ALL ABOUT OBJECTIONS
by Jeff McCall
When you're making
a sales pitch, there are three reasons why a client may raise an objection
to going ahead with the deal:
So, what a client is really asking you when they raise an objection is…
"show me how I'll benefit!"
However, first you must be sure that your client actually has an objection. Some objections may not in fact be objections at all. They may be:
An indication of their interest in what you're offering.
A request for further information about your product or service.
The answer "NO!".
A check of your own belief in what you're offering.
Genuine misgivings about what's being said.
You must find the 'real' objection! If you're certain that a client hasn't made a real objection, or that you haven't been given the full information, you can do one of two things: ? Use silence. Just shut up and wait. After a pause your client should open up and tell you more. ? Use the word "and?" then pause to await the response. Be sure never use the word 'but!' in this situation. Either of these should encourage a client to go on and give you more information. Once you've determined that the objection is a real one, you must then decide when and how to deal with it. When to deal with objections There are four ways to handle objections: 1. Never Some objections can safely be ignored. For example, a client may say "All this sounds very complicated!". In response, you may just smile whilst continuing with your presentation. However, you must be careful with this approach. If the client really has a problem with what you're saying, it will stay in the forefront of their mind and you may not get their full attention from that point on. 2. Handle it some time after it's raised You may say something like: "That's a very good point and I'll come back to that in a moment!" You must ensure that the client has 'let go' of the objection at that point, and understands that it will be covered later in your presentation. They must not be allowed to think you're avoiding the issue. 3. Handle it immediately Break from the presentation saying something like: "That's a good point and I'm glad you've raised it!" You must now find out the underlying reason for their objection. The most effective way to do this is by first repeating their objection to them: "You've said that …(repeat objection)… could you expand on that please, so I fully understand what you mean?" This should provide you with some more clues. You can then follow up with something like: "So, if I understand you correctly… " Then rephrase their objection in a more positive way. You can then go on to address their concern. 4. Before it's raised You can incorporate a potential objection within your presentation. For example, you might say something like: "You may be thinking that you could do this yourself, however…" This approach offers a number of benefits: ? You appear well prepared. ? You can handle it in your own time. ? You can handle it using your own terminology. ? You give the impression that you have no concern about it, otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned it. How to deal with objections Outlined below are three strategies for dealing with objections: 1. Isolate the objection from any other problems Your conversation may go something like the following: You: "Is that the only thing stopping you from going ahead?" Client: "Yes" You: "Okay, if I'm able to give you some information that would make you happy about the situation, would you go ahead?" Can you see that the only possible answer to this question is "Yes"? This approach is useful for those clients who want to go back over things you've already discussed. You must explain to them why their objection is irrelevant, or how the incentives or benefits of your product outweigh their objection. 2. Agree with your client from a different perspective You can approach this in the following manner: You: "I understand that your experience tells you that …(repeat the objection)…" You: "My experience tells me that …(give your perspective)…" You: "As we both understand these points, can you suggest a way forward?" This shows that you are not disagreeing with your client. To reinforce this, you must never use the word "But!" between the first two sentences above, as this will be seen by your client as a disagreement. You can then continue using the 'just suppose' method as follows: "Just suppose that you were to go ahead with this, what would make you say yes?" This has the effect of completely disarming the real reason behind your client's objection. 3. "I want to think it over" When you hear this, the client may really being saying "No!" If they don't mean no, you need to know which part of your presentation they're going to think over, so you can focus their mind on taking action. If you have good rapport with your client, you could say: You: "Sometimes when people say they want to think it over, what they really mean is they're not interested. Is that what you mean?" Client: "No, I really do want to think about it" You: "Okay, tell me, what was it in particular that you wanted to think over, was it…?" You then go through each of the factors and benefits you've presented, trying to identify the problem in the client's mind. When you hit the 'right button' they may say something like "Well now you come to mention it…" You can then deal with their real objection. If you're not sure whether you're being 'put off' you could say something like… "Okay, it's a good idea to think things over. I have another appointment I need to get to. Shall I phone you tomorrow evening for your answer?" If you get a positive response you can be sure that the client is going to think about it. However, if the client says "Oh no!" and makes some excuse, at least you know where you stand. Summary ? Remember the 6 P's: "Proper Planning Prevents Particularly Poor Performance" ? Prepare your response for any objections you're likely to encounter. ? An objection is invariably a question in disguise. ? Translate any objection in your own mind into the question that the client is really asking. ? Sell the 'benefits' and let the product sell itself. Jeff McCall, June 99
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