The first thing to learn in regards to overcoming objections is that every customer has them. It’s a rare case when a customer buys with no questions asked. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but it’s rare.
Let’s talk about what objection really means. It’s defined as the act of expressing strong or reasoned opposition. And opposition is the condition of being in conflict. So if your customer is opposed to some part of your product or it’s terms, that means that they are having some internal conflict about their decision and are strongly or reasonably expressing it to you as their consultant in the transaction. It does not necessarily mean that they are getting ready to walk. It means that they see a potential problem and are looking to you to help them solve it. The only reason people walk away from transactions is because they are upset with you or your company’s handling of what they’re concerned about.
The outcome of the transaction is directly related to how you handle what they see as a problem. It’s not because they are “jerks” or because “they just don’t know how things operate.” It’s because they had a concern and it wasn’t addressed adequately by you, the representative of the company and the product. And speaking of jerks, when a customer tells their family and friends not to deal with you because YOU are the jerk, that should alert you to the fact that you weren’t sensitive enough to their concern.
Let me just put it to you bluntly: If you’re in sales to make a lot of money, you’re in the wrong career. Sure you can make a ton of money in this field, but along the way their are some foundational things that you need to do to be effective. People do business with people they like. If you’re not genuine, you’re not going to succeed.
So how do you overcome objections? First of all, expect them. When I first started managing, my mentor said to me, “You should begin every day with the expectation that there will be 3 major fires for you to put out that day. If you do that, you’ll always be ready to overcome them.” I find the same to be true with objections. You should go into every sales process with the expectation that there are going to be 3 major objections. If you do that, you’ll be prepared to handle them.
The easiest way to do that is simply by asking questions. As a coach, one of my favorite methods of coaching is by asking questions. Questions probe and uncover the real issues. There are some great standard questions that people use but I find that by listening you can uncover the real issues that they are concerned about and, just as an everyday conversation with a friend, you’ll come up with genuine questions that are specific to the conversation. You can ask the same 5 questions for every client’s objective but it will sound canned and your prospect will know it. That’s why I find it easier to be honest with them and try to overcome their concerns the way you would convince a friend to go see a certain movie with you or have dinner at a certain restaurant. It really is that simple. Good salespeople are good, passionate conversationalists.
The second thing I would advise you to do is be open to what they’re telling you. If you’ve been selling for any amount of time you know that there are some preposterous objections or reasons why people won’t buy. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be ready to help them overcome those in a genuinely concerned, professional way. In other words, if you think the objection is absurd, you can’t show that in your face, emotions or body language. It will take some practice but you can do it.
Lastly, I would suggest that you subscribe to this blog. Then get yourself a copy of How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. These things will revolutionize your sales career.
Overcoming a perspective client’s objections should not be difficult if you are genuine and really care about the relationship. Beyond that, you’re on your own.
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