How good are you at being rejected? The ability to handle rejection is one of the most important skills we can master in life. As you pursue your dreams, there will always be those who will tell you that you just aren't good enough. The road to the attainment of our goals is rarely rejection-free. Yet, when doors are slammed in our faces, many of us conclude we must be on the wrong track. It is amazing how willing we are to abandon our heartfelt dreams because someone else doesn't believe in us.

A close look at anyone who has achieved greatness will reveal there was plenty of rejection along the way. Take J.K. Rowling, for example. Every single publisher in Britain, and all but one in the U.S., rejected her first Harry Potter book. Many could offer her lots of reasons why the book would never sell.

Sales scripts are a double edged sword. On one hand, they can help you present your selling points and sales rebuttals in an organized, strategic way. Used incorrectly, however, they can undermine your sales effectiveness and actually cause you to lose sales. Here's a caveat worth considering: Although sales scripts may contain tried and proven tactics for converting sales prospects into customers, a surefire way to drive a wedge between you and your prospective clients is to sound like you're reading a script or regurgitating memorized lines. Bridging the gap between salesperson and sales prospect often requires a conversational, informal delivery that won't come across if you're reciting a script.

You've carefully selected your list. You've labored long and hard over your letter—every word, sentence and paragraph. It's a powerhouse of persuasion with every key element firmly in place, including compelling benefits, powerful testimonials, a superb P.S. and an impossible-to-resist offer.

But all your hard work, your hours of craftsmanship and painstaking attention to every little detail will go for naught, unless your prospect opens the envelope.