We have all heard that objections define your customer’s area of interest. As a salesperson you must be able to understand the difference between a stall and an objection. There are times we need to acknowledge a legitimate objection and change direction. There is one secret you must know about objections that will make you more money than all the other advice combined. Here it is.
Stall vs Objection- Sometimes everything is right but it is just going too fast for the customer. To slow down the process Mrs. Jones will throw up objections. Do not be too quick to answer an objection especially when you know the answer. You are not in the answering objections business. You are in the sales business. You should ignore a stall. If it comes back again it might be a legitimate objection.
Isolate the Objection- Before you start to address the objection isolate it. A question like this can work wonders, “Other than ___ are there any other concerns that you have about ____?” If there are other objections we want them out on the table so we can deal with them. If she answers “no that is my only concern” you can now go on to answer the objection.
Listen- Many times just saying Oh and listening to Mrs. Jones’s objection will help you understand it fully. Before attempting to answer an objection make sure you understand it. Many times it will dissolve during this process.
Repeat it back- to the customer once you have isolated it seeking further clarification from Mrs. Jones. Sometimes your customer will answer it herself. There are times when she will correct you and give you more information. Most often she will agree that you understand her objection. The additional listening and interaction should cause a tighter bond between you and the customer, thereby increasing your chances of closing the sale.
Feel, Felt, Found- Many authors have taken credit for this. Here it is, “Mrs. Jones, I know how you feel, I felt the same way too, and here is what I found out.” Do not say this unless it is true! This is a great technique but maintaining your integrity trumps all techniques. There are many other techniques for handling objections but most of them are a version of this.
Change- If you are getting the same objections from your customer’s consistently you must change your presentation. Something is lacking. It could be that not enough time was taken to bond with the customer. Not enough questions were asked to fully understand their needs. We did not build the solution in a way that the customer took ownership of it. Objections can be a tool to help you adapt your selling process and techniques.
The Secret- Customers buy when they find a salesperson that they like, trust, and respect. The secret is you can make sales without overcoming objections if the customer likes you, trusts you and respects you enough. How do I do that? By being a person who is likeable, worthy of trust, and commands respect. Embracing this truth will lead to a fulfilling career in sales. There will always be objections as long as there are people buying and selling. The brutal truth is when customers like, trust, and respect you enough the objections seem to melt away and the few you do get are more easily handled.
Action Step- The top salespeople view objections as opportunities to solidify their relationship with the customer. There are hundreds of ways to deal with stalls and objections. For more ideas or to share successes go to peteprimeau.com. Also please go to my website and add a comment or question to this article. I answer them all. We have some great articles coming because of your questions!
Wishing You Success,
Pete