Rejection is never easy – particularly in sales, where a person’s response is directly tied to your livelihood. It can be tempting to let “no” poke holes in your confidence, which can lead to call reluctance. However, preparation and persistence are often rewarded. According to data collated by Peak Sales Recruiting, more than 40% of sales reps give up on a lead after one follow-up call, but six in 10 customers will say “no” four times before saying “yes.”

So, when rejection threatens to throw you off your game, remember these eight tips:

1

Expect rejection.

Being told “no thanks” is part of being a sales rep. Expecting it will mean you’re less surprised and caught off guard when you do hear it, and you’ll be less likely to take it personally. A “no” also gives you an opportunity to create responses to common objections. If that doesn’t work, practice picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and moving on to the next call.

2

Know your strengths.

Do you offer unparalleled customer service? Soup-to-nuts creative services? Always-met deadlines? Remind yourself consistently of the value you offer and the things that define you in an environment of uncertainty, which will help you psychologically withstand rejection.

3

Shift your mindset.

Look at every call or email as a learning opportunity: Track what works and what doesn’t, and make tweaks as you go. After each conversation, whether you get a “yes,” “no” or “maybe,” ask yourself what skills you used on the call and adjustments you could make.

4

Review your strategy.

If you’re hearing more “nos” than normal, analyze your strategy. Are you calling on the right people? Could the time of day be impacting their response? Are you communicating clearly what you offer and how it can help them? Take a good look at your process, and also ask for honest feedback from current clients, colleagues and your manager.

60%
The percentage of customers who say “no” at least four times before saying “yes”.(Peak Sales Recruiting)

5

Be persistent.

A lead or prospect may have said “no” last quarter, but try calling on them again. Data shows that it takes several “nos” before a “yes.” Maybe in the past three months, their circumstances have changed. You won’t know if you don’t ask, and they may have more of a listening ear the second time around.

6

Measure progress.

Track your “yeses,” “nos” and “maybes” – you might be hearing fewer straight-up rejections than you think. Monitoring responses will also help you gauge how tweaks to your strategy are impacting your success.

7

Listen to understand.

If the person you call on says “no,” ask questions to figure out why. It’s most likely a concern in one of four areas: time, money, authority or effort. See if you can find out where their concern lies, then fall back on the value you offer to counter that objection. A hard “no” could potentially turn into, “I’d like to know more.”

8

Shadow other sales reps.

Ask successful colleagues if you can sit in on their sales calls. Take note of the words they use, the questions they ask, their tone and how they respond to objections. Even if you’re a veteran, it’s a good idea to take some time for a fresh look on the process and dive into another rep’s strategy to find what works.