“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
 - Winston Churchill

A previous client is going with another agent. A sale falls through. You baked cookies for an empty open house. In the high-stakes world of real estate, rejection is par for the course.

However, successful agents know how to take disappointments in stride without losing motivation. To stay passionate and committed to scaling your business, it’s essential to understand the benefits of rejection and how to DEAL with professional disappointments.

Benefits of Rejection

While initially disheartening, rejection is a valuable learning experience that should lead to personal and professional growth. Here are just a few ways rejection in real estate can benefit agents in the long run:

Boosted confidence. Consistently overcoming rejection helps real estate professionals build confidence. Developing resilience is key to nurturing confidence in your talent as an agent.

Enhanced communication skills. Rejection can motivate real estate pros to analyze and improve their communication strategy. Fine-tuning communication skills helps agents establish rapport with their clients—essential to building a successful business.

Sharpened listening skills. When wise agents face rejection, they listen with the goal of understanding. Active listening helps agents identify areas that need improvement—and ultimately strengthen their business.

Responding to Rejection: Make a DEAL with Yourself

When you lose out on a real estate deal, keep these tips in mind:

• Detach from rejection. Remember these words from The Godfather: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business.” Keep your chin up, and don’t let disappointment throw you off your game.
  
  
• Expect rejection. You’re not alone. In fact, you’re in good company. Every successful real estate agent on Earth has experienced and learned from rejection.
  
  
• Analyze rejection. Try to figure out what went south. Was it something you said? Something they inferred? Or was it due to factors outside of your control? Work to identify the problem and brainstorm solutions for the future.
  
  
• Learn from rejection. Practice makes progress. You learn more from failures than successes. Adjust your strategy and keep reaching for the stars.

Reverse setbacks to propel your business forward. With the proper perspective, agents can transform rejection and rejuvenate their brand.