Sales Simplified -"When it Comes to Objections..."

When it comes to objections, most salespeople don't like dealing with them.  With good reason!  It really seems like an objection is directed at us personally.  Like they are objecting to us.  What are we, "Chopped Liver?" "Don't you like me?"  "What did I ever do to you that you wouldn't buy from me?"  All these thoughts that can run through our mind when someone gives us an objection. 

The main idea to keep in mind when we are faced with the objection...  

Quit making this about you! Ok, we do tend to take ourselves serious when it comes to making a sale, or making our living.  When someone tells us they don't want what we have to offer, there is a tendency to take it to heart and live into the future, thinking if they don't buy from us, and buy now, we wont make quota, or the payment on the new car, or will be laughed at when we have to go to the money board at the end of the day. There is a difference in how we go about life or or livelihood, when working from a mentality of lack vs. abundance.

RELAX! Take a deep breath and get a grip..!

Most of the time an objection is nothing more than an opportunity to discover more specifics about what the customer does want; a chance to learn what we may have missed in our discovery in order to present a solution or offer to them. 

In working with a very large client last year, we discovered when a customers objected to our offer, a little discovery on our part, uncovered the customer was not giving us the real reason for not buying our product.  Hard to believe but true.  In fact with this particular product, the customers were not giving us the real reason 63% of the time.  Could you imagine trying to solve a non-real objection.  Impossible.

Four Steps to Uncovering the Real Objections:

1. Listen to what they have to say.  When someone say "no", you might say something like "Tell me more about that."  This is an opportunity to let themChild Listening tell you what's on their mind and for them to hear themselves giving you the reason they are objecting to your offer/solution.

2. Restate and assure your help.  Studies indicate the importance of letting the customer hear exactly what they just said, using their exact words when possible. You are demonstrating that you heard them and they, again, have the opportunity to hear what they said.  Be sure to let them know that you can help them with this objection. You might say something like, "So if I understand you correctly, John, you are not sure that you can..., I am so glad you brought that up, I can help you with that..."

3. Draw out any hidden concerns. Here is a critical and most often overlooked step to gain understanding. You might say something like "Besides the fact that you like the old brewer, is there anything else, anything else at all, that would keep you from moving to the single cup system?  This could be the moment of truth, so listen carefully.  They are about to tell you the real reason, the one you can present a solution to.

4. Isolate the real reason.  Let's assume they told you the real reason, in the previous step, was the cost of the K-cup was thought to be too expensive.  You must isolate that reason and you will end up killing the first reason/objection, never to come up again.  You might say something like "So the main reason you are hesitating is the perceived cost of the K-cup." 

Now, you have created the opportunity to go back into the discovery step and/or create another solution that will fit their needs.

When you become the master at the four steps, in the objection process, you have the opportunity to identify the real reasons customers might be objecting your offers and solutions.  When you discover the real reason, the likelyhood of them accepting your offer/solution has increased.

Objections are not about you.  You do, however, have a chance to educate the customer on the benefits of your products and services by understanding their wants, interests, and needs. 

"The more you focus on your customer's revelation, the more likely you are to meet your needs and goals."

“Go out and create your future, or it will be created for you.” - Rick Leffke