Objections/Concerns Flashcards
When dealing with objections, your main concerns are to:
Keep the dialogue open so you can learn the truth about your prospect’s situation and whether they’re
open to solving their problem or issue
Stop thinking “objections” and start thinking “concerns” that can be gateways to reopening the
conversation
Respond to your prospect’s concerns by being humble and validating that what they’re saying is true
from their perspective
“We already have a vendor” or “We’re happy with our current vendor.”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “That’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) My intention is not to replace who you’re currently using. I was just calling to see if you’d be open to some different ideas that you may not have now.”
“We don’t have the budget.”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “That’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) A lot of our clients didn’t have a budget set aside for this in the beginning, which is perfectly ok. Would you be open to a some different ideas on how they were able to overcome that?”
“That’s not a problem. A lot of our clients, typically at first, don’t have a budget for this and they’re usually open to looking at some way of building a business case for it to
see if it really matches a problem that can be solved. Would you be open to looking at that?”
“That’s not a problem. A lot of our client’s don’t have the budget for this at first because usually, we approach them not at the budgeting time of the year. I’m calling you now through half the year and I know the budget’s already taken care of but I’m wondering if you’d be open to the idea of looking at a business case that will actually show that what we have to offer can actually solve one of your problems – would you be open to that or not? Not to any way to persuade you to move forward, but just to see if you’d be open to see what’s available.”
“Send me some information and I’ll look it over.”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “That’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) It might make sense if we could quickly make a list of two or three core issues you’re having, then I can match the right information to what you need.”
“That’s not a problem. I’ll be happy to send you information.
What specific information do you need?” They might say, “Well, about your company – what you do.” What you might want to say is, “Well, that’s not a problem. Here’s what I’m thinking – would it make sense, (and ask permission always) would it make sense if we figured out what specific issues you have first so we can figure out what information to send you?
What I don’t want to do is send information that might miss the mark and do you disservice. So, would it make sense if we have a chat first if we’re even a good fit and kind of go from there?”
“We already have a vendor” or “We’re happy with our current vendor.”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “That’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) My intention is not to replace who you’re currently using. I was just calling to see if you’d be open to some different ideas that you may not have now.”
“That’s not a problem. That’s not a problem at all.” The next
answer is, “Would you be open to looking at other options, to see what else is available in the event you might need something in the future.”
“What are you selling…”
“That’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) I truly apologize if how I’ve come across to you or if anything I specifically said may have caused you to feel that I was trying to persuade you to buy what I have. That’s the exact opposite of my intentions. In fact, I don’t really know if I can help you. It depends on your specific situation..
“I want to apologize if I, in any way, came across like a sales person or trying to sell you something. That’s not what we do over here. We help people…” then you plug in the problem you solve. “We help people solve problems with…”
“Our philosophy at our company is not to use any kind of sales pressure or techniques for closing. We don’t like to operate in that sales environment. That’s against company policy to be pushy like that so I’m sorry if I came across that way but I’m just trying to be humble and trying to shake this whole sales approach,”
(Here you’re immediately diffusing any pressure that the person might be placing on you because for some reason he or she views you as having the traditional sales mindset and causing a defensive reaction. When you apologize and express that perhaps you were the one who caused that reaction, the other person views you as genuine, the pressure dissipates and your two-way conversation can begin again.)
“Why should I go with you?”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “I’m not quite convinced you should yet, until we can really make sure we’re a match together. e last thing I’d want to do is put pressure on you by trying to convince you to choose our solution. Would it make sense for us to take a look at the actual issues you want to solve first to see if we are a good fit together?”
An objection is simply a statement or a question that carries one of two messages:
First, potential clients may be telling you the literal truth. For example, the comment “We don’t have the budget” may mean just that—that there’s no way they can consider your solution for some time period because of a
budget freeze.
Second, the objection may not be the truth. Potential clients may offers objections as a way to end the conversation or the relationship without
coming right out and telling you they aren’t interested. Or the objections may be an effort to put you on the defensive so you’ll “sell harder” and try to persuade them to choose your solution. Why? Because that’s what they’re used to, given the traditional sales “game.”
Your mission with the Mindset is always to get to the truth of your potential clients’ situation. With that in mind, you need to be able to “rise above” any objections that come your way. You can do this by simply learning to
view objections as ways that you can better understand the truth of any potential client’s situation.
“Call me back on Friday (or next week, or at some later time).”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “at’s not a problem. (Gentle pause.) John, here’s what I’m thinking. It might make sense, if you’re okay with it, if you and I set up a specific time so we don’t end up playing phone tag. By the way, we’d just be having a q&a session, with no pressure at all.”
“Your price is too high.”
You say (in a calm, relaxed voice): “In many ways you’re right. Our price can be perceived as high, especially if you haven’t had a chance to work with what we have. (Gentle pause.) The last thing I want is for you to feel any pressure from me or that I’m trying to persuade you in any way. Would it make sense to re-look at the issues you want to address to make sure we are a good fit?”
“You’re absolutely right. It can be perceived as high. The last
thing I want to do is say things to you like, ‘Compared to what?’ or ‘What did you have in mind?’ – trying to persuade you otherwise. If it’s OK with you, I’d like to ask in your personal opinion, what is it that actually caused you to perceive what we have is high? In your opinion, what are you not comfortable with? Because I’d rather us come to a conclusion to make you comfortable as opposed to me persuade you on the price.”
An objection is simply a statement or a question that carries one of two messages:
First, potential clients may be telling you the literal truth. For example, the comment “We don’t have the budget” may mean just that—that there’s no way they can consider your solution for some time period because of a
budget freeze.
Second, the objection may not be the truth. Potential clients may offers objections as a way to end the conversation or the relationship without coming right out and telling you they aren’t interested. Or the objections may be an effort to put you on the defensive so you’ll “sell harder” and try to persuade them to choose your solution. Why? Because that’s what they’re used to, given the traditional sales “game.”
Underlying Mindset of All Objection Handling (1)
That’s not a problem [pause]. “I’m not going to try to persuade you otherwise, but I would like to know if you’re open to looking at this from a new perspective.”
Underlying Mindset of All Objection Handling (2)
The Mindset underlies and inspires everything you say here, because you’re not trying to answer the objection. You’re simply accepting it as valid and going beyond it to suggest more conversation about their situation that
may spark a connection between the two of you.
Not Being a Fit is Okay
It’s important to always remind the person throughout the whole process as you’re diagloging, that it’s perfectly OK if both of you are not a fit. You have to always remind them that you’re not going to assume you are a good fit until they’re ready to decide that they want to buy your service. You have to verbally remind them all the time because, if you don’t, you might fall back to pursuing and assuming you have a sale which automatically defaults you back to the old role again. And, it reassures them that they can trust you in their interaction with you that you are not, in any way, push them
forward. So, you always need to remind people that you’re comfortable with whatever the outcome might be as long as you can build some trust along the way.
How to prompt for a close?
Where should we go from here?”
and “Are you comfortable with everything so far?”
