What are the three underlying factors behind sales objections?
Salespeople face objections that are due to :
1. Skepticism
2. Misunderstanding
3. Stalling
The best way of handling objections is to be a knowledgeable, interested salesperson whose mission is to help the prospect achieve his objectives. Remember that the word “sales” is derived from the Norweigen word “selje” which literally means to serve. So, if you keep it in mind that you are there to serve the prospect you’ll be well on the way to responding appropriately.
Remember to stay positive and respect the prospect’s objections as legitimate concerns. The Agreement Frame mentioned in an earlier post will help you react to objections as legitimate.
I’ll discuss the first group of objections today and the other groups in a later post
Skepticism
If the prospect seems skeptical about your presentation, your product / services or your ability to deliver, it could come from one of the following situations:
Promising too much. If you promise too much or trivialize the uniqueness of the prospect’s situation you run the risk of being unbelievable.
Failing to establish rapport. You must listen and respond effectively. Concentrate on being interested in them and not on trying to be interesting to them. There’s a vast difference. You can get away with all sorts of mistakes if you are interested. Learn to listen and respond effectively.
Not asking the right questions. Know enough about the prospect’s needs to be able to ask probing questions. Asking good questions is just as important as giving good answers.
Not fully answering questions. The prospect’s questions are real; do not think that they are ‘dumb questions’, and do not avoid a question because you think it is trivial. By not answering all questions, the prospect could think you are trying to conceal something.
Becoming defensive. If you appear to be defensive to an objection, you might antagonise the prospect. Always be open-minded, responsive and reply enthusiastically, not defensively.
Not Client-Centered. If you speak in general terms and do not address the specifics of the prospect’s objection, you have not given him the answer he is looking for.
Being hasty. If you rush through your presentation or do not give enough consideration to the prospect’s concerns, you could make the prospect feel uneasy. Never linger on any one point, but do not give any quick answers either.
Avoid these mistakes and you’ll avoid skepticism.
Here is a list of articles you might like to take a look at:
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Sneaky Way Of Overcoming Sales Objections – The easiest way of overcoming sales objections without being pushy or obnoxious.
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Sales training tips for handling cold calling objections, part I – One sales skill which can significantly alleviate the pain of prospecting and dramatically improve your cold calling skills is learning how to handle sales objections effectively. One of my clients directly attributes £1 million pounds …
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10 things to expect from your logo designer – Choosing the right designer is vital. Anyone can design a logo, but not everyone can design the right logo. This article details 10 things to expect from a logo designer, helping you make the right decision. 1. A strong portfolio …
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are salespeople worth the money they get paid? – this is a question that is often asked when i speak to managers looking to recruit. it is often uttered by operational staff and managing directors who resent paying salespeople their relatively high market rates. …
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when the rules of the game change – customers seem to be a little more fickle lately. no wonder given the tumultuous world economy and the tried and true financial models that have not been able to predict anything correctly. add to this the conflicting data they are …
Handling Objections in Sales Copy (Before they Come Up) | The Home … – The better your home business sales copy can address objections, the more effective it will likely be!