Let’s face it, rejection is tough. It hurts psychologically. Nobody likes rejection, Sometimes, however, our fear of rejection is so strong we hear rejection when it isn’t there.
Quitting at no is a behavior we find most often in individuals new to business, new to sales, or new to client facing responsibilities. Too many people feel that no is a rejection of them: personally. In business, no often is a reaction to your initial approach, a first meeting, a first discussion. It is also a common reaction when there is no relationship. Of course, no can in fact mean no, but we firmly believe that this is rarely the correct first interpretation.
Learning how to interpret no is an important success skill. Many people think that an objection is a no. An objection is an objection – to an idea, thought, proposal presented at the moment. It often is a sign of interest; a sign to continue the discussion. If you interpret an objection as a no, then you are responsible for ending the discussion.
A no may also be the result of not finding the buyer’s real need. If you are not asking questions, probing, exploring options with your buyer, you are not working to understand their need. Once a real need is found, the discussion turns quickly to how best to address it.
Here are some ideas to help you deal with no:
ü First build a relationship with your buyer. If you do not have the time or the interest to build a relationship, stop reading here.
ü Adopt a new paradigm of no – see no as an opportunity to listen, learn and understand. And it helps build relationships.
ü Listen more than you talk – much more
ü Prepare and use scripts (practiced and remembered or written to reference possible responses)
ü Look for the economic buyer and find the need
ü Don’t try for an all or nothing approach. “Peel the onion” and get approval at each layer before moving to the next layer
ü Be confident, persistent (not a pest), and patient
ü Don’t waste your time with gatekeepers and people who have no authority (or self-confidence) to say yes.
Copyright 2009 Kubica and LaForest
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