How to Address Sales Objections

Sales objections are simply indications that a consumer isn’t ready nor willing to buy from you for a certain reason. They can come in all shapes and sizes.

However, that doesn’t mean your job is done. There are many ways to deal with sales objections and here are a few examples and some good ways to approach and overcome them.

A lack of necessity or urgency

Sometimes a buyer just doesn’t see the purpose of a product or service. Perhaps they don’t recognise the problem you’re offering to solve or maybe they can’t grasp the full value your product has.

How do you sell to a customer like this? You could:

·         Learn more about this potential customer.

o   You just might discover a way that your product fits into their life

·         Take your time.

o   There’s no need to rush and by gathering more information, you’ll find even more reasons this client might need a product in their life.

·         Talk about the destination and not the journey.

o   Why waste time talking about the process when talking about the result will have more of an impact?

o   This will add more perceived value to your product/service.

·         Use figures.

o   Especially for B2B companies, figures and statistics can go a long way when convincing someone that they need what you have.

They can’t afford it

Probably the most common objection is that consumers just can’t fit your product into their budget. However, this objection could also be a mask for another concern of theirs so it’s important to identify if the client’s reasoning is genuine.

But to handle a customer lacking in funds you can always try:

·         Being flexible.

o   There’s no need to make ultimatums and scare off a potential customer.

o   Try to find out what part of your service they don’t require and maybe you’ll be able to find some wiggle room to cut them a deal.

o   Maybe you could even convince them to pay in instalments instead of one large lump sum.

·         Reminding them of the value your product holds.

o   Convince your customer that what you’re selling is worth the price.

o   Justify why they should rethink their budget for your product.

Product Objection

Sometimes a consumer may object to your product as a whole. They may compare it to a similar product from a competitor of yours or think that yours is just missing something or more complicated than what they’re looking for.

To combat this, remember to use:

·         Anecdotal evidence.

o   Try to fit in testimony given by previous clients to explain how others have used your product and what they found useful about it.

·         Descriptions of your product.

o   Mention the features, unique selling points, and policies.

o   If necessary and possible then you could even demonstrate it for them.

o   Bring up third party research if it helps to support your claim.

They don’t trust you

It’s common for people to be wary of companies and products when there are so many snake oil salesmen out there.

Even if they feel they need what you’re offering, consumers might still be sceptical that you can fulfil your promises. In cases, you should:

·         Be honest and transparent

o   No one is going to trust someone who praises their product to the extent of non-stop hyperbole.

o   While you should still present your product in a good light (and even better than your competitors’) try to stay grounded in your approach to avoid coming off as a “ShamWow” salesman.

 

4 basic steps to overcome an objection

In general, you should always try to stick to the 4 basic steps when dealing with any type of objection.

1.    Listen

o   Don’t just wait for your client to finish talking about their concerns. Do your best to actually listen and take into account what they’re saying.

o   Automatically responding with an answer or even interrupting them will only result in them assuming you’re just following a script and may even give them a reason to trust you less.

2.    Understand

o   Sometimes it can be hard for a customer to explain what their exact worries are. This isn’t an excuse to not listen though. Think about what they’re saying and attempt to summarise it to show that you either understand or perhaps didn’t fully (giving them a chance to correct you, thereby giving you more information to use).

o   As was mentioned earlier, sometimes a customer will use one objection to cover their true objections. By understanding what they’re saying, it’s likely you’ll find out what barrier is truly stopping them from buying from you.

3.    Respond

o   Regardless of your own feelings on the matter, acknowledge what they’re saying. If they don’t feel they are being taken seriously it’s unlikely a sale will be made.

o   If you have permission, it’s ok to make changes to your offer to better fit their needs.

4.    Confirm

o   Go over what you both have discussed and confirm with the client that you’ve both overcome whatever hurdles they had and that they are content with the deal you’ve struck.

o   After all, there’s no point in overcoming their objection if it still doesn’t result in a sale.

 

With these examples and tips, hopefully, you now have a good grasp of how to deal with sales objections.

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Now go out there and put these tips to good use!