- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Outside sales reps: how do you deal with rejection?
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:07 pm to King of New Orleans
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:07 pm to King of New Orleans
Do you best to understand what is important to them and present your product accordingly. If they still say "no" show yourself and them some respect and go find someone that will say "yes". Salesmen that won't take no for an answer give good salesmen that want to actually help people a bad name.
This post was edited on 10/22/15 at 10:20 pm
0
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:10 pm to Paul Allen
All the more power to them. I don't see it as perseverance though.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:33 pm to athenslife101
Does not compute.
Sales is all about building relationships. The target is always some one who already uses a version of what you are selling or does not but has a use for your good or service.
Two approaches. Top down or bottom up.
Top down is when you know someone in an executive position who can easily get you in the door to their organizations buyers of goods and services. This is the easy road where immediate success can be found.
Bottom up is when you are trying to break into a company who a competitor has on virtual lockdown. You court the low people in the organizational hierarchy. At a GC or construction firm this would be the estimators and assistant project managers. You meet their acquaintance and earn their respect. You don't bother with the PMs, Senior PMs, Division Managers and VPs. You become friends with the low guys that your competitor is likely ignoring. You take them to lunch, frequently. Those guys become PMs within a couple of years and they are YOUR guys.
Don't be a pest. Don't be the salesman that drops by unannounced twice a week that gets everybody scurrying around for cover. Have impeccable sense of timing by knowing when to lay back and when to put on the full court press. All things equal, timing is the most important instinct to have in sales.
You will be told no. Do not take it personally. Just outwork your competitor and make sure your prospect knows you are ready to come off the bench at a moments notice. You will get an opening eventually. DO NOT BLOW IT! You meet every RFI , Quote, Submittal or MSDS in a speedy manner they are unaccustomed to. Be honest and tell your client when something on your companies end might impact his end. This allows him/her to plan and act accordingly. Your competitors complacency in the details is what allowed you to slip in the Backdoor to begin with.
No is only no for that moment. Somewhere along the line your interest and attentiveness even in the face of polite rejection again and again will pay off. And your competitor will piss him off enough at some point to make him look down the bench. Be the guy he puts in the game.
Sales is all about building relationships. The target is always some one who already uses a version of what you are selling or does not but has a use for your good or service.
Two approaches. Top down or bottom up.
Top down is when you know someone in an executive position who can easily get you in the door to their organizations buyers of goods and services. This is the easy road where immediate success can be found.
Bottom up is when you are trying to break into a company who a competitor has on virtual lockdown. You court the low people in the organizational hierarchy. At a GC or construction firm this would be the estimators and assistant project managers. You meet their acquaintance and earn their respect. You don't bother with the PMs, Senior PMs, Division Managers and VPs. You become friends with the low guys that your competitor is likely ignoring. You take them to lunch, frequently. Those guys become PMs within a couple of years and they are YOUR guys.
Don't be a pest. Don't be the salesman that drops by unannounced twice a week that gets everybody scurrying around for cover. Have impeccable sense of timing by knowing when to lay back and when to put on the full court press. All things equal, timing is the most important instinct to have in sales.
You will be told no. Do not take it personally. Just outwork your competitor and make sure your prospect knows you are ready to come off the bench at a moments notice. You will get an opening eventually. DO NOT BLOW IT! You meet every RFI , Quote, Submittal or MSDS in a speedy manner they are unaccustomed to. Be honest and tell your client when something on your companies end might impact his end. This allows him/her to plan and act accordingly. Your competitors complacency in the details is what allowed you to slip in the Backdoor to begin with.
No is only no for that moment. Somewhere along the line your interest and attentiveness even in the face of polite rejection again and again will pay off. And your competitor will piss him off enough at some point to make him look down the bench. Be the guy he puts in the game.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:39 pm to King of New Orleans
If you believe in the product or service you are selling it really isn't that hard.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:40 pm to King of New Orleans
Provide solutions to your customers problems and the orders and success will follow.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:42 pm to Dick Leverage
Spot on advice right there.
Now...what do you do in construction?
Now...what do you do in construction?
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:43 pm to King of New Orleans
quote:
Outside sales reps: how do you deal with rejection?
I actually have wondered this as well...I had some damn good job offers in technical sales just out of college, but didn't take any of them simply because I didn't think I would be comfortable going back repeatedly after being rejected....
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:45 pm to Spankum
They are not rejecting you. They are rejecting your product or service. Put them in enough pain and don't be afraid to go negative with them. Find the pain, if they can even make the decision, then find out if they have money. Don't take it personally.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:54 pm to King of New Orleans
It's just something I don't really worry all that much about. Sure, assholes piss me off in this industry, but so long as I get a reason specifically why my proposal was rejected, then I can learn from it and hopefully get him next time. Unless it's a big deal where I will lose thousands over it, I tend to be able to shrug it off and not give a shite so long as I gave it my all. Do not fear rejection in this industry, because it WILL happen. You are going to fail quite a bit. Just learn from it and get better.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 10:57 pm to captainahab
quote:
Most of the "no's" you get are from people that don't have the authority to give you a "yes".
Then you are not only a shitty salesman, but a stupid salesman. That's the first question that comes out of my mouth is "who do I need to speak with regarding ______".
Posted on 10/22/15 at 11:01 pm to Artie Rome
quote:
I like that strategy. "No, I'm sorry sir. You cannot buy this Honda Civic." Interesting approach.
If you're a good salesman, some deals just aren't worth your time. Had a $2,000 deal last week that I just directed to the call in center, since a $100 commission just isn't worth it when I'm busting balls to get a 60K deal.
Posted on 10/22/15 at 11:34 pm to OMLandshark
quote:
OMLandshark
That's advice that I give to my newly hired sales people in order to ensure they do their homework before they ever make a call.
Now go back to selling knock off Tap Out T Shirts to your local Convenience store - dip shite.
Posted on 10/23/15 at 12:11 am to King of New Orleans
I sell to plants, I sell what they're going to need and are going to purchase anyway. I never go in trying to sell them anything, I simply introduce myself and give a brief explanation of what my company offers. Pop in once every couple of weeks after that, shoot the shite, eventually they will all need something and give you a shot. Perform on those smaller orders while building a relationship and boom, the business you're after will start rolling in.
Posted on 10/23/15 at 12:19 am to King of New Orleans
I cry, then read the OT for a half hour to get my spirits up, then make my next call.
Posted on 10/23/15 at 1:01 am to King of New Orleans
Success in sales is all about knowing the right people. Hookers, a coke guy, and a fella named Ricardo who can "fix things before they break"
This post was edited on 10/23/15 at 1:03 am
Posted on 10/23/15 at 2:21 am to AZTarheeel
Find out as much as you can about your customers. If they say no, then discretely show them a picture of one of their kids or their wife leaving their house. They will get the message and place some orders, unless of course they don't like their kids or wife.
This post was edited on 10/23/15 at 2:23 am
Posted on 10/23/15 at 5:46 am to Coast Tiger
quote:
They are not rejecting you
False. If you're an annoying bastard or a dumbass, I will absolutely not buy what you're selling just because I don't want to have to deal with you. If what you have is really that good, I'll find someone else to buy it from.
I see no reason to reward an annoying dumbass for being an annoying dumbass.
Posted on 10/23/15 at 5:53 am to Artie Rome
quote:
I like that strategy. "No, I'm sorry sir. You cannot buy this Honda Civic." Interesting approach.
People want what they can't have.
Posted on 10/23/15 at 5:56 am to athenslife101
I'm in sales an I don't have the personality for it 
. I took this job thinking I'd be an in house technical representative for my company. Yes I'd be selling, but not really going out to make deals, more having the customer come to me and say, what should I do here and how much will it cost? Now the market is all over the place and I have more customers and really have that "sales" role. And I'll be honest, I have about as much interest taking you out to lunch and making small talk as you do wanting to hang out with some random salesman. But I'm getting better at it. First loss was crushing (we'really talking VERY high dollar project we should have had). I've learned to roll with it somewhat though.
. I took this job thinking I'd be an in house technical representative for my company. Yes I'd be selling, but not really going out to make deals, more having the customer come to me and say, what should I do here and how much will it cost? Now the market is all over the place and I have more customers and really have that "sales" role. And I'll be honest, I have about as much interest taking you out to lunch and making small talk as you do wanting to hang out with some random salesman. But I'm getting better at it. First loss was crushing (we'really talking VERY high dollar project we should have had). I've learned to roll with it somewhat though. Posted on 10/23/15 at 6:39 am to King of New Orleans
Don't let it bother you if it's not personal. Keep going back to them on a regular basis unless told not to bother. Sooner or later they will see you are there for the long haul and will eventually warm up (unless they're total a-holes)
The best tips I ever got being a outside sales rep were:
- Don't waste a customer's time. If they are busy, thank them for their time and move along graciously. There will be other opportunities to sell to them and they will remember that you are considerate enough to allow them to keep to their schedule.
- Don't bullsh*t a customer. If you don't have a correct answer, tell them you'll find out and get them the correct information.
The best tips I ever got being a outside sales rep were:
- Don't waste a customer's time. If they are busy, thank them for their time and move along graciously. There will be other opportunities to sell to them and they will remember that you are considerate enough to allow them to keep to their schedule.
- Don't bullsh*t a customer. If you don't have a correct answer, tell them you'll find out and get them the correct information.
Page 2 of 2
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News