Objections—Good...or Bad?
Objections are an essential part of the sales experience. Here are some how-to suggestions to help you work with common sales objections.
You rarely meet a salesperson who jumps up and down with glee when their customer poses an objection. It seems every bone in their body aches as they feel the pain of the objection ringing in their ears. But sales folks rarely give up. Instead, you ready for battle.
However, if you talk to the top one percent of salespeople around the globe about objections, they declare their love for them! They claim the more the merrier, and the earlier the better. Why do they have such a different view?
Objection Perspectives
Let’s look at the concept of objections from different points of view.
Objections allow you to reinforce your messaging. Many objections arise as a result of poor communication or lack of understanding. Always listen, empathize, and question for clarity before attempting to handle any perceived objection you hear.
Best Practices for Handling Objections From Your Client
This is an objection-handling process that works well:
Your client raises an objection.
You listen with the intent to understand, not with the intent of answering.
You empathize with the client, displaying a caring attitude toward what is being said.
You question your client for clarity to make sure you understand the real objection.
You identify the implications involved.
You test to see if what you understand is valid. Do this with a trial close on a path forward to overcome the objection together. If they agree, develop an action plan. If not, apologize and start the process again at the beginning.
Common Objections & Example Responses
How to Get Better at Managing Objections
Bottom line, there are only a handful of objections that you hear from your customers. Have a brainstorming session with other salespeople in your company to come up with a list of objections you hear. Then brainstorm how to address them. Write the answers down. Practice handling these objections with your peers. Once you address your list of objections, you can be confident that you can handle anything your customer throws your way.