Objection Handling Techniques
Posted by prosperity4u2 on April 27, 2010
Objection Handling
How to Handle Any Objection with Confidence and Ease
Selling is a thinking man’s game.
Selling is a thinking woman’s game.
There are only typically 7-12 common objections that we might get. That is great news. You can choose to improve your objection handling techniques and responses.
The first step is to identify the common objections.
“I need to think about it.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“I need to talk it over with someone.”
“Can you fax or send me some information.”
“I don’t have the time.”
“Your price is too high or I don’t have the money.”
“We already tried it and it didn’t work.”
“I am not interested.”
Hot potato metaphor (Elegantly dance with the prospect, do not argue)
Objection handling is a form of negotiation.
When you don’t respond to objections it communicates a message to your prospect.
We are always communicating.
What you say.
What you don’t say.
What you do.
What you don’t do.
There are many ways to address these objections. Here are several different techniques.
1. Stories
2. Questions
3. Solve the problem
4. Isolate
5. Bring out the objection
6. Script
7. Before it comes up (my favorite)
8. Investigative selling
Stories (“The best story teller wins”)
One of the most powerful was to handle an objection is with a story. The reason why stories are so persuasive is they act as invisible selling.
Stories also suspend time. Identify true stories that address the objection. One way to start off the story is by saying, Mary, …”That reminds me of a story of a client who was in a similar situation. Let me share with you what they did.’
Questions
You can answer an objection with a question. For example:
Objection: The price is too high.
Response: By too high what exactly do you mean?
Response: How much too much is it?
Response: Compared to what?
Objection: I don’t have the time.
Response: When will you have the time?
Response: On a scale of 1-10 how motivated are you to move forward?
Response: What do you mean by that?
Solve the Problem
One way to handle an objection is to solve the problem.
Isolate
Isolating the objection is one of my favorite techniques. I like it because it is very effective and easy to learn. Here is an example:
Objection: I don’t have the money.
Response: I can appreciate that. Other than the money is there anything else that is preventing you from taking action today? (ask a closing question and be silent)
Objection: I don’t have the time.Response: Other than the time is there anything else preventing you from moving forward today?
Bring Out the Objection
This is another very simple, yet very powerful technique. Bring out the objection is the opposite of isolate. Often times the true objection is a ‘non-stated’ objection. Many times the prospect will not reveal the true objection. Each objection that they give you is a stall not an objection. When you use this technique it encourages the prospect to be honest with you. Here is an example:
Objection: I don’t have the money.
Response: I understand. So what you are saying is that you don’t have the money. Is that correct (repeated yes technique, ask a question and be silent)? Let them respond. I am sure that you have some other concerns before moving forward. Do you mind sharing those other concerns with me? Let them respond.
Objection: I need to think about it.
Response: I understand. Other than thinking about it I am sure that you have some other concerns. Do you mind sharing those other concerns with me?
Scripts
You can develop scripted responses to each objection.
*** Before it Comes up
This is one of the most powerful objection handling techniques. You can reverse engineer your sales presentation to anticipate the objections that the prospect might bring up. You then can address the objections in the body of the sales presentation.
It’s easier to cover the main objections during your presentation rather than having to overcome them later!
Invisible Objection
Exercise:
Identify your most challenging objection.
Write down 3 responses to that objection.
Most Challenging Objection: ____________________________________________
Response 1:
Response 2:
Response 3:
Homework: Build a script book with multiple responses to each of the common objections that come up.
More to follow!
Mike
