Rejection is part of the entrepreneurial experience. Big or small, startup or established, we are open to having our offers turned down at one time or the other.
When I was starting out my Virtual Assistant business and I became intentional with my activities online, I did a lot of self-promotion. I was starting up on a tight budget and doing Facebook ads. wasn’t in the picture. I reached out to people online and told them what I do and how I thought it could help grow their business.
I got some positive answers. But mostly, I got either subtle or plain clear rejection.
It downed my spirit. I felt I was being rejected. And I took it so personal that I actually reduced my activities online.
It was a grave mistake, and I was later to find out. By the time I resumed growing my platform, I had lost vital grounds.
What am I saying?
You may have had your offer turned down a couple of times, online or offline. You pitch your sales to someone or some individuals and they say NO. You write a sales copy and got not even a single comment. A potential client or an existing one suddenly walks away.
You must learn to separate yourself as a person from your business. Of course, you are your business, and your business is you. But recognize that it’s your offer that is turned down not you. Quit taking it personally, otherwise, it will affect your productivity. The feeling of rejection is not healthy for your business growth.
So, when rejection comes, what do you do?
1. Find out what you did wrong or didn’t do enough.
I learnt that I was wrong ‘marketing myself’ to people who barely knew me. “People don’t care what you know, they want to know that you care.” Focus on adding value first, it will find its way back to you. That changed the game for me. It will for you too, if you practice it.
2. Ask the right questions.
Whenever a client of mine decides to halt our contract, I don’t let it go just like that. I know the value I bring to the table, so, I ask them questions that will help me determine if they are looking to consider other support options or there is something about my services that I need to do better or change. This way, I am either able to learn something vital. Or design a strategy that helps my client to still get the right solutions they need without compromising effectiveness.
3. Keep working on yourself.
You must continue to invest in yourself so you can increase the value you offer your clients. Find better ways to meet your customers’ needs and proffer solutions. Never think you have known enough; attend training, read edifying books, learn from other professionals in your niche and related fields-keep growing.
4. Know what works, improve it. Know what does not work, eliminate it.
It is pure robbery to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. If you want different results from what you’ve been getting, do things differently.
So, stop taking things personal and keep working on becoming a better ‘you’.