Every sales professional claims people buy from people, or they say that when customers like you, they will buy. It feels good to be liked, so it feels like a personal compliment when they buy from you. But what about when they don’t buy from you? Does losing a sale feel like a personal rejection? If you find yourself thinking they must not like you, or that you aren’t likable enough, you certainly are not alone. Dealing with sales rejection, like any other form of rejection, is a mental game. Closing a deal is a combination of timing and attitude. You can close a deal just by being in the right place at the right time, but if you have a bad attitude, even the hungriest customer will move on to another option.
Attitude and timing go hand and hand. If you’re new to sales, or don’t consider yourself a good sales person, then you are relying on timing. Attitude is one of the most important aspects of likability. If you’re genuine and maintain a good attitude at all times, there is a sales rule that will deliver you the close every day. Law of averages states the rule that if you have enough lead opportunities, you will close deals. If you can maintain your attitude from prospect to prospect, you will find that needle in a haystack you’re looking for; the prospect who needs what you’re selling. Easier said than done? It might seem so, but it’s true. Maintaining your positive attitude will help keep you focused on your daily goal, pitch after pitch. It’s important to let go of the idea that people who don’t buy don’t like you–it’s likely just not the right time for them.
Let’s do an exercise, with pen and paper and preferably with your call sheet or sales tracker. Relax for a moment and think critically about your introduction. Was your attitude good? Were you friendly? Did you put yourself in the position of mirroring them while not overshadowing or under-shadowing the prospect? Did you listen to them? Were you positive and confident?
If you’re happy with your approach on all the above, then it was likely just bad timing for them. They were busy, they had other things on their mind which made them distracted and frustrated by your unintentional intrusion, which is not your fault. They didn’t reject you because they don’t like you; it’s them, not you. Or rather, it was just the situation.
Now, give yourself a break. Before going back to the field, the phones, or e-mails, go to your pen and paper and write down all the words prospects are giving you. Are they objections which are customer concerns, or down-right no’s? If they say no, then what did you do? Go back to the previous questions and go through your day’s list of prospects and ask that question about each one. Be specific and note their body language and tone.
Now that you have reviewed your past, let’s make plans for a better future. Create a cold call box, and track every call by including as much information as you can. Make a list that includes their name, their tone of voice, the way they received you, and what their objections were. Be kind to yourself. This is a learning curve and you’re going to get through it, you just need time to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. Keep notes in your journal about what’s working and what’s not.
Rejection is not dislike; it is indifference. There are only a couple reasons why someone is indifferent: either they are busy, they are not in the market for your product, or they have other things on their mind. Like I said before, it’s not you, it’s them. Keep a positive attitude and make an appointment with them in a couple weeks, or just move on. Don’t let anyone or anything upset your attitude, you need to stay positive for your next sales call, so take a deep breath, cheer yourself on, and get back to it.
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