5 Ways to Deal With Rejections Over a Sales Call

Rejection is an integral part of the work of a sales rep. As a sales representative, you would face more rejections than approvals, and that’s how life is in this profession. One study reveals that only 2% of all cold sales calls lead to an appointment, which makes the success taste even sweeter.

You can and should spend a lot of time trying to improve your sales skills. But let’s face it, no matter what you do, you can never bypass rejections altogether. So what you should do next is learn how to handle rejections well.

Let’s find out how you can deal with rejections over a sales call. These tips and ideas work for all sales reps, both beginners and experienced. If you are an experienced salesperson, you may already know some of them. 

Overcome Rejection After an Unsuccessful Sales Call

Almost all sales reps have been in a position where they think the deal is about to be closed, only to be met with a cold “No” from the other end. Instead of sinking into despair, here are some practical and effective things you can do to handle rejection well.

1. Be Prepared for Failure

Anyone who has been in the sales business even for some time knows that rejection is a daily occurrence in this trade. You must be prepared to fail in every sales call. Expect the rejection to come at any stage of the call and develop an immunity to the word “No”.

Not to say that you give an impression to your potential client that you are not hopeful about the deal going through.

The idea here is to prepare your faculties for a rejection so that it doesn’t throw you off track. After you spend some time in the sales industry, this will become natural, and you won’t feel the pang of rejection anymore. Until then, follow this mantra for every sales call: ‘Prepare for the best and expect the worst.’

2. Be Courteous Towards Your Client

No one wants to work with an unprofessional sales rep. In fact, no one wants to work with an impolite person (unless you are some kind of artistic genius). 

As a sales rep, being professional means never losing your cool, even if you are talking to an outrageous client. You should definitely not tolerate abuse, but there’s a fine line between respecting yourself and insulting another person. Professionals respect themselves and the people they work with. Let the same respect be reflected in how you talk to leads over sales calls. 

You should try not to take any sales rejections personally. Your behaviour and skills can win back the same prospect in future if they change their mind.

3. Take Notes

Does the phrase failure is only a stepping stone to success sound too cliche to you? Well, there’s some truth to the saying. Every time you have an unsuccessful sales call, you also have an opportunity to learn what you did wrong and how to improve further. At times, you may not have done anything wrong at all. Even then, it’s an opportunity to understand different prospects and how their psyche works so that you are better prepared the next time.

Once you are hit with a sales call rejection, jot down the important points from the call. Think about what could have triggered the client and how you might have changed the course of action. You can even write imaginary dialogues if you want to and analyse the conversation from the customer’s point of view. These notes will only make you better at your craft going forward.

4. Discuss Rejections With Teammates

Drawing on the last point, you should discuss the rejections with yourself as well as other people. Even if you are working from home, find a forum or group where you can discuss your challenges with other sales reps. It opens your mind to see several new ideas and avenues you could not have discovered on your own.

Try and discuss rejections not only with your teammates but also with your manager. Being forthcoming about your conversation may help you gain insight and valuable feedback from your seniors. Take note of these insights and make the most of them in your subsequent sales calls. The more you discuss, the more you get to know. And the more you know, the better you become.

5. Follow Up and Do Not Give Up

You should not pester anyone who has expressed their rejection already. However, that does not mean you cannot pitch to them again. Maybe things have changed since the last time you interacted with them, and your product/service fits their needs better now. In such cases, you should let the prospect know about it and see if they are willing to make a deal.

More than 80% of sales require at least 5 follow-ups. While pitching a rejected product/service is not equivalent to following up, it has some similar elements. People change their opinions all the time. Someone who rejected you in the past may be interested in your proposal today. The prospect may be interested as long as you don't pester them.

Here’s a last piece of advice– never give up! It’s easier said than done, but this simple precept holds much value, especially in the world of sales and objection handling.

For more valuable resources on being a better sales rep, head over to Juno School.