Handling Objections

Why would a prospect raise an objection? It’s because they are uncertain or have worries unsatisfied! Objections can be real or imagined and it means they have not been sold to effectively.
Poor selling raises objections.
The easiest way to handle an objection is to prevent it in the first place. Most products or services have two or three in built objections, which you should be able to anticipate.
This means that you should identify and pre handle these in the sales process. If you are not the cheapest in the market, identify this and justify it by your unique features, which you will then link to benefits and customer needs.
If your product or service is the only model on the market that meets a specific customer need or pain-point, price will not be an objective. Don’t expect the prospect not raise price as an issue.
Start building value into your product the minute you open your mouth.
Your inability to handle objections is a weakness and customers will find it, therefore you should learn to handle objections effectively.

1. Answer the objection with a question

Are we dealing with the tree or the root? Find the root cause of the objection.
For example, the customer says, “The price of your product is way out!” This could really mean:
I just want a discount – or – I’m not the decision maker.
It’s just more than I thought.
I have to reduce costs – or – We cannot afford that.
I don’t really like the product.
It’s outside my budget.
So ask questions to get yourself back into play:
“Could I ask you why you say that?”
“Why do you think it’s too high?”
“When compared to what?”
“On what basis do you feel that?”

2. Always Acknowledge then Counter it

Never agree with the objection, just agree with how the customer arrived at it:
“I can understand perfectly why you might think that but have you considered …….”
“I would have said exactly the same until I realised that…..”
“Many other clients thought that way at first but………”

3. Never put the customer down

Never put the customer down or appear too smart, remember to empathise with their reasoning but never agree the objection.

4. Massage their ego and then counter

Massage their ego and then counter the objection by a persuasive argument or explanation by using:
Experiences
References
Tests Results
Unique Selling Propositions (USP’s)
USP’s always fall into three areas: Product / Company / You. You should list them and know them, as this will usually beat the competition. Even in a tender situation, you can turn your USP into a need and have it specified.
If you have to talk “product” talk only USPs.