On Episode 61 of The Sew Much More Podcast: 30 Minutes with Workroom Tech, Ceil DiGuglielmo and Susan Woodcock talk about rejection.
Rejection is part of the experience of owning a business and working with customers. Sometimes you get a “yes” and sometimes you get a “no”.
You can listen to this episode on iTunes or here:
In our workroom business we are always looking for approval.
We want customers to choose us over the competition and
...to like our ideas and the quality of our services.
...to say yes, let’s proceed with the project.
...to feel confident in the money spent with our company.
...to be happy with the finished product.
...to give referrals and positive testimonials.
How does that make you feel? It’s pretty awesome!
But sometimes a prospective customer…
...goes to a competitor.
…doesn't like our ideas and questions the quality.
…says no and doesn't want to proceed.
…are not confident in spending the money.
…are unhappy with the finished product.
…complain and leave a bad review.
How does that make you feel?
Discouraged? Angry? Confused? Insecure?
Okay – feel it and accept it. Done. Now…onward and upward!
Rejection is part of life. It’ how we handle rejection that can make a difference in our businesses. You can use the experience to create opportunities to learn and grow.
Sometimes rejection is a blessing in disguise. Have you ever been rejected and later realized that “wow – I am so glad I didn’t get that job”? Rejection could be a good thing. It might free you to take other projects or prevent you from working with a difficult customer.
Rejection is an opportunity to review processes and sales strategy. If someone said “no”, why?
If they said your price was too high, how can you improve your sales materials and pitch to reflect the value of your products and services?
Sometimes we don’t know why someone says “no”. It’s easy to take things personally – our businesses are our babies! But remember, it might not have anything to do with you. Leaning to handle rejection thoughtfully and professionally will give you a feeling of power and control.
Discussion topic:
Do people who are not good at saying no themselves take less risk or miss opportunities because they think they might be rejected? Do you think people who are confident in saying "no" are also more willing to hear a "no"?