How to Handle Sales Objections in 6 Steps

How to Handle Sales Objections in 6 StepsHow to Handle Sales Objections in 6 StepsMany salespeople think of objections as a bad thing, but thats missing the big picture. If a prospect raises an objection, thats not necessarily a negative. At the very least, the prospect is interested enough to engage in conversation with you, instead of politely smiling and saying, No thanks. Actually, the fact that someone is bringing up a concern means that you have a chance to find an answer for them. People who are completely uninterested in buying your product would not waste their time objecting. Or completely uninterested prospects will sit through your presentation in silence (with arms folded) and then send you away. As a salesperson youre probably already aware that the body language of folded arms translates to the door is closed, stay away. The important thing when you hear an objection is to address it right away in a thorough and professional manner. If you dont resolve the specific obj ection, the prospect wont be able to move any further along in the sales process. And, whatever you do, dont take his or her objection personally. There are six easy strategies to help you keep things professional and try to resolve the prospects objection. Listen to the Objection Before Handling It Dont jump all over the prospect as soon as he or she says, But what about...? Give the person a chance to explain the concern exactly. And dont just tune out the prospect. Instead, truly listen activelyto the homilie being delivered. Communications experts say you should listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent of the time. Its also important to validate your listening skills by making a clear, appropriate statement back to the prospect to show that you were listening. For example, if the prospect has said that several of the features were things she did not need, you respond with, Tell me what features and benefits would work better for you. Perhaps we have a different mode l that suits your needs better. Say It Back to the Prospect When youre sure the prospect is done talking, look thoughtful for a moment and then repeat back the gist of what theyve said. Say something like, I see that youre concerned about maintenance costs. Is that the case? This shows that you were listening and affords the prospect the opportunity to agree or clarify. If the prospect responds, Its not so much the cost Im worried about as the downtime, then you can address (hopefully resolve) that issue Explore the Reasoning Sometimes the first objections arent the prospects real concern. For example, many prospects dont want to admit that they dont have enough money to buy your product and will raise a host of other concerns instead. Before you launch into answering an objection, try this strategy ask a few exploratory questions, such as, Has product downtime been a big issue for you? How has it affected you in the past? Draw the prospect out a bit, allowing them the time to broach the money issue. The longer you engage with the prospect, the more comfortable they will become, and the more they will open up to you. Ultimately, you may also be able to offer several solutions, including providing financing, developing a payment plan, explaining the return on investment, or discussing the value Answer the Objection Once you understand the objection completely, you can answer it. A customer who raises an objection is expressing fear. Your biggest task at this point is to alleviate that fear. If you have a specific story, such as an example from an existing customer, by all means, share that. If you have concrete statistics, or a current news story, share them. Hard facts, and something the client can look up online, will make your response more authentic. Check Back With the Prospect Take a moment to confirm that youve answered the prospects objection fully. Usually, this step is as simple as saying, Does that make sense? or Have I answered all o f your concerns? If they answer affirmatively, you can move on to your next step. If they seem to hesitate or act uncertain, this signals that you may not have fully resolved their concerns. If this happens, go back to an earlier step and try again. But, dont be shy about it. Simply say, Lets back up for a moment and see if we can clear up all of your concerns. Redirect the Conversation Bring the prospect back into the flow of the sales process. If youre in the middle of your presentation when the prospect raises their objection, then once youve answeredit, quickly summarize what youd been talking about before you move on. If youve finished your pitch, check if the prospect has any other objections, and then start closing the sale. The good news is, objections are not a sign of rejection. People want to feel good about their purchases, whether business or personal. They want to be sure they made the right decision. Sometimes an objection is really the prospect saying, Tell me wh y your product is so great, so I can feel good about my purchase.