… and 5 ways to deal with it.
by ty hendrickson
the sales seed
- i think i’ll check my email and then make that call to a potential client.
- after i finish all of my billable work, i’ll work on some emails to potential clients.
- instead of calling to follow up on last week’s meeting, i think i’ll just send over my proposal via email.
does this sound familiar? why do we procrastinate certain job functions and not others?
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there is only one reason and unfortunately, it is the same reason we all have probably struggled with since childhood… the fear of being rejected. it seems so much easier to send out a proposal or any type of communication via email than it is to just pick up the phone or stop by the person’s office.
why is this? it’s actually very simple. if we speak the words out loud, we run the risk of being rejected and it is so much easier to hide behind the wall of emails and procrastination.
if your goal is to grow your practice, though, it is going to be very important to get comfortable with “asking the question.” whether that is asking for a meeting or asking for the deal to close, it is necessary to get comfortable with these conversations, even if it means risking the possibility of rejection.
what would you say if i told you that rejection is a good thing? i know it would be great if we could share a simple secret or a magic pill that would help eliminate this fear, but that’s not possible. the truth is rejection doesn’t feel good, but if you change your perspective you will see that welcoming rejection is a critical piece to becoming exceptional at business development.
reasons to welcome rejection
- each “no” is one step closer to a “yes”: people who become comfortable with rejection become much more efficient at business development. it’s been said that for every 10 “no’s,” you will get one “yes.” one of the most common mistakes is when someone is so afraid of hearing a “no” that they avoid the question entirely and waste time working a prospective client when in reality the opportunity has been dead a long time. part of becoming efficient with your time is knowing when to move on and nurture more viable opportunities with other potential clients. when you welcome the “no’s” you can stop wasting time and move on to activities that will produce greater results. start tallying those “no’s” so you can visualize yourself getting closer and closer to the “yes” you are working so hard to close!
- there is no harm in asking the question: “what does it hurt to ask?” i remember hearing this as a child and it still applies today. the worst thing that someone can tell you if you ask for a meeting or to close a deal is no. nothing bad can actually happen. on the flip side, if you never actually ask the question, the answer will always be “no.” it is amazing to see how many times you find someone asking everything except the most important question, “are you ready to move forward?” keep it simple and if the answer is no, open the dialogue to find out why the answer is no. either way, you are moving the process along by simply asking the question.
- it’s just business: realize that rejection is not a personal rejection, but a rejection to different factors that go into the prospect making a buying decision. it could be the wrong time, price or fit for the client. the key to understand is that a “no” right now does not mean a no forever. it is important to find out what business factor has gone into this decision and to understand how to overcome the objection in order get the process moving forward again.
- know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em: maybe it’s the vegas talking here, but it’s important to know which potential clients you need to invest in and which potential clients you need to let go. maybe you keep thinking the client is the perfect client and you stop prospecting because you know they are going to be purchasing from you. if you ask the question and find out that it is not going to work out or it is not the right fit sometimes no matter how badly you want to close that client, you need to recognize that your time is precious and let it go! move on to someone who wants to work with you and values your service.
let’s face it, no one wants to face rejection, but once you are ready to face rejection and start asking the questions, your growth will skyrocket! to help ease the pain, here are a few ways to help you deal with it.
how to deal with rejection
- take out the emotion: the reason we fear rejection is because we fear being rejected personally so the number one way to deal with rejection is to take all emotion out of the conversation. as we touched on earlier, these business decisions are not personal so when we recognize that before going into a meeting, it is much easier to handle any conversation.
- be overprepared: preparation for any conversation is key to making it successful. spend some time thinking through the different scenarios for the conversation and how you would handle any of those objections from the prospective client. when you are prepared for anything they might bring up, you will be able to navigate the conversation without regrets.
- take breaks: sometimes just walking around the block will help you get in the right mental state to get back to business. those who have spent their career in sales will tell you that mindset is a huge part of being able to handle rejection and mental breaks are a requirement. taking a quick walk outside for fresh air or even a lap around the office can reset your mind.
- listen to music: music is a great way to change or lift your mood. some people love to play uplifting music or their favorite fast-paced song to get them pumped up for a big meeting or conversation. confidence plays a huge role in negotiations so put on your favorite jam and get yourself ready to go close a new client.
- listen to a meditation app: on the opposite side, meditation apps are extremely helpful when dealing with disappointment. there are many different options to lift your mood and confidence. good meditation apps can help calm you and bring you back to center so grab a meditation app and listen to a 3-to 5-minute session to recharge.
at the end of the day, if your goal is to grow your business, you have to become efficient at business development skills and processes. rejection is a critical piece to the overall process and can be a huge roadblock for those who fear “no’s.” the goal is for you to spend time in activities that will produce the greatest results. wasting time on potential clients who are not in a place to work with you will drain your time and energy and most of all leave you feeling frustrated and defeated.
start welcoming rejection. start asking the questions. start valuing your time. we guarantee that when you change your perspective on rejection, your business growth will skyrocket!