I think one of the biggest factors of why a consultant quits their direct sales business is because they are afraid of REJECTION. Why are we so terribly afraid of rejection?

I think one of the main reasons we fear rejection so much is that we place so much emphasis on what that rejection is tied to. We think “Why don’t they like me?” or how about “I hope I don’t make them mad, I really want them to like me.” It’s become all about YOU when it should always be ALL ABOUT THEM.

The greatest example I can give is one that was shared with me many years ago and it just CLICKED. When you go to a restaurant and the server comes out and offers you dessert, what happens when you say “No thank you”?

Does your server go in the kitchen and cry? Do they become depressed and threaten to quit if one more person says no to dessert? NO! They know that every NO brings them closer to getting that YES that they are waiting for!

They also know that the answer you gave has nothing to do with them, it has to do with your circumstances. You might be too full, you might be on a budget, you may not have enough time, you might be on a diet. The reasons are endless. They don’t take it personally!

I think we all need to be reminded of that. It’s hard to hear the no’s. One of the most successful booking challenges I did for my team was called The NO Challenge.

I actually gave prizes based on the MOST NO’s! That one simple challenge created such a buzz! It actually propelled one of our team members to book 10 parties from that challenge. Guess how many NO’s she got? She got 60 No’s!

Now, she could have gotten very disappointed and possibly even quit before she called that many. But because she was striving for No’s, it took the fear away.

Not only did she book 10 parties, but she had momentum throughout the entire summer and right on into the fall. She had her biggest fall ever. You can see by her example that what she did in April, she saw results from for months later. WHY?

It’s so important for us to connect with our hosts and customers. We need to stay in front of them and show them we are business people and we are dedicated to them and our business.

We look more professional. Typically, the work you do today, you’ll start seeing results from it in about 60-90 days. So, DON’T get frustrated. Keep consistent and keep putting yourself out there. Keep looking for those NO’s because every NO is that much closer to a YES!

I’ll bring this all together with 3 basic steps of conquering rejection.

Don’t take NO personally. Remember the example of the server and think about it every time you say no at a restaurant.

Think of every NO as putting you one step closer to getting a YES. Remember in my example that it took 60 No’s to get 10 Yes’s. That seems like a terrible percentage BUT also remember that several people booked with her in the fall (This challenge was given in April) even though they said No in the Spring. Don’t give up!

Lastly, don’t let the fear of rejection steal your dreams. If you give it power, it will take control. Put your business person hat on and move towards growing your business.

Please let me know how fear has affected you and what steps you are taking to overcome. Be sure to leave your comment. :)

To Your Success,