What derails many sales conversations is an objection that comes from out of the blue and takes you by surprise.
You have to either scramble to find a satisfactory answer or tell the prospect you’ll get back to them later.
Neither of these responses are ideal.
When you expect the objections a prospect may raise, and can answer them quickly and confidently, you’ll have a much smoother sales process.
The key is to anticipate and prepare.
Start with a Positive Attitude
Part of being prepared is coming to the encounter with the right attitude.
An objection isn’t an attack on you or your product.
In fact an objection is a good thing.
It means the prospect is interested enough in your product to raise objections.
Remember, the goal is not to sell the product but to help the prospect make the right decision.
Their objections are helping this process.
Your prospect is inviting you to join in the conversation they are having in their own mind.
Know the Prospect Well
How well do you know your prospect?
If you’ve made a full customer profile, you’ll be able to guess what questions or comments they may have.
You’ll also know their needs and what is most important to them.
When you know your prospect you can address their objections in a way which is personal.
You’ll learn this better through experience, but start with a solid customer profile.
Take Good Notes on their Objections
Once you start having sales conversations with customers, take good notes on any objections they raise.
Make a list of these comments and questions so you can prepare for the next time you hear them.
You can get ready to answer them, but also include the answer in your presentation to quell the objection before it gets raised.
Preparing for the Greatest Hits
The best way to anticipate objections is to know what people commonly are concerned about.
The most common are:
- Price – Naturally, you should be prepared for people to say the price is too high. Be ready to explain the value and justify the cost.
- Lack of Need – The prospect may feel they don’t need the product at this time.
- Trust – A major purpose of your sales presentation should be aimed at demonstrating to the prospect that you’re trustworthy and the product will function as expected.
Create an Objection Cheat Sheet
Success in sales depends on you knowing your product inside out.
It’s hard to know everything and it slows down the sales conversation when you have to check and get back to the prospect on something.
One way to mitigate this is to create a “cheat sheet” with product information that’s easy to see at a glance.
It’s a Conversation, Not a Struggle
Keep in mind that you’re not disagreeing with or struggling against the prospect.
Sales is a collaborative process where you’re working together to find the best solution to meet the customer’s needs.
You’re presenting a possible solution (your product) and working with the prospect to determine whether it’s the right one for them.
Next time, in the last of this series of articles, I’ll be revealing a sure-fire way to overcome almost all sales objections.
Don’t miss it!
