Regardless of what you hear some salespeople profess, nobody really likes to hear objections from prospects. 

It's true that in raising objections your prospect is at least maintaining their interest and engagement in the process. You might even say that objections are your prospect's way of telling you they want to do business with you – if you can help them justify their decision. 

So why, then, do we cringe when prospects raise their questions and concerns in the form of objections? Because objections point out a "crack" in the foundation we laid in the sales process. And because we're presented with the possibility of failure. 

If you really think about what causes objections to be voiced by your prospects, you'd realize that you could have avoided many of them with better preparation and presentation. Let's start with preparation. 

Customers often have unspoken questions. The questions often span the range of your prospect's thought process, but in the end the prospect just wants to know, "What's in it for me?" Some examples: 

·         Do I trust and have confidence in my salesperson and the company they represent? 

·         What can the salesperson do for my organization? 

·         What can the salesperson do for me? 

·         Do I really want this product/service? 

·         Is it a good business decision to buy this product/service? 

It’s your job to anticipate and answer any questions you can reasonably predict anyone in your prospect's circumstances might ask. This even extends to areas in which you might think your competition might have an advantage. For this reason it's very important to really know your prospects, your market and your competitors. 

For example, you might be aware that your prices are typically a little higher than your competitors for similar products or services. Preempt that potential objection by selling value instead of products and services. If you establish that you will deliver results and not just a "widget" you can say something like, “We’re not the lowest cost solution and here’s what you get from us that you won’t get from our competition.” 

Once you've prepared yourself to answer most of your prospect's questions before they even ask, it's time to present yourself and your solution in the best light possible. Here are eight tips on how to do that: 

Developing a successful presentation 

1.       Make your prospect's decision easy by making a logical, orderly presentation. 

2.       Present thorough information about your products and services, your competition and your existing customers. List the information in order of importance, leading your prospect through the process to an easy decision.

3.       Document any claims you make to reinforce your credibility (case studies, testimonials, industry studies, credentials, etc.) 

4.       Present the benefits of using your product or service allowing the customer to visualize using them. 

5.       Keep the customer’s attention by keeping the presentation as short as is practicable. 

6.       Involve the customer in the presentation. Allow time for questions – yours and theirs. Remember that people buy for their reasons, not yours.  

7.       Take pride in your presentation – there is no need to be apologetic if you have done the groundwork leading up to the presentation. 

8.       Deliver the presentation professionally, selling yourself, your company and your product or service (solution). This will build trust, value and relationship. 

Even with the best preparation and a great presentation, you may still get some questions or objections from your prospect. How you handle them will determine the direction the sales process will take and how your prospect views you as a potential partner in solving their problem. Follow these guidelines to successfully handle objections. 

·         Listen to the entire objection; pause before responding; remain calm and refrain from becoming defensive. 

·         Answer the objection with a question to be certain you fully understand what’s really behind the objection. 

·         Restate the objection seeking agreement from the customer that you understand (active listening.) 

·         Answer the objection clearly and honestly. Don’t sugar coat your answer. If you don’t know the answer, it’s acceptable to say so as long as you promise to get the answer quickly (and agree on a timeframe.) 

Remember that you need to understand the objection and any unspoken questions or objections that are keeping your prospect from saying "yes." Be proactive in searching out the questions or objections as well as the answers. You'll stand out in your prospect's mind as a true professional – someone they can rely on as a trusted advisor. 

Objection overruled! 

Ó 2006 Patrick A. Hassett. All rights reserved. 

Pat Hassett draws on more than 30 years experience in sales, sales management and sales support roles across several industries. He stands ready to help you increase your sales, your profitability and your customer loyalty through the use of customer-centric sales methods, high level customer service and customer relationship management tools. To learn more about how SalesNow! can help you, go to www.salesnowonline.com or write to infalesNowOnline.com.

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