Dealing with rejection is a natural part of sales. However, it doesn’t have to be painful or affect your self-esteem. Overcoming rejection is a normal part of the job of a sales representative, but how long does it take to develop the resilience needed to handle the “nos” versus the “yeses”?
Currently, there are more than 779,389 sales reps in the United States. Among them, 63.7% are men, 36.3% are women, and the average age of a sales rep is 47. However, 44% of all sales reps stop following up after one rejection, and 12% stop after four rejections.
However, rejection is a natural and consistent part of a sales rep’s daily life, as 60% of customers say “no” four times before saying “yes.” Effective and ongoing training can help your sales team overcome the rejections that are an inherent part of their jobs. That training is a worthwhile investment: while $70 billion a year is spent on sales training, businesses that invest in training their sales teams are 57% more effective than their competitors.
One way to overcome rejection is by fostering adaptability. Being adaptable takes the sting out of rejection. It means overcoming our inclination to internalize a rejection as a personal “no.” Instead, when you are adaptable, you can process when a customer rejects you intellectually instead of emotionally. In sales, navigating the “no” is about being flexible because, let’s face it, customers have a right to say no! Taking rejection personally may indicate that you are more rigid than you should be as a sales rep.
Instead of internalizing a rejection, it’s wise to see it as an opportunity to connect or delve deeper into the reason for the rejection. Sales reps should try to understand the reasons behind the rejection instead of taking that rejection personally. When doing this, sales reps find the customer “rejected” the offering for reasons that had nothing to do with them. Sometimes, the customer isn’t interested in your product, isn’t buying anything, or is in a hurry. Their “no” is more of a “not right now” response, or perhaps they needed the sales rep to ask more questions instead of stopping at “no” or a perceived rejection because, after all, sales is less about making quick cash than about connecting customers with products on a personalized level to build an ongoing, profitable relationship with your brand.
The great thing about working in sales is that it teaches you so much about yourself. Being rejected, whether it’s for work or not, is not a comfortable experience. That’s why the average career for a sales rep is 18 months. Turnover in the industry is high, primarily because of the constant rejection. However, rejection can be a good thing. It’s a teacher. It’s a tool for building emotional intelligence and a healthy awareness of self. Over time, rejection can help cultivate a positive outlook on life. By reframing rejection as a tool for personal growth, you can turn what might feel like a setback into an opportunity for learning and self-improvement.
This shift in perspective can help you see life more positively as you become more experienced in what is really a setback versus something that is not worth disrupting your happiness and positive energy. Furthermore, dealing with rejections also allows you to understand who is truly part of your target audience and who isn’t. It’s unfair to assume every customer who walks through your door will connect with your brand. Everyone has a right to do their own research before making a purchase and taking all the time they need before doing so.
When we see rejection as a teacher and adaptability as a bridge to resiliency, our work as sales professionals becomes less complicated and more fun. And such is life. When we embrace the good with the bad, the rain with the sunshine, we are more balanced and more connected, making us more effective, successful sales representatives.