I know, it can get frustrating. You may even find yourself more frustrated with your own inability to react to the rejection in a productive manner. A blank, disappointed stare or a quick exit from the room are a couple of common reactions that I’ve seen time and time again.
There’s good news, not only is there a better (and less awkward) reaction to handling rejections, but there’s also a chance to close the sale at a later time if you play your cards right.
The first mistake many sales people make is automatically interpreting a client turning down a deal as a lost cause. They believe that because they heard the word “No”, they must immediately retreat from the situation and move on to the next prospect. Don’t give up so easily!
You need to understand the real meaning behind the rejection. Is this client saying no forever, or just for the time being? Are they saying no to you, your product, or your company? Is it possible that the buyer has just delayed the project to a later date, and may be interested in the future? When you begin to ask the questions behind the rejection, you are often provided the answers that allow you to work around it and position yourself for future success with the prospect. ← Click To Tweet
If your best effort to close a deal on the spot isn’t met with the result you’re looking for, you need to know what’s going to happen next. It’s not enough to simply decide to meet with the customer at a later date. It’s important to work out specifics like the date, time, venue, and well defined next steps. After understanding the reasons for the initial rejection you are much better prepared to map out these logistics.
Consider the following exercise to effortlessly handle rejections on the spot. Create a list of questions to ask a client if they initially reject your proposal. Memorize these questions and form them in such a way so that the client’s answer provides you with the meaning behind the rejection. Create another question list in case the client has to further think about your proposal and needs more time to make a decision.
With your handy question list, you won’t fumble or stumble over your words when you don’t close the deal on the spot. In fact, the more rejections you face, the more you can evaluate the reasons behind the rejection and become better prepared for your next interaction with the buyer, and future prospects as well.
You know as well as I do that salespeople lose more business than they win, rejection is a (big) part of the business we’re in. Instead of trying to continuously avoid facing the inevitable, embrace the customer’s hesitation as a learning experience!
If you’re looking for in depth solutions to closing more deals and handling rejections, take a look at our Sales Accelerator Program! Receive weekly video sales tips that are designed to provide you with cutting-edge information to separate yourself from the rest.
How have you handled rejection in the past that has created future success for you?
Be prepared. Have an idea as to what objections might come up in the sales conversation and at that point its time to marrow down that rejection idea. Exactly what is it they are objecting to? What do they not understand about how much your product is going to change their life.
An excellent article, thank you for sharing it with us. its always good to know how to avoid rejection.