Zac KerrRejection is not always easy to handle.
If salespeople are not careful, the fear of hearing “no” can negatively affect their drive, tactics, and morale. Fortunately, these five canvassing tips can help you change the way you look and respond to rejection.
1. Don’t Take Rejection Personally
When someone tells you “no,” especially in a face-to-face interaction, it is natural to take that rejection personally. Doing so, however, causes both your motivation and your performance to suffer. It is crucial to understand that when someone dismisses your pitch, they are not snubbing you as a person.
This, of course, is easier said than done. How can you train your mind to detach yourself from rejection? Try these practices:
- Boost your self-confidence: Affirm yourself and encourage your team to give each other more confidence.
- Establish emotional separation: Try to disengage your emotions. When you experience negative feelings after rejection, affirm yourself more.
- Learn from it: Use rejections to find ways in which you can improve your selling techniques.
2. Know What “No” Actually Means
Your perception of something affects your attitude toward it. If you redefine the concept of rejection, you increase your likelihood of remaining positive throughout the ups and downs of the job. When some people say “no,” they may mean:
- They had negative experiences with other sales representatives in the past.
- It is not the best time, due to finances or logistics, to use your products or services.
- They are not in the right mood or frame of mind in that moment to consider your pitch.
“No” often actually means “not right now.” People who reject your offer now may still become customers in the future.
3. Understand the Reality of Rejection
Rejection is not something to avoid, but accept. A good sales representative knows that usually, every “yes” from one person comes with at least one “no” from another. No matter how valuable the goods or services you are selling, not everyone will need or want them. Know that the sales process is just that: a process. Rather than trying to evade rejection at all costs, factor it into the equation. Expect it to happen.
Just remember that expecting rejection to happen does not give you license to get sloppy in your door to door selling. It is important to understand that “no” is a reality of the job, not a reason to avoid working on your techniques.
4. Be Proactive
When you expect something to happen, you can better prepare for it. Once you realize that rejection is a reality of the job, use your knowledge proactively. Ask yourself these questions:
- What are the different reasons people may say no?
- How can I respond to these reasons in a way that redirects the conversation, not ends it?
- How can I accept a definitive “no” with poise?
People say “no” for different reasons, but if you anticipate their objections, you can prepare responses that help them view what you are offering in a different perspective. This may keep the conversation going long enough to change an initial “no” to a conclusive “yes.” When people do not change their minds, know how to accept their answers with a smile and a handshake.
How does this help you stay positive? If you practice how to respond to rejection, you know how to act in a positive way even when you do not feel positive emotions. Over time, your emotions will catch up to your actions.
5. Remember the Big Picture
Choosing to look at the big picture instead of each individual “no” can help you stay consistently positive. Remember that some percentage of the people you contact will become customers. You cannot always control that percentage. You can, however, often play a role in changing the number of new customers that percentage equals. That is the big picture.
How do you do this? Increase your target. Create more opportunity for yourself. The more people you try to connect with, the better your chances of finding potential customers.
Use these door to door sales tips to stay on mission even when you experience rejection. To increase your odds of success even more, turn to SalesRabbit. We offer the tools you need to motivate your team, make your sales process more efficient, and turn your representatives into selling masters.
