Yes, you read that right. In order to sell more, you need to be rejected more. While sales is certainly an asking business, it’s also a rejection business.
Unfortunately for those who are afraid to ask and can’t handle rejection, sales is probably not the right career for you. But for those who are willing to give what we share below a chance, you’re capable of becoming a top performer, if you aren’t already.
The number one excuse we at SALESGURU continue to hear from salespeople for not prospecting enough is ‘fear of rejection’. With that fear of hearing no, the chances are those salespeople are asking less. But you know that the more you ask, the more you will get – both no’s and yes’s. And herein lies the secret.
- Are you asking the right questions?
- Are you asking discovery questions?
- Are you asking clarifying questions?
- Are you asking urgency and budget questions?
- Do you prepare closing questions?
The second problem area is that many salespeople mistake rejection for objection. We believe that up to 95% of perceived rejections are actually objections – price objections, value objections, needs objections. You may hear the words ‘not interested’, ‘too expensive’, ‘retrenching’, ‘on hold with COVID-19’. The better prepared you are to engage around such objections, the fewer rejections and the better your results.
Of course, not everyone you call and see is going to say yes and there can be many reasons for this – they are happy with their current supplier, they don’t believe there is a need, they don’t have the budget, etc. And that’s ok. What’s not okay is fear of hearing the word no.
Keep this simple example in mind: If you:
- Call 30 targeted companies with a good message
- Confirm 6 meetings
- Draw up 3 proposals, and
- Close 1 deal,
You probably have to hear 29 no’s to get to that yes.
Where to from here?
There are some people who struggle with low self-esteem and confidence in themselves, their company, their service or products. They will always struggle in a sales role. Simple advice to these people: change your mindset or get out of sales.
For those who have a strong personal desire, the fear of rejection will disappear as the reward (money, success, recognition) is worth any potential rejection. Simple advice for these people: raise your game and do the job that you are being paid to do, and you will create your own success.
Do you want to learn how to let go of your fear of hearing the word no and, in doing so, double your sales? Click The Winning Sales Formula for our training sessions.
