One of the hardest things for a salesperson to come to grips with is a downright flat refusal, which is perhaps one of the major reasons why cold calling is one of the most disliked sales activities. If, however, and on the other hand, if the salesperson can turn a refusal into an interesting and valuable experience, then the sellers job can become much more interesting!
Don’t take Rejection Personally: It’s easy to take a rejection of a product or sales call as a rejection of you as a salesperson, however, personally, it seems as if the people you have presented to don’t like you in some way, or that you have personally failed in your sales presentation somehow.
If you accept this position, you are going to be a very sad person indeed. The sales game is full of rejections and disappointments. The salesperson needs to learn to put failures behind them. Look forward. Then once this is done, the salesperson will soon work out that there are many more people out there who are desperate for what you are selling.
Be objective: Separate the problem from the person, just as you might do when you are selling a product or service. In fact, you can even sell to yourself the benefits of (this time) not completing the sale.
Leave the Door Open: Thank the person, whatever they say. Thank them for their time and for listening. Appreciate their situation and why they are not ready to take things further today (note the assumption that they may be ready another day).
Never attempt to take revenge even with little snide remarks, because that will mean that at minimum they will never buy from you or your company now or ever again and maybe they will take revenge out on your revenge – such as calling your boss or complaining about aggravation.
Learn from it: Take the opportunity to learn from what happened. Think about the conversation, what was said and how it flowed. Think about the body language and voice tone. Were there any key moments when things went awry? How might it have been different? How might another person act and talk, perhaps a sales person you admire?
Be open and honest (but not berating) with yourself. Do you have any deep needs or limiting beliefs that are getting in the way? Or are there any preferences that you have that are making you miss things? And are you trapped in any dysfunctional games that are preventing you from selling more often?
Then after telling them that you accept they are not ready now, you may also ask them for feedback on how you performed as a sales person and how you can be more effective. This can be effective sometimes are re-opening the door as they realize that you are a concerned person.
And Remember – Prospects Buy on Facts – not Opinions
It is not a sellers business to either hold or express opinions – prospects buy on facts, not a sellers personal beliefs. However, if you suggest your vague opinions are really facts, you stand a good chance of getting the order – but don’t ever make a second call on the prospect … that’s fact.
This Article is by Peter Collins – In a sales career spanning more than 50 years, Peter Collins has focused on helping and bringing out the best in others – whether it involves training or mentoring salespeople, managers, business consulting to SME’s. Since the 1970’s Peter has built a reputation as a Nationally and Internationally Published author, and has 65 books to his credit, but he is mainly known for one book based on the Audio Tape series of the same name, Over 50 Ways of Closing the Sale. In his personal life, Peter has been sought after as an encourager and motivator that has given of his time and talents freely despite his busy schedule. Subsequently, he has assisted churches, pastors, community and charity groups, as well as individuals through his teaching, training, development and on-going mentoring.
Peter can be contacted through his website – profitmakersales.com