From border to border and coast-to-coast, sales pros line up to confess, "After I hear enough objections, I feel like a whipped puppy and want to limp off into the sunset with my tail between my legs." Then with a hint of hopeful expectation in their eyes, they ask, "What can I do to keep my attitude up?"
Staying upbeat in the face of rejection is not as hard as you may think. In fact it isn't difficult at all, however, it does require that you be in control of you.
You must make a choice to change your thoughts and words from the negative to the positive. You must decide you will not allow anyone's negativity to suck the life out of you. If you're willing to give it a go, you'll be glad to know that, yes, there are ways to stay pumped up, yes, even in the face of rejection.
Not long ago, a group of executives and sales professionals attending a strategic planning workshop in Las Vegas wrestled with this very issue. The question on the table was this, "What tips, tools, and techniques could they pass on to their sales force that would help them stay up in the face of objections that seemingly always lead to defeat?"
Toward finding an answer to that question, I asked them, "What is the first word that should come out of the mouths of you and your sales pros when greeted with an objection?" ? "Great!"
As I looked into their deer-caught-in-headlights stares, I yelled out, "GREAT!"
Those folks looked at me as if thinking, "Is she serious?"
I responded to their disbelief with examples.
"If your busy prospect says, ?We have contracts with all of your competitors and have no room left for you.? What do you imagine will happen if sales pros retort with a big smile and an exclamation, ?Great!?"
"If your prospect is pressed for time and says, ?I don't have time to talk; call me in a year.? How will they react when sales people look ?em in the eye, smile and say, "Great!?"
"If your prospect says, ?How was your week?? Say, "I'm not sure I recall, but you can bet it was ?Great!?"
Do you know what happened? The whole audience of top-notch sales professionals and sales executives laughed-loudly.
Here's why ... they immediately recognized these simple truths ? we're each responsible for our own attitudes and when you greet every objection with a totally unexpected, positive exclamation, you maintain control of the tone of the conversation.
A positive response in the face of a potentially negative objection pleasantly surprises prospects and serves to keep the attitude of the sales person upbeat. A light heart and an upbeat attitude increase the odds of your ability to get mentally unstuck and overturn any and all objections to scheduling a sales appointment.
The camera man who was filming one of my workshops in Kansas City returned from a break saying he had tried immediate application of greeting each objection with "Great!"
Of course I was tickled to hear he was paying attention and glad to hear he took the matter seriously and had such quick results to report.
The camera man went on to tell his story, "During the break I approached a woman in the lounge and our conversation went something like, ?
"Do you want to go out with me?"
"You're not interested? Great!?"
That was not exactly the application I anticipated hearing, but it brought a smile and reinforcement for the learning.
Here's the bottom line for you. There is no need for you suffer from the pain of rejection. There is no need for you to give up your cheerful countenance to a prospect who tries to take your sales presentation into a downward spiral. You can turn that downward spiral into a tightly wound spring and bounce back with enthusiasm.
Your words determine the direction of a sales presentation. Follow the prospect's lead and the call will spiral downward. Inject your own upbeat response into the conversation and watch that downward spiral turn into a tightly wound spring that'll bounce the tone of the call upward toward your goal.
Expect "Great!" things when you plan your positive responses and be creative in where you apply them. They will come in handy when you need to slay a giant.
I Believe In The Power Of
No matter what business you're in, no matter where you live, no matter what challenge you may be facing right now... you absolutely stand in a place of power to positively transform the world. And, if you're saying to yourself, "Yeah, that's easy for you to say, Christine, but you don't know what I'm going through." I assure you, I understand because I've been there. I know what it's like to believe in your ability to transform yourself (and others) when it appears that nothing is going your way.
Remind yourself of the fact that being alive right now, as the unique being that you are, is a miracle in and of itself! The moment you were conceived you were a miracle, and you continue to be... no matter what may be going on in the world around you.
The reality you live in depends heavily on the conversations that occur in your mind. Your level of belief in yourself (and the power you possess to make a real difference in the world) exists in your mind as well. So, here are some ways you can increase your belief in your ability to transform the world. Keep in mind, when you think of "the world" remember you don't have to transform every single person on the planet, but you do need to impact those in YOUR world.
1) Remember Your Accomplishments. One of the best things you can do to establish deeper belief in yourself, and your abilities, is to remember your past accomplishments. Take out a piece of paper, grab a pen and begin to list your accomplishments right now. What success have you experienced in your business, your relationships, your education, your friendships, your family, with your clients, your mindset, your personal goals, your partnerships, your masterminds, etc. Everything counts! So, start your list now and keep adding to it. This exercise will help you stay in a higher vibration so you can continue to do what you're here to do... and continue to impact lives.
2) Remember The Difference You've Already Made. This is another terrific "list" exercise that connects you with the difference you've already made in the lives of others. Whenever you doubt the power you have to create positive change, recall those moments in which you KNEW, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you made a difference.
Right now, think about those experiences you've had with a client where you knew you made a difference. Perhaps you saw it in their eyes, heard it in their voice, or read it in their words. Then, keep this list handy and read it often. For me, when I need a reminder, I read my Amazon.com book reviews for The Freedom Formula. It's an instant connection right back to the impact my book is having on readers worldwide. For you, it may be going to your "brag file," or reading a note from a client or testimonials on your own website. Whatever it is for you, anytime you feel your doubt waiver... remember the difference you've already made and it will help you make a bigger difference in the days, months and years to come.
3) Remember Your Higher Purpose. This strategy invites you to elevate your perspective of why you're here, living on the planet at this critical point in time. You are here to wake up and help others wake up to the new world that is emerging right now. You chose to be here at this important time because you have a unique purpose to fulfill in helping others to heal, grow, transform, evolve, and become all that they were meant to be. Your purpose may be showing up as a gentle whisper or a booming voice... but it is clear that you are here to be a force for positive change in the world. So, remember your purpose (even if it's not crystal clear yet) and let that carry you into deeper and deeper belief in the role you have to play in transforming the world.
These three strategies are essential for staying on track with your dreams and being a CAUSE for positive change in the world. Doubt and fear will likely surface as you take bigger and bolder steps in your business to create more transformation for others. But, not to worry... when you come back to these strategies, you'll realize that nothing can keep you from doing what you're here to do. And so it is...
Both Leslie Buterin & Christine Kloser are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Leslie Buterin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Telemarketing, Sales and Negotiation and Chief Executive Officer. It costs you nothing to enroll in our Mini-Course ?Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents? visit ! O. Leslie Buterin's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Christine Kloser has sinced written about articles on various topics from Work Life Balance, Personal Desktop and Business Plan. Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps small businesses put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to enjoy a purpose-driven business and a soulful life, send for my free Conscious Business Success Kit, which includes my. Christine Kloser's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
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