rejection is a part of business

​One of the least favorite words we like to hear is “no”. Since we were toddlers, we have heard “no” more than we care to remember. My 3-year old boy hears it from his parents almost daily.
 
Rejection is never fun, even as an adult. This certainly applies to business development. No matter how good you are in what you do, not everyone is going to want to buy from you. That is just the way it goes in business. Yet, many professionals forget that important reminder and would rather avoid business development overall to reduce the chance of being rejected. 

​Here are a few ways to overcome this fear of rejection.

1. Do not take it personally. If someone does not respond to your email or does not hire you for a new matter, try to put it in perspective. Maybe the timing was not right. They might be buried in work or they do not have a current need. Perhaps they have a stronger relationship with someone else. Whatever the reason, it is often not because of you but due to other circumstances. If you can, try to understand what the reason was.
2. Increase your BD activity to lessen the sting. The more opportunities you have in your pipeline, the less reliant you become on just one or two opportunities.
3. Do not give up on that prospect. Just because someone does not get back to you right away or does not hire you for an engagement does not mean their response will be the same in the future. Circumstances can change down the road. Stick with your prospects. Their response could be different down the road.

The top business development professionals realize that bringing in new business is a numbers game. They understand that activity begets results. Lost opportunities do not sting as much because they have several other opportunities that still might come through.
 
Business development takes time, patience, and perseverance. Most importantly, pushing through the non-responders or “no” responses is vital to grow and maintain a successful business.
 
Just because someone says “no” to you right now, usually means “not right now”. It rarely means “never”.
 
Embrace rejection and keep moving forward. Many prospective clients need you right now and others will need you in the future.