NO O'CLOCK - by Samuel Ibok

Picture this: You're a salesperson about to deliver a 10-minute pitch to the board members and employees of an organization. You're looking sharp, and your slides are well arranged and catchy. Your presentation is strategic, and you can tell that your audience is hooked and impressed. After the presentation, the board members applaud you and commend your eloquence and sales skills. They throw questions at you, and like Mount Zion, you are not moved. You respond swiftly, leaving them in awe. You get home feeling like Cinderella, knowing fully well that the deal is closed. You wake up in the morning to a letter from the company stating that they won't carry on with the deal. This is basically chopping breakfast in bed! However, you get dressed and go to work with your game face on.I've been in sales for 2 years, and I've lost count of the number of no or I'm not interested responses I have received. I even received one before writing this article. I know firsthand that it hurts. It's even worse when the client initially agrees but later changes their mind. Sometimes I'm like,Could this be my village people showing themselves? Did they really follow me from Akwa Ibom to Lagos? The truth is that you will always hear no. This is regardless of how great your sales skills are. In fact, the fact that you're convincing others is a reason someone would tell you. A prospect once told me that he wouldn't buy my product because he didn't like to follow the crowd. In other words, he wouldn't do it because his colleagues did it.For me, rejection is direction. It gives you the opportunity to learn. Be honest with yourself and attempt to evaluate the possible reasons for the rejection. Sometimes clients can say yes to your product but no to you. It could actually be the reverse. They could be turned off by your character, manner of approach, and appearance. I've also learned from experience that NO is not final. Yes, some prospects enjoy the chase. They want to test you. This is why follow-up is pivotal in sales. Be strategic when following up on a client. Find a way to reach them and speak to them in a language they welcome and understand.A thousand no's later, and I am still strong. I'm not shaken, and i de "gidiba." Don't get discouraged, and never stop learning. Also, try involving a senior colleague in deals that initially failed. You may be surprised that the outcome might change.Cheers to more No's!PS: The event in the first paragraph happened to me! Well, I didn't go to work; I took the day off to mourn the NO!

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