Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

It’s Only Common Sense: There’s Nothing Like Rejection to Increase Your Sales

Most of us feel that the worst thing about sales is the rejection: when someone does not want what we have to sell. It brings on that feeling that someone does not like us enough to buy what we’re selling; it can be heartbreaking if you take it personally. Rejection can also lead to feelings of insecurity and a complete lack of confidence.

But it does not have to be that way. What if you embraced rejection? Imagine if getting the old heave-ho actually gave you incentive to propel you forward? That would be something, wouldn’t it? If you could hear the word “no” and use it as an impetus for creating more sales opportunities, you would really be making that proverbial lemonade out of lemons.

Well, read on my friend, there is hope for you yet.

I recommend the book by sales guru Jennifer Gluckow called Sales in a New York Minute: 212 Pages of Real World Easy to Implement Strategies to Make More Sales, Build Loyal Relationships and Make More Money. This valuable book is loaded with great ideas (212 of them) for increasing your sales performance. It should be noted that if you love Jeffrey Gitomer’s books, you are going to love Jennifer; she is cut from the same valuable cloth.

Her comments about rejection really shouted out to me. The name of the section is called “Rejection is an 8X opportunity,” and I feel this particular section should be printed in pamphlet form and passed out to every salesperson in the world. Heck, just buy her book, highlight that chapter, and give it away to everyone in sales!

From her book, here are the eight ways you can turn rejection into opportunities. I have taken the liberty of adding a few comments as well as a few opportunities of my own at the end of her list.

1. Education opportunity: Learn why you lost. Learn how you can improve. The feeling of rejection will last for a few minutes. The lessons learned will last a lifetime.
2. Celebration opportunity: Throw a “no” celebration. You should be jumping up and down saying, “Yes, I got another ‘no!’” Celebrate the fact that you are one step closer to a yes!
3. Energy opportunity: Use the energy, your fight or flight response, in a positive way. Turn that negative feeling into inspiration to get more creative on your next sale.
4. Attitude opportunity: You have a choice—harbor the negative emotion from your rejection or make it positive. Your choice, your opportunity.
5. Relationship opportunity: Now that your prospect does not want to move forward, you can build an even stronger relationship when they see you still want one. This is not a transactional opportunity. This is a long-term relationship opportunity.
6. Resilience opportunity: Your internal strength; and internal ability to react, respond and recover. You’ve got this!
7. Silver lining opportunity: I am ever searching for the rainbow at the end of the rainstorm. You may not find it right away, but when you do, you’ll be grateful you got rejected. Know there is always a silver lining.
8. Sales opportunity: So, you lost one! N.O. = Next One. Go get the next sale.

And now may I presume to add a few of my own?

Character opportunity: The more graciousness and class you show in rejection, the more memorable as a salesperson you will be. It is not easy saying no to someone, especially someone you have grown to like. So, for you, the receiver of the rejection, this is a great time to show your character, and a great opportunity to reduce the rejector’s feeling of guilt. By showing grace you will win the rejector over to the point where the person saying no can actually start pulling for you, to get to “yes” with her the next time.

Strength Opportunity: Take a page out of the “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” book. You can use the rejection as a mental steroid to make you stronger and more determined to win.

Rejection is a great motivator; it might be the very best motivator, if you are willing to learn from it.

If you choose to use the pain, so to speak, to make you all the more determined to win the next time, you will succeed in the end.

Remember those words from Thomas Edison when a reporter asked him, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” He continued, “Great success is built on failure, frustration and even catastrophe.”

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.