by Keith F. Luscher
Author, Prospect & Flourish
| No one likes to be rejected in any of life’s situations. Rejection is an emotional experience, and we go to great lengths to protect our fragile egos. However, in our business, where we must continuously seek people with whom we can meet on a favorable basis, rejection comes with the territory.
Fear of rejection is a manifestation of our insecurity. Most of us are insecure about something. We all have issues, whether it is about our appearance, how much money we may earn, or just an overall lack of faith in ourselves to accomplish and get what we want. So this begs the question: Do you have a fear of rejection that hinders your prospecting activities? If you are not entirely sure, consider this question: How much are YOU PAYING right now, NOT to prospect? Think about this question right now, and in doing so consider these facts: You are paying not to prospect when you share a commission in exchange for a lead (but you still do all or most of the work yourself). You are paying not to prospect when you work on a lower commission scale for a “feed” of often-unqualified leads (but you still do all or most of the work yourself). You are paying not to prospect when you fail to seek referrals (or more often, fail to seek referrals correctly, because most people simply don’t know how to do it correctly). You are paying not to prospect when you allow a client to fall through the cracks, and before you know it, they have gone somewhere else for service. You are paying not to prospect when you fail to follow up on a new friend or acquaintance correctly and in a timely manner, despite your stated intentions to do so. You are paying not to prospect when you are unable to build rapport with a prospect, simply because your listening and interpersonal communication skills are not properly honed. Consider the points above and you will realize that prospecting involves a range of activities, habits and skills that you summon all day long, as part of doing business. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE PROSPECTING in everything you do and everyone with whom you come in contact. That said, if you are procrastinating on picking up that phone, today, I want you to ask yourself: “What’s the worst that could happen?” Answer these for yourself: If I telephone a person and request an appointment, what’s the worst that could happen? If I approach an individual at a social gathering, and gently start up a conversation, what’s the worst that could happen? If I send someone a letter with a helpful article and then follow up with a phone call, what’s the worst that could happen? These are NOT near-death experiences! So go get it done, and stop paying NOT to prospect, and start profiting from seeking out new people whose lives you can impact in a very positive manner. That’s your mission. Stop avoiding it.
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About the Author
Tripp Braden partners with entrepreneurs and senior executives on their high engagement C-Suite communication and content marketing strategies.
He believes client education is the best way of building trust and long term sustainable growth.
His consulting practice focuses on second stage entrepreneurs, technology organizations, and senior level business executives. Tripp partners with clients to develop high impact C-Suite communication and account based marketing strategies.
If you’re interested in learning more, contact Tripp at tbraden@marketleadership.net or send him an invite on LinkedIn. You can find Tripp’s business growth blog at Market Leadership Journal.
Tripp Braden – who has written 2190 posts on Common Sense Leadership.
