Sales Objection Handling
Sales Objection Handling
Sales objection handling can be a tough job but don’t view it as something negative, more often than not it’s a sign of interest and often it’s a ‘buying signal’ (see https://www.b2bsell.com/buying-signal/ )
This is such a wide topic we’re going to cover it over several blog posts.
How to handle sales objections – Part 1
Be confident, trust yourself.
First, don’t over react when a prospect raises an objection; be confident and trust yourself, this is not a moment to be anything other than ‘sure footed’. A lack of confidence is a negative factor in a decision-making process.
Test whether the objective is genuine by asking questions as to whether it’s valid or not. For example, ask, how often the circumstances of the objection arise, if seldom, then is it a real issue or something just pulled out of mind air.
Perhaps the objection is a symptom of a problem and not the cause. Probing questions will allow you to identify where the real problem lies, which is a huge part of handling the objection properly.
Once the root cause of an issue is spotted, not only will you solve the real problem, but you’ll also build the confidence the potential customer has in you.
Gain Trust Do Not Disagree
Don’t disagree with your prospect outright, or in a terse manner, it’s better to ask; “any particular reason” rather than “why”. Show them that their objection is relevant and is something that you take seriously.
Keep in mind that a buying is an emotional decision, so the more respect you show her or him, the more rapport and trust you will build. If sales are about anything, it’s about integrity.
Also, agreeing with them is a way to minimise the objections.
Maintain Trust Answer the Objection
Answer the objection clearly and succinctly. Never leave your potential customer with more questions than answers. Don’t ‘fudge’ the issue – Fudging the issue may enable you to move on but generally all you’ve done is ‘beaten your prospect into submission’. It’s vital to check you’ve answered the objection satisfactorily by asking the question “Can you see that working?”
Examples of Frequent Objections
“It’s Too Expensive”
Just like ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ price is subjective, that’s why price needs to be seen in the context of value (for more on price versus value see here https://www.b2bsell.com/4-questions-every-company-needs-answer/ )
If price were always the most important factor we’d all be driving around in a Tata Nano (the cheapest car in the world). So rather than handling the ‘price objection’ avoid the price objection by establishing the value or return on investment early. However inevitably price does come up and you need to test what they’re comparing the price too. Ideally if you could say “too expensive compared to what” but that can sound terse or contemptuous. It’s better to say, “may I ask what would are comparing this price too, please?”
“We already work with your competitor”
Whenever this objection arises, don’t get into a ‘beauty contest’ comparing one set of features against another. Ask probing questions; The first question to ask is “How well is that going?”. It could be that the reason your there is because the relationship has broken down. You could also ask “Would you be prepared to jump ship” (in other words change your supplier)
If all else fails come clear and ask, “I am sitting here in front of you, talking about a product supplied by one of our competitors, may I ask why?”
“I am not convinced”
Here, your prospect is asking you to comfort them in their decision process. First ask “any reason?” and if they’re not sure then the best way to convince them is to set an appointment with one of your existing clients, especially if you have one that’s a good salesperson themselves.
In our next blog we’ll cover more sales objection handling techniques, using other typical examples.
See here for another take on sales objection handling https://www.saleshacker.com/10-tips-negotiation-objection/
