emotions with your peers, with your leaders and perhaps with your mentors. Sometimes we all need to externalise our emotions and the same can be said for sales rejection too.
Turn Into the Slide
It was the great Tony Robbins who reminded us of the fact that a race driver starts to skid and lose control of their car, they are trained to turn into the slide, not away from it. It is this way that gets the care back under control.
You should do the same thing too when facing a trend of sales rejection. Don’t run away from the problem, and don’t stop selling just to protect yourself. Turn into the skid; move on to the next prospect, pitch again, and keep taking your shot until finally they start converting once more.
Get in touch with C3 Sales and Consulting, we are on hand to support your sales teams to make more sales! We would love to hear from you if you feel you, or your team, are facing too much rejection right now.
