Failure in the sales field is viewed differently by different parties. Some dwell on mistakes made, while others choose to learn from them. Anyone who understands business dimensions better knows that failure should never be perceived as a setback, but a chance to improve on what went wrong and come back stronger. Where the main objective of a business is to maximize sales, there is no room for dwelling on prospect rejections. Having a promising sales pipeline doesn't automatically equate closed deals because anything can happen in between. Even the best and most decorated in the sales field can attest that there are times when some prospects don't go through. For those in the sales field, it is important to understand that there are variables that get out of hand and are beyond controlling. With that in mind, it becomes easier to take failure or setbacks positively.
Disappointment is automatic whenever what seemed like a promising prospect doesn't close. However, such setbacks shouldn't create room for anger and confusion to an extent of losing focus of what's ahead and more important. Before anything else, it is important to understand that prospects are just that, prospects. Nothing is guaranteed. A change of mind in the last minute is inevitable. If a sales prospect doesn't go through, reflection of what could have gone south is recommended. An opportunity to grow is how failure should be perceived. Scrutinizing what went wrong with a failed prospect provides an opportunity to know how best to handle the rest of the prospects in the sales pipeline. It all comes down to what could have been done better.
Every sales person dreads rejection. But not all rejection from prospects is doomed. How was the rejection? . There is a huge difference when a prospect straight up says 'NO' and when they say something like 'we don't have the right budget at the moment'. Not all rejection tones mean that a prospect is lost for good. Some just don't have the capability to close a deal at that particular moment but when followed up, they could become a client. As long as the rejection isn't a stern NO, there is always a possibility of winning over lost prospects in the future but only if contact is maintained. The bottom line here is being able to identify rejections that are worth following up and those that no longer count.
Sales people do a lot of talking when out to win prospects. However, the approach used while pitching deals is what determines the success or failure of the sales process. Failure to win over prospects is sometimes as a result of the approach used when engaging them. There are different pitching methods used by sales people besides face-to-face. There is video chat, email, and even through social media platforms. In all methods, it is important to use the right approach. The voice, chatting tone, and expressions matter a lot. Also, first impressions matter to prospects. They pay attention to how sales people handle objections and rejections. At no time should emotions get in the way while handling prospects because that's how some of them are turned off.
The most accomplished sales people started from somewhere. They failed severally, but chose to dust themselves off and kept going. Failure should, therefore, not dictate or determine the fate of a sales person's journey. Rejection is bound to happen from time to time, and it should be taken positively. If anything, sales people should learn to smile through rejections as they do through accomplishments. On learning from mistakes, sending questionnaires to lost prospects (not all of them may have time for it) provides a clear perspective of what could have been done better. The feedback given, positive or negative, should help a sales person improve on where they failed. Pitching rehearsals are also recommended, as they help sales people prepare in advance on how to approach prospects.
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