Victory becomes, to some degree, a state of mind.
Know ourselves superior to the anxieties, troubles and
worries which obsess us, we are superior to them.
—Basil King
THERE ARE NO SALES WITHOUT OBJECTIONS. OBJECTIONS indicate interest. Objections are signposts that lead you step-by-step toward closing the sale. The fact is, if there are no objections, there is no interest. If there is no interest, there will be no sale.
In reality, successful sales have twice as many objections as unsuccessful sales. The more objections you get, the more likely it is that you are moving toward actually making the sale.
The Law of Six
There is a Law of Six that applies to objections. This law says that there are never more than six objections to any offering. There may be one or two, but there are never more than six.
Even if you hear fifty or one hundred objections in the course of a week or a month, all of these objections can be clustered into a small number of categories.
In working with companies, we sometimes engage in a sentence completion exercise. We ask them to complete this sentence: “We could sell to every qualified prospect we talked to as long as they just didn’t say . . .”
Make a list of every single objection that a qualified prospect could give you to avoid making a buying decision. Write down every question, criticism, or complaint you have heard. Once you have this list, organize it by priority. What are the most common objections? Which ones stand most in the way of your making a sale?
CLUSTER THE OBJECTIONS
Once you have prioritized them, cluster the objections into categories. You may have price objections, quality objections, competitive objections, capability objections, reputation objections, or newness objections. Determine the clusters for your objections and then sort out your objections into each of these clusters. It will never be more than six separate clusters.
Your job now is to develop a bulletproof answer for each of your major objections. Determine exactly what your prospect must be convinced of for this objection to be removed as an obstacle to proceeding with the purchase. Whatever you need to do to eliminate your major objections, begin doing it immediately.
USE A TESTIMONIAL
As you already know, one of the most powerful ways to eliminate objections is to present testimonial letters from satisfied customers who shared that objection at one time. A sweetheart letter answering a customer’s major concern is a potent way to demolish the objection forever.
INTERPRET IT AS A QUESTION
Aside from using testimonials, another way to deal with objections is for you to take the objection and interpret it as a question. Treat it as a request for more information. Recognize that an objection is a natural customer response to any offering where there is some risk of purchasing.
When the prospect says, “It costs too much,” you can respond by saying, “That’s a good question. Why does it seem to cost more than you expected to pay?” You then go on to answer the question that you have posed.
If the prospect says, “We can get it cheaper elsewhere,” you say, “That’s a good question. Why does it appear that our competitors sell a similar product for less?”
GIVE A GOOD REASON
Another way to deal with an objection is to treat it as if the customer is asking you for a reason to eliminate the objection. If the customer says, “I can’t afford it,” you can imagine that the customer is really saying, “Show me how I can justify spending this amount of money.”
When a customer says, “I have to talk it over with someone else,” imagine that what the prospect means is, “Please give me sufficient reason to buy this so that I don’t have to check and get someone else’s opinion.”
MAKE IT EASY TO OBJECT
Above all, make it easy to object. Most customers do not want to get into an argument or a debate with you over your product or service. They will be reluctant to object for fear that you will become upset or adamant. For this reason you must make it easy for the customer to object by responding in a cheerful, friendly, constructive way when he does.
Objections are not to be feared. Rather, they are the stepping-stones on the road to sales success, the rungs on the ladder to high earnings. The very best salespeople are those who have learned to deal with objections in the fastest and most effective way.
COMPLIMENT THE OBJECTION
Compliment each objection when you hear it for the first time. “That’s a good point; I’m glad you mentioned that.” As Abraham Lincoln said, “Everybody likes a compliment.” When you compliment people for bringing up objections or questions about your product or service, you make them feel better about themselves. As a result, they feel more comfortable asking you additional questions. But just like a trial lawyer, who never asks a question he doesn’t already know the answer to, never go into a sales situation without knowing how to answer the main objections you are going to hear.
When you compliment people for bringing up objections or questions about your product or service, you make them feel better about themselves.
LISTEN CAREFULLY
When you get an objection, hear it out completely. Don’t assume that you know what the prospect is going to say. Often the prospect will begin with an objection you’ve heard before, but then will add her own particular concern or problem at the end. Be patient. Practice your listening skills. Pause before replying. Question for clarification: “How do you mean?” Feed it back in your own words to prove to the prospect that you were listening and that you understand her real concern.
OBJECTION VERSUS CONDITION
Determine whether the customer’s response is an objection or a condition. An objection is something that you can answer. It is a problem for which there is a solution. It is an obstacle that can be removed on the way to making the sale.
A condition, however, is a genuine reason for not going ahead. If a company is going into bankruptcy, it cannot buy your product or service. No matter how good it is, bankruptcy creates a condition that makes it impossible to proceed. If a person has no money, this is a condition that renders buying not possible.
But here’s an interesting discovery: when a prospect voices an objection, he often only thinks it is a genuine condition. He believes that because of this obstacle, he cannot buy what you are selling. This is seldom true.
For example, when a prospect says, “I can’t afford it” what does this mean? Does it mean that he can’t afford it at this moment, or that he cannot afford the full price in one payment? That he cannot afford it today, but he can afford it sometime in the future? When a person says, “I can’t afford it,” always respond with “How do you mean, exactly?”
MY MILLION-DOLLAR POLICY
One day an insurance salesman was introduced to me by a mutual friend. He asked me a series of questions and then arranged a follow-up appointment. At this second meeting, he presented me with a proposal for one million dollars in life insurance. I almost fell off my chair!
I told him, “This is far too much. I can’t afford it.”
Ignoring my initial sales resistance, he explained to me that I would be unwise in my position, with a wife and two children, to have less than one million dollars’ worth of insurance. I finally agreed that I needed that amount, but I repeated, “I can’t afford it. I don’t have the three thousand dollars’ premium available. Thank you, but it’s not possible at this time.”
He said, “What if we structured it on a monthly basis and I could get it for you for $250 per month? Would that work out all right for you?” Quite honestly, I was surprised. At that time I had only heard of life insurance costs based on annual premiums. I had no idea that I could pay for it on a monthly basis. What I thought was a genuine condition, a reason for not buying, turned out to be merely an objection for which there was a logical and workable answer. I signed the application form and purchased the insurance immediately.
USE YOUR CREATIVITY
Here is the point. Because your prospects are not aware of all the different ways they can acquire and pay for your product or service, they are often convinced that they “can’t afford it.” It is only when you show them that there are options available that they will turn around and buy what you are selling.
For example, the prospect says, “I can’t afford the monthly payments.” You say, “What if we could spread the payments over three years instead of two, and get them below five hundred dollars a month? Would you be able to handle that?”
When you get an objection, and you’ve heard it out completely, ask the prospect to elaborate in greater detail. This is where “How do you mean?” is very helpful. Be sure you fully understand the thinking behind the objection before you attempt to answer it. If you answer too soon, you may be answering the wrong concern and actually driving the sale away.
BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL
Treat every objection with kindness, courtesy, and respect. Be low-keyed and sensitive. Even if you have heard the objection a thousand times, always respond as though it is a valuable and worthwhile comment on your offering.
You have heard the old saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When you handle their objections with warmth and tact, prospects realize that you genuinely care about how they feel. As a result, they will begin to genuinely care about you and the product or service you represent.
THE FEEL, FELT, FOUND METHOD
An excellent way of dealing with objections is to use the “feel, felt, found” method. This is a professional way of acknowledging the objection as being valid, assuring the prospect that she is not alone in her concern, and then answering the objection in a satisfactory way.
For example, the prospect could say, “It costs too much.” You respond by saying, “Mrs. Prospect, I understand exactly how you feel. Others felt the same way when we first spoke to them. But this is what they found.” Then go on to explain that people with the same concern discovered that even though they paid a little more than they had expected to, they were very happy with their decision because they got so much more in value.
Prospects are inordinately influenced by what other people have done with regard to your product or service. When you assure them that others have felt the same way, gone ahead and purchased your product, and were happy with the results, they relax and begin believing that this product would be good for them as well.
USE IT WITH MANY OBJECTIONS
What if a prospect says, “Everybody offers great service, but then they don’t follow up; I have been left in the lurch too many times”?
“Mr. Prospect, I understand exactly how you feel. Others felt the same way about our follow-up service. It is a major consideration in making a purchase like this. But what our customers have found is that we service and repair this item within two hours, up to three o’clock in the afternoon during any business day. And if it is after three, we will have someone there first thing in the morning.”
Whenever possible, provide proof for your answer in the form of a testimonial letter, a price comparison, or even a magazine or newspaper article attesting to the quality of your product or service.
Be sure to ask, “Does this answer your question?”
Nine Common Objections You Must Answer:
1. UNSPOKEN OBJECTIONS
The first type of objection you will get is an unspoken objection. The customer has concerns with your offering but doesn’t tell you anything. He or she nods and listens to you, but you get no feedback to tell you where you are or how you are doing.
The solution to unspoken objections is to let the prospect talk more. Ask open-ended questions, lean forward, and listen intently to the answers. The more a prospect has an opportunity to answer your questions, the more likely it is that she will tell you exactly what might be holding her back from buying.
2. EXCUSES, EXCUSES
The second form of objections is excuses. These are usually instinctive reactions to any sales approach.
“We’re happy with our existing suppliers.”
“We are really busy right now and don’t have time to think about it. “
“We already have all we need.”
“We are really not interested at the moment.”
These are just excuses. They are not really serious. The best salespeople nod, smile, agree, and then ask a question to take control of the conversation. The very best way to handle any initial sales resistance, including excuses and impulse responses is with these words: “That’s all right. Most people in your situation felt the same way when I first called on them. But now they have become our best customers, and they recommend us to their friends.”
This response immediately shifts the focus of the conversation away from your product and onto other satisfied customers. It almost invariably triggers the response you want: “Oh really? What is it, then?”
3. MALICIOUS OBJECTIONS
Then there are the malicious objections. Because you call on many different people, you will occasionally call on individuals who are unhappy or angry about their current situations. Since they cannot shout at their bosses or spouses, they take it out on the friendly salesperson. These people tend to be negative in their demeanor and behavior. They criticize your product or compare it unfavorably to those of your competitors. They sometimes imply that you charge too much or that your product is not of particularly good quality.
The way to deal with malicious objections is to realize that you are not the target. The person you are talking to has problems of his own that have nothing to do with you. You are just caught in the emotional crossfire between him and other factors in his life. Your job, as a professional, is to remain calm, confident, positive, and polite throughout. Very often this behavior on your part will soften the negativity of the prospect and eventually encourage him to open up to you.
4. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
The fourth most common objection is a request for information. This is the best type of objection for you to hear, because you know how to answer this as well or better than any other part of your presentation.
Whenever a prospect asks for information about the results or benefits she will get from your product or service and how she can get them, you are moving into excellent field position to make a sale.
Use all your objection-handling skills. Welcome the objection. Compliment the person for asking the question. Thank her for bringing it up. And then answer it completely, ending with, “Does that answer your question?”
5. SHOW-OFF OBJECTIONS
Another type of objection is the show-off objection. Sometimes prospects try to show you how much they already know about your product or service. They make sophisticated observations or ask you complex questions about your product, service, or industry.
When this happens, respond by taking the low road. Show how impressed you are by how much the prospect already knows. Dominate the listening and let the prospect dominate the talking. Be conciliatory and polite. Remember, when you make a prospect feel important by listening to him with rapt attention, he is much more likely to warm up and buy from you.
6. SUBJECTIVE OBJECTIONS
The sixth most common type of objections are subjective or personal objections. These objections are aimed at you as a person. Prospects say things such as, “You look like you are doing pretty well in this business.” Or “You seem to be making a lot of money selling this product.”
Whenever a person becomes critical of you, it could be a sign that you are talking too much about yourself. The prospect is attempting to bring you down a little bit by criticizing your appearance or behavior.
When you find yourself talking too much about your company, your product or service, or your personal life, stop and ask a question. Start talking about the customer rather than yourself. Ask questions about what the customer wants and needs. Make the customer the center of attention, and the subjective objections will stop.
7. OBJECTIVE OBJECTIONS
You may also hear the objective or factual objection. These are directed at your product offering and the claims that you make in terms of what it will do for the customer. The prospect may say, “I don’t think that it will do the job that we require.” Or “It looks good, but it’s not satisfactory for our needs.”
If you can answer an objective objection, you can often get the sale. The very best way to do this is to provide testimonials and other proof that make it clear that your product will do what you say it will. Assure the prospect that she will get the benefits that you promise and you have just made it easier for her to buy from you.
8. GENERAL SALES RESISTANCE
The eighth most common form of objection is what we have called general sales resistance. This always occurs at the beginning of a presentation. Until you neutralize this general sales resistance, the customer will be listening to you with a closed mind.
Lower initial sales resistance by using the approach close. Say, “Mr. Prospect, thank you very much for your time. Please relax. I’m not going to try to sell you anything today. All I want to do is ask you some questions and see if there is some way that my company can help you achieve your goals in a cost-effective way. Would that be all right?”
When the prospect relaxes and gives you permission to ask him questions, you immediately begin your preselected open-ended questions to qualify the prospect and find out what he really needs that you can provide for him.
9. LAST-DITCH OBJECTIONS
The final most-common objection is called the last-ditch objection. You have made your presentation, and the prospect clearly sees how she would be better off with your product or service. She knows and understands what you are selling and how much you are asking. She is on the verge of making a buying decision, but she still hesitates.
“How do I know I’m getting my money’s worth?” she might say. Or “Are you sure this is the best deal I can get?”
Listen with respect; then assure the prospect that yours is an excellent product or service, at a good price, and that everyone else who is using it today is very happy with their decision. You have then overcome the last-ditch objection.
Go Straight to a Closing Question
After you answer an objection, you can often move immediately into a closing question:
“By the way, which of these two did you prefer?”
“Would you prefer that we send the billing to your home or to your office address?”
“Would you like delivery this week, or would next week be better?”
Whatever answer she gives you to one of these questions, the sale is made. You then proceed to completing the paperwork and getting her signature.
Sometimes the last-ditch objection is called a smoke-screen objection. Don’t overreact. And don’t take it too seriously. Smile and say, “Lots of people ask that question when they are buying one of these.”
The Remaining-Objections Close
The remaining-objections close is quite effective and easy to use. Let us say that you have made your presentation, and the prospect understands your offering and clearly wants to enjoy the benefits that you have presented. But then he says, “I don’t know if I should get it now or if I should wait awhile.”
To elicit the remaining objections that are holding him back from buying, say, “Mr. Prospect, there seems to be some question in your mind that’s causing you to hesitate about going ahead right now. Do you mind if I ask what it is—is it the price?” Run these two questions together, asking two questions with just one question mark. The prospect now has to give you an answer and either say, “Yes, it’s the price,” or “No, it’s not that.”
Whatever he says, acknowledge his concern and say, “Well, Mr. Prospect, that’s an important consideration. And in addition to that, is there any other reason that might be causing you to hesitate about going ahead right now?”
SEEK OUT THE REAL REASON
In many cases, the prospect is going to be reluctant to tell you the real reason that he is hesitating. He knows that as soon as he gives it to you and you answer it properly, he will be out of objections and have no choice but to buy what you are offering.
For this reason, a prospect will hold back that remaining objection. He won’t want to tell you what it is. He will sometimes give you an unimportant objection, but it is not the real reason that he is hesitating.
No matter how the prospect answers this question, you ask again, “And in addition to that, is there any other reason that would cause you to hesitate from going ahead?” You keep asking until he says, “No, that’s the last reason.” The last reason he gives you in answer to this series of questions is the real or remaining objection: “I’m not sure that we can afford it.” Or “I’m not sure that your product will actually do what you say it will.”
SATISFY THE FINAL OBJECTION
You then say, “Mr. Prospect, that is an important question. If we could answer that to your complete satisfaction, would you be prepared to go ahead with this?” Remain silent and wait for him to answer.
When the prospect finally says, “Yes, if you can answer that for me, I’m ready to make a buying decision,” follow up with this question: “What would it take to satisfy you on that point?” And then again, wait silently for him to give you the “closing condition.”
At this stage of the sale, the prospect will almost invariably say, “Well, if you could just do this or that,” or “If I could just talk to someone else who has been in the same situation, I’d be ready to go ahead.” You now have the closing condition, the key objection, the one factor that you must convince him of to get the sale. You then go ahead and show him that you can answer this objection to his complete satisfaction, and ask for the order.
PRICE OBJECTIONS
Thousands of customers have been interviewed after they have purchased a product or service. During the sales discussion, they asked a lot of questions about the price and terms. But when they were interviewed later and asked, “What was the real reason that you decided to buy this product [or service] rather than that of a competitor?” they seldom mentioned price at all.
What we have found is that customers do not want the lowest price for a product or service unless it is identical to another product or service. What customers want is a fair price, a good price, the best price, a reasonable price, a competitive price, but not the lowest price. Why is this?
What we have found is that customers do not want the lowest price for a product or service unless it is identical to another product or service. What customers want is a fair price, a good price, the best price, a reasonable price, a competitive price, but not the lowest price.
The reason is because every customer has tried to save money by buying a lower-priced item but ended up getting exactly what he paid for. The product or service was cheap, and the customer was disappointed. The merchandise broke down, or the buyer couldn’t get it serviced. In retrospect, he wished he had focused more on higher quality than lower price.
NO ONE WANTS TO OVERPAY
At the same time, no customer wants to leave any money on the table. No one wants to find that she paid more than was necessary, or more than someone else who bought the same product or service. We all want to get the best price, but we know that the lowest price often comes with more problems than we had anticipated.
When you get a last-ditch objection about price, you should look the prospect in the eye and assure her that she is getting a good deal. “Ms. Prospect, this is an excellent price. You are getting a very good deal. When you consider everything that we include in this package, you are going to be very happy with this purchase.”
The Just-Suppose Close
You can also use the just-suppose close. The prospect says, “I’m sorry, I like what you’ve shown me, but we’ve used up our entire budget.”
You answer, “Ms. Prospect, just suppose that that was not a problem. Is there any other reason that would cause you to hesitate about going ahead right now?” When you phrase it this way, the prospect has to say, “No, that’s the only reason,” or “Well, there is another reason.”
Whenever you say, “Well, just suppose that’s not a problem; suppose we could deal with that to your complete satisfaction; just suppose we could demonstrate that to you conclusively,” you can usually uncover the final objection or the closing condition.
“Just suppose we could get the price down by another $100.”
“Just suppose I could get approval for this request and get it out for you by Friday.”
“Just suppose we could deliver this next week and hold off billing you until your next budget period. Would that work for you?”
The Sharp-Angle Close
You use the sharp-angle close to turn an objection into a reason for buying. Sometimes it is called the bear trap close or the porcupine close. It is very effective when the customer has almost run out of objections or buying resistance. The prospect says, “I can’t afford the monthly payments.”
You reply, “If we could spread the payments over an extra year and get them down below $400 per month, would you take it?”
The prospect might say, “Your product won’t perform to my specifications.”
You respond, “If we could demonstrate to you that it will, and give you a guarantee on that, would you take it?”
In other words, use your ability to satisfy the objection as a reason for buying. You close on the objection.
GET THE COMMITMENT FIRST
Inexperienced salespeople often make the mistake of hearing this final objection and then offering to go back to the company to see if they can solve it. The prospect says, “I like what you’ve shown me, but I would need it by the end of next week, and you require six weeks for delivery.”
Instead of saying, “Let me get back to the office and see if we can’t deliver it faster,” say, “If we could get it for you by next week, would you take it?”
With the sharp-angle close, the prospect has to either agree to buy your product if you can answer his final condition, or give you the real reason why he is hesitating about going ahead.
“It costs too much.” You say, “If we can get you pretty much the same thing for less, will you take it?” The prospect has to say, “Well, if I can get pretty much the same thing at a lower price, I’ll take it.”
The Instant-Reverse Close
You can use the instant-reverse close in a variety of situations. It is a fun close to use and very effective. You can use it on your children and with your spouse. You can use it on both clients and prospects. A friend of mine told me that he doubled his income in less than one year when he started using this close after one of my seminars.
When the prospect gives you any objection at all, especially a standard, well-used objection, such as “We can’t afford it,” you answer, “Mrs. Prospect, that’s exactly why you should take it.”
This always grabs the prospect’s attention and forces her to say, “What? What do you mean?”
THINK OF A GOOD ANSWER
This gives you a few seconds to think up a logical answer to this question.
The prospect says, “It’s too expensive.”
You reply, “Ms. Prospect, that’s exactly why you should take it.”
The prospect says, “What do you mean?”
You say, “Ms. Prospect, you want to get this for the lowest possible price, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
“And you want to get the very best quality at the same time, don’t you?”
“Well, yes,” says the prospect.
“And you’re probably going to buy one of these someday anyway, aren’t you?”
“Well, yes, probably someday.”
“Ms. Prospect, that’s exactly why you should take it today at this price, because you’ll never get a better combination of product, quality, and price as right now. Why don’t you take it?”
USE IT EVERYWHERE
One of my clients was with a cable TV company that was selling Pay TV from door to door. The team went out and tripled their sales using this single closing technique. The salesperson would knock on the door and ask, “Are you interested in getting Pay Television?” The prospect would immediately say, “No thanks, I can’t afford it.”
The salesperson would say, “That’s exactly why you should take it, Mr. Prospect, because you can’t afford it.”
The door, which was beginning to close, would open up again, and the prospect would say, “What do you mean?”
The reason he hadn’t purchased cable or a satellite dish was that, up to now, he had been convinced that he couldn’t afford it. The salesperson would say, “Mr. Prospect, may I ask you a question? Are you ever going to have Pay TV, with movies, sports, theater, arts, children’s programs, and so on, in your home for your family?”
The prospect would say, “Well, yes, someday I will.”
“Then that’s exactly why you should take it today, Mr. Prospect. Because of this special promotion, you can get it cheaper today than at any other time. There is no hookup fee, and you won’t have to start paying until the first of next month. The fact that you don’t feel that you can afford it is exactly why you should take it today.” Homeowners signed up by the hundreds.
TRY IT ON THE TELEPHONE
Sometimes you can use the instant-reverse close while phone prospecting. First, you call up and ask a question aimed at the result or benefit of what you are selling. Or you can ask a question about your product or service and what it can do for the prospect. The prospect mechanically responds, “I’m not interested.” You quickly reply by saying, “Mrs. Prospect, I didn’t think you’d be interested. That’s exactly why I’m calling you.”
The prospect says, “What?!”
You say, “Mrs. Prospect, most people using our product were not interested when we first contacted them. The ones who were the least interested turned out to be the most satisfied with what our product does for them. When you say you are not interested, it could mean that this product is exactly what you are looking for. I’d like to get together with you for about ten minutes to show you what we have, and you can decide for yourself. When would be the best time for you?”
Always offer general time periods rather than specific times for an appointment. “Would you be available sometime Tuesday morning around ten, or would Wednesday afternoon be better for you?” It is much easier for a prospect to agree to see you on Tuesday morning or sometime Wednesday if you seem open and flexible.
SEMINAR SELLING
A multimillionaire friend of mine who started in sales began conducting free lectures to introduce people to his three-day, wealth-creation seminar. In his talk, he would point out that no one ever got rich working for someone else and that there were several routes to wealth that a person could follow if he learned and practiced them.
Almost consistently, someone in the audience would stand up and say, “Well, I would like to attend, but I can’t afford it.”
Before learning this instant-reverse close, he would be stumped by this response. But by using the instant-reverse close, he would say, “Sir, that is exactly why you should attend.”
By now, everyone in the audience was interested to hear what he was going to say.
He would then ask, “May I ask, how long have you been working since you left high school?”
The audience member would say, “Ten years” or “Twenty years.”
The speaker would then say, “This seminar costs $495 for two days, and it is unconditionally guaranteed. You’re telling me that you have been out of school and working for ten [or twenty] years, and you still can’t afford $495? That is exactly why you should beg, borrow, or steal to come to this seminar to learn how to improve your financial condition so you never have to stand up and say this in a public audience again.”
IRRESISTIBLE LOGIC
The answer was so logical that it was almost irresistible. Everyone in the audience who was sitting there thinking that they could not afford to attend the seminar suddenly realized that they had been working for years and they were still broke.
If they didn’t take this seminar, which was guaranteed anyway, they might still be broke ten years from now. At the end of his lecture, people lined up to enroll in his seminar.
Remember, in using the instant-reverse close, you don’t have to have a great follow-up answer. The whole purpose of saying, “That’s exactly why you should take it” is to break the prospect’s preoccupation. It is to get him to wake up suddenly and pay close attention to you.
The Change-Places Close
Another great close that you can use when you have not been able to uncover the key objection is called the change-places close. It is especially effective when the prospect will not give you a straight answer.
This is how it works. You have established a friendly relationship, given your presentation, and the prospect still won’t tell you what he is thinking. You say, “Ms. Prospect, let’s change places for just a minute. Put yourself in my situation and imagine you were me. Imagine that you are talking to someone whom you respect. You’ve shown her an excellent product, and yet she won’t make a decision one way or another, and she won’t give you a reason why. What would you do or say if you were in my shoes?”
Very often, the prospect will identify with you and say, “I understand what you’re saying. This is my real concern . . .” She will then divulge the real reason she is hesitating about going ahead with your offer.
OFFER A POSSIBLE OBJECTION
If she still won’t give you the answer, then you say, “We’re really talking about the money, aren’t we?” And then wait silently.
The prospect will have to then say either, “Yes, you’re right,” or “No, it’s something else.”
When the prospect says, “No, it’s not the money,” pause and then ask, “Then may I ask what it is?” Again, remain silent.
Eventually the prospect will say, “Well, this is my concern . . .”
You then respond, “Ms. Prospect, if we could handle this concern to your complete satisfaction, would you be prepared to go ahead right now?”
If the prospect agrees, you have made the sale.
Welcome Objections
Objections are a standard and predictable part of any sales conversation. We’ve all had previous experiences with products and services that were disappointing. We do not want to have those experiences again. Your job is to be patient, polite, and positive, asking good questions and listening intently to the answers. If you are courteous and persistent, eventually the prospect will tell you why he might be hesitating and give you an opportunity to answer his question and close the sale.
Action Exercises:
1. Make a list of every objection that a qualified prospect could give you for not buy what you are selling.
2. Cluster your objections into categories, never more than six, and then develop a powerful, persuasive answer to each one.
3. Use your creativity to find ways to help interested prospects buy your products, in spite of their concerns.
4. Determine the one thing that a prospect must be convinced of to go ahead and buy your product or service; concentrate on finding and proving that he will get this key benefit.
5. Treat every objection as a request for more information, as a need for good reasons to go ahead with the sale.
6. Hear the prospect out completely each time he objects or asks a question; practice all your listening skills.
7. Complete the sentence: “I could sell to everyone I spoke to as long as he didn’t say . . .”
Perpetual pushing and assurance put a difficulty out of countenance, and make a seeming difficulty give way.
—Jeremy Collier