No one likes rejection. It still happens though. How can you make the most of it?
Try to Accept it
Recognize that it is impossible for everyone to say “yes” to everything. Therefore, an expected byproduct of making an offer or asking for something is rejection.
Part of some people’s sales strategy is rejection. That is, they deliberately send out a flood of requests, knowing that most of them will be rejected. This means that you need to collect more rejections if you want to increase your rate of acceptances.
Being gracious is a must
Thanking the other person for a rejection is what you should always do. Try congratulating them. And be polite. Doing this will make it easier for them to explain why your offer was rejected and they would then feel that you are good person.
On the other hand, using insults, guilt, anger, or other high pressure techniques will upset the person. Any further dialogue will be ruined and that would solidify the rejection.
Always respect the other person’s decision.
Exploring Why
If you receive a rejection, what you can do is ask the other person to explain why that decision was made. This is often when the selling really starts in sales. You may be able to resolve the other person’s objections and convert a “no” into a “yes.”
It’s likely you’ll also learn that the other person has misunderstood your request. Or you may learn about other needs that you may be able to meet.
To gain ideas on how you can improve, you can also use this as an opportunity.
Of course, be gracious. You need to be polite as well.
Knowing When You Should Stop
If you are unable to overcome the other person’s objections or if the other person refuses to explain, then the deal is over. Stop trying when it is clear that the conversation is over. No one likes to be hounded or badgered when they’ve already made their choice.
In General
When it comes to accepting rejection, it would involve treating the other person with dignity and respect. Being gracious then moving on is important. Leaving the way open for other possibilities is leaving them wondering if they made a mistake.
Thanks Bryan for making me understand how to deal with rejections we all should know that rejections makes us more stronger and determined to produce our best in future and our reaction towards it is the key to deal with it and come out of it. Being calm and expecting it graciously is really going to help us.
Hi Angela,
Sorry for the late response…Tech issues on another site. You are correct. This may seem like a “sensitive” area for a guy to write about, but it happens in business often – whether you are qualified for the job or not (and not a price issue!). I am glad that you found the post helpful, and come back to visit soon,
Bryan
I always try to thinks about the reasons that person may be having. If the problem is me, i try to correct what’s flawed, but if the problem is not me, then i really don’t care. It’s everybody’s right to reject you or your opinions without further explanation, so i don’t care and i move on.
btw @Bryan, why do i keep getting the “we believe you are a spambot” message when i comment?
Hi Maria,
Thanks for your visit, and I agree with. Don’t mind….move on – that’s life! Regarding the “spambot”….I don’t know. I use “conditional captcha”, which works well, but you know computers and websites….they are crazy! 🙂
Rejection will affect your morale more than anything else, especially when you’re just starting off, it can really put you off. However, I’d rather have an honest “no” than a fake “yes”, to be honest.
Hi Joshua,
I couldn’t agree with you more. Well said. Thanks for reading my post,
Bryan
I like rejection because it almost always leads to rich contradictory conversations you wouldn’t normally be able to have. The fact that most rejections come from strangers that I have no idea how they think is just a bonus, I can have more fun that way.
Of course, this is all for learning and self development purposes 🙂
Timothy,
I loved the response to this article! Great. Thanks for reading.
Bryan
“Exploring why” – So you can learn from your own mistake. It’s very important not to repeat the same mistake each time you deal with other people to see some improvement in what you’re doing.
Rejection is as integral part of your business as getting yourself an approval. The whole point is that you should not let your hopes go down and instead work even harder to get success with a hope that you are going to succeed.
Hi James,
Right you are. Rejection should be a calculated risk you include in your business endeavors. Thanks for stopping by and reading.
Bryan
No man is perfect and no one has got the skills to impress everyone. So you will get rejected, you are indeed going to. But you should always focus on the ones that approve you, and get ahead with them.
James,
You are correct. Don’t let it stop you – just move ahead! Thanks for reading,
Bryan
Bryan, I really enjoyed reading your post! I think it so easy to go on the defensive when you are rejected but this immediately closes the door and burns the bridge that you have with the other person. Your point on being gracious is very key in dealing with rejection and keeping future doors open. Thanks for sharing!