Today's message is one about the fear of rejection. I was talking to a business colleague yesterday and she indicated to me that she is not able to do much in her business because she is afraid of being rejected. In fact, my dear friend also admitted that she misses out on a lot of opportunities that come her way as a result of her fear of being rejected! She decided to ask me how I got past the fear of being rejected when working my own business and here's what I told her:
In many businesses where one has to work to create an opportunity for growth or profit for themselves, there should be an expectation that someone will say no to your oppotunity. Some people are just going to say no, for whatever their reasoning is. Most of the time, other people are afraid to take a chance too! You have to help people see the value in the product or service that you are trying to provide for themselves. You have to connect with them on a level that goes just a little bit deeper than the sale! People do not want to be sold! They want solutions to all of their problems and if you can make them see that your product or service is a solution to just one problem, then you have the chance to grow a very fulfilling relationship with that person!
Also, people pick up on your energy as well. If you are not confident to offer the product or service you provide to someone as a valuable commodity, then you should work to understand why that is the case? Have you tried the product or service for yourself? If so, what benefits did you receive from it? If not, then the question you have to ask yourself is "Why not?". Also, have you done research on the product or service and compared it with its market competitors? Can you answer most questions about the product or service honestly and accurately? If the answer to that question for you is no, then you've got work to do!
I mean let's face it~ Would you want a doctor or studied a little bit about open heart surgery to work on you or would you rather have the doctor who specializes in this field? Would you take a tax attorney to defend you in a criminal trial? I would hope not! We should also keep in mind that doctors and lawyers have to go out and drum up business too! They do not get a list of customers who need their services after they pass the medical and bar exams! If anyone going into business for himself as a doctor or lawyer and they are afraid to talk to other people about their services, they will not be successful!
So what did I do to overcome my fear of rejection:
- I began to use my products faithfully so that I could build up my own belief in them (and boy do they work well)! The more you believe that your product or service is great, others will too!
- I also study and learn all that I can about my products and the competitors products so that I will be abreast of all trends, pricing, claims, etc. to be able to better market my own.
- I also realize that a certain number of people are just not going to do business with me, and that is okay because for every person that doesn't see the value in what I have to offer, someone else will....so I just move on to find the latter!
- I also just go out and talk to people! You will never know who is interested in what if you don't take the initiative to meet someone new! I like to think that when I am meeting a new person, I am adding them to my circle of influence! Your business will not grow just by dealing with family and friends alone. You have to be willing to talk to people you don't know! I am a firm believer that if you do something that is outside of your comfort zone with positive intentions then the results of that work generally turn out to be positive as well!
- I ask questions to find out what people need! Asking questions is a great segway to telling them about your product or service!
- I don't give up! Always remember there is a natural law that says for every action there is a reaction. Always remember to follow the Golden Rule, and you will soon get the results you most desire!
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