How to Overcome Objections and Rejection

As unpleasant as denials may be, they are innate experiences in the business world. Even seasoned professionals occasionally see their best pitch receive a cringe and a shrug. But you don’t have to have ice in your veins to be able to steel yourself against the word “no.” Your best strategy is to employ steadfast confidence and continue pursuing your aim. After all, successful individuals don’t shy away from a “no’” but address the root of it head-on. Apply these techniques for overcoming objections and rejection in three chief types of business relationships to help you better navigate any unpleasant situation.

In sales

There is no understating the consequences of denied deals. Experience too many, and your bottom line, career, and organization’s future may all be on the line. But as any talented salesperson knows, just as one failed sale doesn’t terminate their vocation, a declined offer isn’t the end of all contact with a lead—even if they are discourteous about it. The solution in this scenario is to persist.

Instead of reacting emotionally to a decline, pivot to address it. What reservations does the lead have with your product or service? Ask for details, listen intently to their response, and identify the category of their objection. The most common are:

• Price: Highlight any potential savings built into your offer, and promote the demonstrated value of your product.
• Timing: Creating urgency is a veteran sales strategy. If a client won’t bite, promise to follow up with a brief call. During that next touchpoint, assert how purchasing your product or service could actually save them time.
• Loyalty: If your lead is already engaged with a competitor, showcase how your organization offers a higher-quality product or service.
• Need: A prospect may feel that they do not need what you sell. In this case, fall back on your value proposition. Turn to documented data like “Our software can increase productivity by 20 percent.”

Your sales team should have a playbook for identifying and addressing these and other objections. Include responses with established success at redirecting a “no” to a “yes.” However, if the lead still won’t budge, the conversation is not over—even when all seems lost, you can always request a referral. As J.C. McKissen of LinkedIn writes, “A referral is often the fastest path to a closed deal.”

From teammates

It can be particularly frustrating when you experience pushback from within your own team. Perhaps you pitched a solution to low turnover rates or requested to participate in a project only to have your input cast aside. Even when these responses are cordial, they can feel like a punch to the gut.

In these cases, simply don your salesman hat. Remember the previous advice for addressing sales rejection? These tips apply to internal meetings as well as customer interactions. At its root, just about every proposal you make in the business world is a sale, so tackle your teammates’ objections the same way to overcome them.

First, immediately yet politely request the reason for their denial. Try asking “What reservations do you have with this idea?” or “Do you have any feedback for me?” This will not only help you clarify their concerns but also position you to address them directly. For instance, if they found your concept too difficult to execute or inconsistent with the organization’s branding, pivot to a discussion about ways to simplify or modify it. You might be able to come to a collective consensus and take the first steps on a modified strategy as a team.

Then, as with in sales, be persistent. Take your teammates’ advice, rework your idea, and follow up with them about it. Even if you still face objections, requesting further constructive criticism can help you reframe future pitches—and increase your chances of earning their agreement in upcoming meetings.

With partnerships

Forming business partnerships adds roots to your professional network, broadening your potential leads and ultimately tipping the scales of success in your favor. Suppliers, subcontractors, and affiliated professionals within your industry can all be valuable assets for fostering referrals and brand awareness. But what happens when they decline to connect?

The steps to overcoming a rejected partnership resemble those to bypassing a sales objection—skilled persistence is key. Think of it this way: a partnership should be mutually beneficial, and whatever benefit you claim to offer your intended partner is your value proposition.

As Deborah Sweeny suggests in Forbes, “Make a proposal on how the two companies can partner together while mutually benefiting both parties involved as well as the customer. Be organized and come with a plan.” If you face a denial, follow up in the future and propose tactics that you are ready to execute immediately, like cross-promotion on social media or a shout-out in your email newsletters. When a potential referral partner can directly visualize what’s in it for them, they will be hard-pressed to say no.

TAKE ACTION:
Name five individuals or organizations that have recently rejected your proposals. Practice persistence by arranging follow-up conversations with each of them.