‘My product/service/company and I offer such overwhelming value that what we sell is worth two or three times the price we ask, and I’m going to prove it to this buyer so he understands what he’s getting and what a gift it is…at any price’
This is a savvy, high performance sales person’s mindset…
Objection handling in a sales call is the perfect opportunity for a sales rep to showcase how they, and their solution, is better than the competition….yet why do so many sales reps struggle?
Why, when the buyer throws in a simple left field question does the sales reps brain flip into fight or flight?
That sales objection you didn’t see coming, didn’t prepare for and have no way of answering confidently…
Yet, in reality, you did know it was there, you did walk into it, and you should be able to handle that sales objection smoothly and move on…and even better, what if you could deal with it before it even crops up?
But few do.
Many panic because they sense a potential threat.
Maybe ever an attack…
And the sale is put in jeopardy before you know it…so much hard work to get an opportunity to quote, all gone!
Sound familiar?
Handling Sales Objections – Even the Ones You Don’t See Coming!
When I ask sales people how they set about handing sales objections, I hear all sorts of techniques, stacked phrases and explanations. They recite their battle cards, retell the same pitch only louder this time (yes really!) and sometimes, just get so physically deflated it’s tough to see how they can retain credibility with a buyer…
In the main, few sales people are FULLY prepared do deal with a buyer who wants to throw in a question or challenge that’s off the radar
And that’s a shame for the buyer and the sales rep….and your business. It’s costing turnover, self respect, market share, margin and helping your competitors grow!
But the real reason why not overcoming sales objections is such a big thing is that the minute it happens, it immediately flips the mindset of the sales person – they go from exploratory/helping/problem mindset to defensive, protective and inward focusing.
It’s not a win – and it’s a nightmare to recover from, and very few do!
The Friction Free Sales Pitch | The Sales Improvement Workshop
The critical foundation of the Morton Kyle Sales Improvement Workshop is the Friction Free Pitch.
The Friction Free Sales Pitch works, especially with modern and enlightened buyers, because it is human nature to be curious, and the higher that level of curiosity in both the buyer and the sales rep, the easier it is to take an idea on board for consideration without believing it, or threatened by it.
Try it.
Are You Walking a Mile in Your Buyer’s Shoes?
I can take on the idea of running a 100 mile race, although I’d have a really tough time believing it…I can still step into the idea and get wildly curious about the what if’s.
It’s what day dreams are made of surely… well, maybe not running 100 mile races but you get my drift…
So, what is it with sales people, who are happy to dream about mega holidays, flash cars, infinite cash etc, but they can’t step into a prospect’s day dreams / world / ideas and explore without getting defensive?
Maybe it’s about territory or power, or about who is right and who is wrong?
Perhaps it’s about feeling misunderstood?
Or that the communication has not landed as intended?
Or, they don’t want to dig in and do the hard work?
Who knows?
The art and science of being great at sales stems from one fundamental truth – you have to get in the buyers head and take a good look around before you start offering advice, presenting solutions or trying to get any form of commitment to buy!
Just before we go on, I’m not talking specifically here about price objections – you can read here about overcoming price objections.
This is about any form of sales objection.
Any perceived resistance that the buyer displays during the sales process.
Anything the buyer says that indicates the sale is not a push over, or progressing as smoothly as you wish.
But before we look at overcoming objections, let’s look at what causes objections.
Overcoming Sales Objections: Common Causes of Objections
By a mile, the biggest cause of objections is the sales person!
Specifically, those who struggle when it comes to handling sales objections the sales people who:
- Doesn’t listen
- Reacts
- Gets defensive…
- Don’t ask nearly enough questions
- Fail to prepare for the pitch (after all, they’ve done like a million of these haven’t they?)
- Not having a pre-populated / rehearsed sales structure
All of the above being on the super fast highway to a hostile (yet often professional) exchange that leaves both parties scratching their heads….but rarely leading to a closed sale!
From now on, when you hear anything that looks, feels, sounds like a sales objection, in fact, anything the buyer says, or asks, or indicates an interest it is THE BIGGEST SIGN for you to ask a question…and another, and another after that…
The question could be as simple and as generic as:
That’s an interesting point you make, I’ve not heard it put that way before, what is it about X that caused you to ask that question?
Ok, that’s a really valid point, why do you think that’s a consideration here, for you/your business?
You know, I could answer that question in several different ways, so if you can just explain what’s prompted that question it will help me understand and give you the response you need…
There, no defensive action, no streams of waffle, just absolute clarity for and from the buyer…who, in answering these questions will probably answer is own question, and the sale can progress smoothly.
Overcoming Sales Objections: Typical Buyer Objections
Too Much Money/Too Expensive
See overcoming price objections and NEVER put yourself in this position ever again. It’s a rookie fail and so very easily avoided!
Overcoming Sales Objections: Not Now…
So, this means you’ve not created sufficient urgency.
Ok, there are some situations where your solution is simply part of the supply chain, but in the main if you hear ‘not now’ it typically means your prospect is not moved enough to take action (with you).
Often this means that your business case is not strong enough. Check out this article about Creating a Strong Sales Business Case.
You can also take a look at this post that looks at the Sales Relationship Between Value, Risk and Price
Critically, failing to build urgency is often associated with poor questioning or low levels of questioning. Not being able to fully understand the buyers position, their drivers and failure to gain enough traction to demonstrate the value of now versus later.
Call Structure for Handling Sales Objections
Imagine you’ve done all your sales questioning, you’ve got the information, challenged the buyer’s thought process, reconfigured the solution so it’s a perfect match and you’re both clear on the price and the delivery options, and the buyer throws in a curve ball.
Or perhaps you’re half way through all of the above and again, that left field ball hits your head and you didn’t see it coming.
You know if you answer the question on face value, your sales process will either halt, derail, or go in a direction you can’t predict.
What you’d really like to say is…’can we come back to that question later?’
You could say that but I’d urge you to reconsider.
The buyer might be pacified and forget the question. Or it might play on his mind so you won’t have his full concentration or he might be wildly suspicious and wonder what you’re hiding.
None of these act in your favour really if you want to remain professional and credible!
So, here’s what you do, because your buyer will be judging you based on how you set about handling his sales objection, so…
Listen to the question.
Ask a question.
Listen to the answer.
Ask a question.
Agree with the buyer
Like this…
Overcoming Sales Objections, Examples:
Look at these techniques in how to overcome sales techniques:
Buyer: So, how many of our competitors have you worked with?
Let’s imagine you’ve worked with none – which could be a good or bad thing. If the buyer wants industry experience then you’re dust, but if he wants your outside industry experience you’re a winner.
Your question is: You have a dynamic business here, are you thinking of any specific competitors?
Buyer: X, Y, Z I would see as our main competitors.
You question: How important is it that your partner going forward has worked with these competitors?
Buyer Response 1: It isn’t, I’m just interested to know
Your response: That’s fair, we have a policy of working across several key niches but rarely for direct competitors when those competitors have the same key goals and aspirations.
Buyer Response 2: Very, we need to know our partner can hit the ground running
Your response: Hitting the ground running is important, that’s why we draft in our implementation team, research team and account management team. Your solution will be tailored to your business using the best industry practice across many sectors, some of which are using techniques that your sector have yet to pick up on. The last thing you want is waiting for anyone to play catch up. That’s why we make sure you’ll never be in that position, or trailing what your competitors are doing, because that’s not really what you’re looking for here is it? You don’t want to be playing catch up with your competitors?
Your final response: So, we were just about to start exploring abc, is that ok?
Summary of these examples:
See, no lives were lost.
You answered the buyers real sales objection.
He can free his mind to move on. You can rest comfortable knowing that in overcoming objections it means you can move on too
And you know more about the buyers motivations now – speed and insight.
Not a defensive position – just a sharing of mutually beneficial information.
Overcoming Objections: Mindset is Everything
When it comes to handling sales objections, mindset and focus are critical.
If you see a dog bounding towards you and the first instinct you have is to start screaming then it takes time, conscious effort and practice to break that habits.
It’s the same with overcoming objections, or left field buyer questions or simply questions you have no idea how to answer because you don’t know the buyers reason for asking them.
So, be aware you’re in that situation.
Stop.
Breathe.
Think.
Get curious and start asking your questions.
Handling Sales Objections: Summary
Whole books have been devoted to overcoming objections and the best way to handle sales objections at all stages in the sales process,
My perspective? A high performance sales rep goes looking for the sales objection before the buyer throws them at him. A great sales rep knows what’s coming so they know the big sell can’t happen until the objections are aired and repacked. Makes going for an early ‘no’ worthwhile just so the real selling can begin…
Remember this!
An objection or a left field question from the buyer is simply an opportunity for you to learn more about how your buyer thinks, what his motivations are and how you can better serve his needs.
The only thing you need in order to quickly and smartly deal with objections is a calm demeanour and a huge sense of curiosity.
Overcoming sales objections is a mindset, then a skill set.
We spend some time on this exact subject in our Sales Improvement Workshop
If you want help in overcoming sales objections and closing more high quality business – let’s have a chat. Handling sales objection is a mindset and a key foundation of high performance selling.
Objection handling in sales calls, shouldn’t derail your sales results…unless you let it!
The Sales Improvement Workshop
Designed to introduce all the skills needed for high performance selling, and to meet the needs of the modern buyer.
Based on delivering a Friction-Free Sales Pitch using consultative solution selling, buyer engagement, building bespoke buyer value sales solutions and minimising buyer risk, this sales training workshop is a ‘cold to sold’ all encompassing new business sales training course using a hybrid of the most up to date sales techniques and behavioural science….including sales training on how to handle sales objections in a high performance selling situation
Contact Carol on 0779 002 1885 for more details
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