Rejection will always be a part of a sales rep’s experience. Every single sales rep out there, past and present, has gotten "no" for an answer from time to time, no matter how stellar their sales skills are or were. It happens to everyone. And the sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner you can learn how to succeed in spite of those rejections. And, the sooner you stop letting worries about rejection negatively impact you and your sales process. Instead, you need to focus on the good things past relationships have taught you. Yes, even failed sales meetings can help you further down the road.

“Fear of rejection is a major cause of sales call reluctance, and frequent rejection is one of the biggest reasons otherwise promising sales professionals abandon the career altogether,” writes Regional VP of Sales for The Brooks Group Damon Crone. He explains that rather than fear rejections, sales reps should build up confidence to know that a “no” doesn’t have to derail their sales. 

The Good Things Past Relationships Have Taught You

First, Crone emphasizes the importance of knowing that rejection is inevitable; it will always be a possibility. Even the most successful sales reps have experienced it. Knowing this, you won’t be nearly as tripped up by a “no.”

Also, don’t internalize it. A rejection is not a reflection of your worthiness as a sales rep. The ability to recognize this and subsequently bounce back is an extremely valuable skill in both sales and life in general. Avoid internalizing rejections by focusing on the good things past relationships have taught you and keeping a list of past accomplishments on hand to review. Don’t let a “no” cast a shadow on all of your achievements. 

Be sure to evaluate the nature of the rejection. You will never know what the good things past relationships have taught you are until you go over them in your head. “No” is not always the end of the road for a potential sale. It’s up to you to know reframe that “no” as a useful bit of information. What influenced that answer? Was it budget? Was it a need? “Even when the sale can’t be salvaged immediately, the relationship doesn’t have to end forever,” Crone explains. “You never know when the prospect who said “no” last quarter might suddenly have the budget, time, or immediate pain to motivate them to return to the conversation…” 

For Crone’s four other suggestions, be sure to check out his entire piece appearing on The Brooks Group blog. The tips can help you reframe your thinking when it comes to rejection, which will only strengthen your resiliency as a sales rep.