The word “no” in sales is quite common but tough to swallow especially when you were confident of your pitch. In selling, “no” or “I’m not interested” or “come later” types of replies has a profound consequence to the salespersons. If it is a month or year ending, and the target is yet away, your desperation increases manifold.
A sales objection implies that you have failed to crack the glass wall between you and your prospect. There were some other necessities of the prospect that your pitch had not included properly.
Still, you have to continue working, pitching, and selling products. When a prospect or buyer says “no” don’t despair or reside on any unethical means. Here are four steps to overcome sales objections and take hold of the interactions to move very close to a genuine sale:
Listen carefully to objections
In most of the situations, salespersons react to an objection immediately and negatively disapproving the issue the prospect has raised. If you make a comment immediately, you risk making assumptions about the objection. Take sufficient time to listen to it till the end and if required ask the prospect to repeat what they said.
Your defensive reaction can be disastrous or ruin your hours or days of efforts. Stop building a negative answer mentally and ignore any anti-emotions growing inside your brain. Right now your focus should be to whatever the prospect is saying. Listen with utmost attention and patient. Then, try to solve the problem or issue that the prospect represents. Let your body language and communication language connect with the prospect’s concern. Make the prospect’s problem your problem and find a suitable solution.
You need to understand the objection from the prospect’s point of view
Prospect’s objections hide in the issues. In most of the situations, they either cannot articulate it properly or don’t want to represent openly. It is often found that what a prospective buyer says is not their true issue, the true issue remains hidden in their objection. Your job is to get to the root of the objection and understand it from every possible angle. You have let the prospect communicate unhindered.
If you start discussing the issues and hidden objections, you come closer to the actual issue. Once explored, take the permission of the prospect to present your view. Once you present your view, the prospect realizes their true issues clearly. In many occasions, the prospect accepts the fact that it is not at all a genuine issue or you have solved the issue. In any case, you have to be prepared for these sorts of objections with no genuine substance. Doing so would help you stay one step ahead over your prospect.
Your response and communication needs to be easy and soft
If you are confident enough that you’ve successfully uncovered the actual objections, address the most obvious one at first. This may be tough to comprehend which objection is the key one but as you experience and practice, your comprehension becomes easy and fast. If you can address the key concern of the prospect, several other objections become trivial to the prospect. You should do your level best to address their issue instantly and straightforward. If you can do so, you become several steps closer to the sale. Don’t expand your views and suggestions too much or discuss matters not related to the buyer’s concern. This might turn off the conversation as a whole and you might lose over a potential lead.
Confirm you have opened the right door
After presenting your views, ensure that the prospect is fully satisfied with your response and solutions. Just because they didn’t place any more objections or nodded frequently doesn’t mean they are fully convinced. Ask the prospect whether they are satisfied with your explanations or want to know more.
Don’t accept “Okay, give me time” or “Yes I understand but calling you later” type of answer. Give the prospect time to think and get ready to buy the product but ensure they are satisfied with your answer.
Conclusion
Never despair even if you are bombarded with objections and tough stance of the prospect. Don’t lose your sight from the goal. Follow the steps discussed here for a successful closure. Objections are normal in sales but you always have the option to take charge of the interaction. A string charge of action would help you close a sale and generate revenue for your business.
