Rejection is part of life: personally, and professionally, you’re going to experience your fair share of being told ‘no’. In sales, this is especially true, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. However, once you learn to embrace the inevitable rejection that is sure to come your way, you’ll find that picking up the phone and trying again is that much easier.

Don’t see it as make or break.  

If the person on the other end of the phone is adamant about not wanting your product or service, don’t let it ruin your day. Too many salespeople get caught up in one failed call and let that set the tone for every other call that day. It’s difficult, but try your best to brush it off and focus on the prospects that like what you’re offering and will say yes.

Be resilient.  

Knowing when to throw in the towel and knowing when to keep pushing is a useful skill in sales, and one that sets apart the top earners from those at the bottom. If a sale is at the precipice of failing, but could still be a success, resilience will be the deciding factor. While there’s a fine line between getting rejected after pushing too hard and making a sale because you knew you still had a chance, having a positive mindset can make all the difference.

It’s not personal.

Unless there’s a serious clashing of personalities happening over the phone, chances are, the rejection is nothing personal. Don’t beat yourself up over a loss! Maybe the timing was off, they don’t have it in their budget to make a commitment, or they have to say no for a number of other reasons that have nothing to do with you. Move on to the next prospect with confidence and a clean slate.

Think about the long term.

Short-term goals are important and can make the weeks fly by, but setting long-term goals is just, if not more, vital to success in sales, especially after a rejection occurs. Staying focused on the long-term plan can boost your morale and help to elevate stress when the going gets tough. Be sure to continually acknowledge how far you’ve come and how far you have yet to go.

Rejection doesn’t equate to failure. Keep these points in mind when you’re losing steam, and remember, rejection happens to everyone.