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Overcoming Sales Objections

Colombia's Best • Nov 16, 2021

Overcoming Sales Objections

Rejection, in general, can be extremely off-putting and disappointing for most of us, but there are ways to turn that frown upside down, especially when dealing with a sales objection.

So why do sales objections need to be overcome in the first place? Conquering sales objections is crucial to building a lasting relationship with your potential customer and clarifying their needs.

What are sales objections?

A sales objection is a specific expression by a potential buyer or prospect that a barrier exists between the current situation and what needs to be satisfied before buying a product or service from you.

This action or expression clearly indicates your potential customer’s concerns and shows evidence that you have more work to do in the sales process.

Most Common Sales Objections

A customer’s objection can come in many forms, but it mainly manifests as:

Lack of need

This type of objection implies that buyers don’t perceive the need to solve the problem or see no problem at all and therefore don’t have a genuine need. This means the prospective decision maker simply doesn’t understand or see the value at all in what you’re offering.

Lack of urgency

Buyers don’t see the full impact and value of your solution or end result. When urgency is the issue, the customer’s concern consists of decision-makers that see other priorities that outshine your proposal. If this is the case, this might signal that you haven’t made the value proposition evident enough.

Lack of trust

Your customer’s concern is with your credibility, your sales team, your proposition, or your company.

This means buyers may have a need and want to address it, but they’re not willing to go through with the buying process because they don’t believe you and your team of sales professionals can accomplish what you say you will.

Lack of budget

Price objections are the most common objections sales reps face in the selling process.

This can result from an economic buyer simply not having a sufficient budget and desiring a lower price. Still, most salespeople know that this can be a disguise for a prospect’s concern on another issue.

Overcome Sales Objections

You can overcome objections, and you don’t have to be the most seasoned salesperson to have a successful sale. This is possible if a sales rep does the following during sales conversation:

Exercise active listening

To gain a prospect’s business, you don’t have to have amazing sales skills, but you do have to be a good listener.

While you are in your prospect’s company and they’re telling you what their real concerns are, make sure you are actively listening to them through verbal and body language. For example:

  • Listen to understand, not respond
  • Maintain eye contact with current customers
  • Don’t interrupt

Repeat back what you hear

While listening, your prospect may voice their biggest objection to you. Whether it’s a price objection or a lack of need, it’s important to repeat this and other concerns back to them to make sure you are on the same page with them.

This will create a clear picture in your mind as to what their needs are and make them feel valued and heard, which is very crucial in gaining your prospect’s trust.

Validate your prospect's concerns

Try to think the way your prospect thinks and empathize with them by validating their concerns and point of view.

Getting into your prospect’s mind will help you understand where they’re coming from, promote trust and determine if they are the right person for your proposition.

Ask follow up questions

If you feel your customer is starting to pull away, it’s important to keep the dialogue going by asking questions in a tactful way to keep them talking. Do this by asking open-ended questions that can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Leverage social proof

Marketing professionals know that customers like to see examples or reviews of success people have had when using a specific product or service. So it’s helpful to share stories of other previous customers that had similar reservations and still went on to see success with the product.

If your prospective customer asks for more time to think about things, give them the proper time and space to consider all their options. Then set a specified date and preferably soon time to resume speaking.

If you are involved in virtual selling, do this before the prospect hangs up, so they’ll know there’s a follow-up call on the way and they’re not caught off guard by your call.

If your prospective customer asks for more time to think about things, give them the proper time and space to consider all their options. Then set a specified date and preferably soon time to resume speaking.

If you are involved in virtual selling, do this before the prospect hangs up, so they’ll know there’s a follow-up call on the way and they’re not caught off guard by your call.

A customer who feels they have legitimate reasons to object during a sales call may respond by saying:

YOU CAN SAY:

“I’d love to review the product’s features with you and how it can solve the problem you mentioned.”

YOU CAN SAY:

“I’d love to hear more about what makes your relationship with this vendor a satisfying one.”

YOU CAN SAY:

“I’d love to hear more about what makes your relationship with this vendor a satisfying one.”

Some customers just simply aren’t the right buyer and will have understandable reasons to disqualify your proposal, while others just want nothing to do with you.

The key is to be prepared for customary objections and know how to respond to them. Objection handling is no easy task at first, but if you want to sell more efficiently and satisfy profit margins, overcoming objections is a part of the game.

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