One of your sales reps recently lost an important deal to a rival company. It was a huge blow after months of investment in the prospect, and the rep is having a hard time getting back on track. As a sales manager, you can help reps quickly get back to a winning frame of mind by following the following four recommendations from Steve Martin, author of Heavy Hitter Selling (Sand Hill Publishing, 2004).

1. Urge the rep to commiserate with colleagues. Sharing feelings and venting frustrations will help get the rep back into action faster than repressing pain. The rep will be able to put things in perspective by talking with fellow salespeople who have been in the same situation.

2. Give the rep a break. After a big loss, most people think it’s best to re-double their efforts and bury their depression in more work. But often we’re so tired, depressed and so filled with self-pity that it’s tough to really get back in the swing of things. No matter how hard we try, these negative messages are subconsciously sent to customers. To really recharge a rep who has lost a major deal, give the individual a day off. In Martin’s days as a sales manager he instituted mandatory mental health days, typically on the first business day after the close of a quarter. “Regardless of whether you had a good or bad quarter, you were invited to disappear,” says Martin. “As a result, everyone came back refreshed and ready to get back to a winning frame of mind.”

3. Re-anchor success. After a tough loss it’s hard to remember what it feels like to win, so send your rep to visit some friendlies. Friendlies are customers who have purchased from the rep, like the rep and appreciate what the company has done for them. Visiting these clients will re-anchor the rep’s mind to success while further cultivating the relationship with these customers.

4. Keep things in perspective. A lost deal isn’t nuclear war. Chances are it will affect few people. Martin remembers flying from New York to California after learning he lost a huge deal to the competition. He spent the first half of the flight staring out the window consumed with destructive thoughts. Then he realized there wasn’t a person in all the cities over which he had just flown who cared. That realization helped him gain perspective and get back to a winning frame of mind.