| Every sales professional knows that objections | | | | this is simple. By addressing these smoke screens, |
| are simply one of the parts of any sales | | | | you give them credence and weight. Before you |
| presentation. Not all objections, raised by your | | | | know it, you'll be dancing around in circles, rather |
| customer, are negative. A good deal of them, are | | | | than staying on course, with your presentation. By |
| actually questions asking for more information or | | | | giving them the least bit of acknowledgment, you |
| clarification on a certain point, feature or topic | | | | are letting the customer know you heard them, |
| that the sales person brings up. It is vital for the | | | | but at the same time, you are very politely |
| sales pro to acknowledge each raised objection. | | | | dismissing their unreal objection. |
| Whether or not you choose to actually ADDRESS | | | | The third type of objection is the one that the |
| and handle the objection, at the moment it is | | | | customer expresses concerns as to their decision, |
| proffered, depends on timing and also on the kind | | | | at that moment not to make a purchase. This |
| of objection it is. | | | | objection happens right after the sales person |
| When it comes to a question asking for more | | | | closes, and asks for the sale. These objections |
| information or clarification on a certain fact or | | | | are very familiar to all sales people: "It's too much |
| topic, a good rule of thumb is to answer that | | | | money." "I can't afford it." "I want to think about |
| inquiry when it is made. A customer asking this | | | | it." "We need to shop around." (Just to list a few) |
| kind of question is showing interest, and by | | | | There are many ways to go about handling those |
| satisfactorily answering that question, you build | | | | objections, and very good sale responses that the |
| more trust and respect. The only time you might | | | | sale person can give. To list them all would require |
| choose not to immediately respond, would be if | | | | a much longer article. The one important factor |
| the answer to your customer's question is | | | | that runs common to handling all of these |
| covered a bit later in your presentation. If that's | | | | objections is that it is vital for the sales pro to |
| the case, acknowledge the question, and promise | | | | turn an objection into a question. Objections are |
| to address if very shortly, in the presentation. | | | | adversarial in nature. Questions are a lot friendlier |
| Customers, like anyone else, want to know | | | | and open the door for solutions. No sale was ever |
| they've been heard and acknowledged, don't ever | | | | made when the sales person and customer are in |
| forget that point. | | | | a debating/adversarial situation. |
| There is another type of objection which can be | | | | To put it in a generic content, when hearing an |
| considered "pure smoke screen." These are | | | | objection, your classic response should be: "That's |
| objections which the customer will toss out, | | | | a very good point, Mr Customer. In fact, others |
| because they feel the need to have control of | | | | have felt the same way as you. If we could find |
| the situation. They aren't real objections or | | | | a way to address your concern by (ie: fitting this |
| concerns, but rather attempts to throw the | | | | comfortably into your budget), there really would |
| salesperson off track, and you will almost always | | | | be no reason not to move ahead, right?" |
| hear these when you first meet your customer. | | | | By turning an objection into a question, you do |
| A common smoke screen objection is: "We're not | | | | two very important things. You totally take the |
| going to buy anything right now." Another is "We | | | | edge off the objection, thus removing any |
| just want some information, we're not really | | | | adversarial situation, and you also get a |
| looking to buy." These are actually buying signals | | | | commitment from your customer. |
| to the sales person. If they weren't interested in | | | | Objections are and always will be a part of the |
| doing business, then why would they be talking | | | | sales presentation. Rather than worrying about |
| with you? The best way to handle these types of | | | | them, expect them. In fact, welcome them |
| objections is to give them a skimming | | | | because they will actually act as catalysts to help |
| acknowledgment, then completely ignore it, and | | | | you close more sales. |
| continue with your presentation. The reason for | | | | See you at the top. |