In the sales process there are points where a prospect may have reservations about making a purchase. In a sales role, your duty is to create a positive relationship where trust is quickly established and maintained. As the knowledgeable guide bringing your prospect closer to a solution, handling objections must be executed with tact and grace.
Avoid arguing with your prospect
Building a positive relationship with a prospect requires patience and tact. An adversarial relationship is less likely to lead to a sale and the possibility of a repeat purchase is extremely unlikely. Opposing opinions can be changed but your goal should be to encourage them to discover differences for themselves rather than push them into something they don’t want.
Give options not ultimatums
Engage your prospects in a conversation about options for their decision but be careful about putting them in a position of having to say yes or no to your offer. Forcing your prospect into an ultimatum may overlook reservations or issues that have not been addressed. The more a prospect feels in control of their decision the more they can trust you to be their knowledgeable guide for your prospects as they make their way towards their final buying decision.
Respond on an emotional level
Buying is an emotional decision and thus appealing to prospects feelings will create a stronger relationship. Until your prospects know that you recognize their emotionally based concerns they will not be ready to hear your “logical” argument By reducing ultimatums and encouraging more flexibility and emphasizing perception the “feel, felt, found” method of communication can build trust.
Take blame when it doesn't really matter
Some objections result from simple misunderstandings or miscommunications. While you never want to argue with a prospect they will need to be corrected occasionally where misunderstandings can impact your reputation or the potential for a sale. Inaccuracies can be easily corrected and it is easy to accept responsibility for errors in communication.
Recognize the buying signals hidden inside objections
When a prospect has a specific objection it indicates that they are paying attention to what you are saying. In some cases one or two objections can often be buying signals in disguise. If you can isolate these issues the probability of a purchase can increase.
Make sure you are in front of all the decision makers
Your sales pitch has been designed to create excitement and reduce reservation, but if it is not targeted at someone with the authority to buy your resources may be wasted. If you are able to speak to someone in an organization make sure they are someone who controls finances. As anyone relaying your sales pitch internally won’t deliver your message the way you want.