The sales business is inhabited by two types of salespeople. The ones who wear a built-in “flak jacket” and the ones who don’t. This flak-jacket helps deal with rejection. There is going to be rejection, all kinds if it. There is going to be rejection from some people who are just plain nasty, there is going to be rejection from whom we least expect it. Regardless, the one thing we do know for sure, in sales there is going to be rejection… end of story.
How can you be one of those who have a built-in flak jacket?
Here is your action step. Let’s start with Vince Lombardi’s famous line, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” We could amend that to say what’s also important is how fast you get up. To get up faster:
1. Don’t take it personally, it’s not about you.
2. Focus on your personal goals, on your big picture. This will get you back on the horse faster than anything else.
3. Have lots of leads on the go so your wound will be superficial.
4. Set a time limit for feeling bad. Sixty minutes would be good.
5. Get lots of exercise and stay away from sugar.
These ideas are the fastest way to develop an impenetrable flak jacket. Remember that great line in The Godfather II: “This is the business we have chosen.” You chose the sales business because of the rewards and satisfaction it offers. Everything has its price. Rejection is part of the game. If you’re not getting rejection, you’re not talking to enough people. Take pride in your ability to bounce back quickly – that’s the difference between being mediocre and being great. Get used to saying, “next!” No excuses.
B.K.’s Law of Activity
At the young age of 16 years, our son Tommy got blindsided. The summer job that he was depending on to pay for this winter’s snowboarding fell through at the last minute.
The next step for anyone who wants to snowboard as badly as he does was to find another job fast. So off he went in our small resort town, knocking on doors looking for work. The trouble was, with it being so late to get started, most of the restaurants, summer lodges and construction companies were already full. The good news is he kept knocking on doors. And this is where the universe always kicks in.
Here’s the rest of the story. Not surprisingly, the phone rang not once but twice. All of a sudden Tommy had two job offers. Here’s the weird part – neither of the offers were from any of the places he had been calling on. How could that be? Was that just a coincidence? Not really….all salespeople know the answer. Here are the three rules of prospecting that never fail:
1. If you are putting in the effort and looking for business, the phone will ring.
2. When the phone rings it is often from a source that you haven’t been contacting!
3. On the flipside, if you are not putting in the effort and you’re not out looking for business, the phone never rings.
I call this B.K.’s Law of Activity – sow and you shall reap. This law never fails for salespeople. Pay special attention to rule #2 above. Do the work everyday and you will get results – sometimes from places you least expect. Regardless, you will get results. Never stop looking. Go get ‘em! No excuses.
Bruce Keith is a leading trainer for sales organizations in North America. He was trained in the corporate world as a marketing and sales manager for 15 years. His education then moved to 25 years in the real estate industry, 10 years as a successful sales rep followed by the last 15 years as a keynote speaker, seminar leader, author and one-on-one coach. His high energy coupled with a “No Excuses Accountability” approach has helped thousands increase their production significantly. He says, “It’s all about Results”. www.BruceKeithresults.com
Bruce Keith is a leading Real Estate Coach/Author/Speaker. Like Bruce Keith Results on Facebook or connect with Bruce on Linkedin. Email Bruce Keith.
