I’ve been in sales, sales leadership, and finally chief revenue officer for almost my whole career. And no one—literally no one—in sales has ever died from the word “no.” But it sure can feel awful when you hear it (and everyone—literally everyone—in sales has heard it). But the word “no” is not a brick wall. You can climb over it, tunnel under it, or walk around it—you just have to know how to handle it.

First, anytime you receive a “no,” analyze, what kind of no is it?

Next, you have a choice. How are you going to react to the no?

Once you analyze your no and adjust your reaction, you can determine your next steps to get to a yes (as long as you don’t give up!).