"If you want milk, don't sit in the middle of the pasture and wait for the cow to back up to you."
—— Author Unknown
Sales people are in the “Objections” business.
Today the economy is on everyone’s mind. Even in a robust economy, sales people face objections each and every day. When the economy is perceived as a “downer,” a salesperson is faced with more objections and psychological barriers.
Small businesses have goods or services to sell. To be successful, sales people must learn how to overcome, and even welcome, objections.
In my business, we train our sales people to deal head-on with objections. We also train our sales people to be more than peddlers; we train them to become business consultants.
Overcoming objections transform sales peddlers into sales consultants.
When recruiting sales people, we seek individuals with an insatiable curiosity for learning and an intense drive for developing business expertise. New hires complete extensive training programs and they learn that objections are simply opportunities to educate or advise prospects. We practice overcoming objections and we strive to be more than peddlers. We develop the skills necessary to become strategic business advisors and sales consultants.
Sales is like baseball: There are no shortcuts to rounding the bases, reaching home plate and scoring.
It takes preparation, focus and concentration to be a successful sales consultant. Sales consultants must first earn the respect and trust of their prospects. They are also expected to be a “fountain of knowledge” for potential customers or clients.
Here are a few examples of how sales people, serving as strategic advisors, use objections to educate and influence prospective customers or clients:
- Objection - Economic Concerns
Consultant Response: “I understand you are concerned about the economy. We are also concerned about it. As business people, the questions we need to answer are: (1) what are we going to do about it; and (2) what can we do to make yours a better business in a down economy?”
In our business, we continue by saying something such as, “If you have safety issues, we can help you. If you are concerned about having to let people go, we can help you do it in the right way, etc.”
- Objection – Misperception of Marketed Services or Goods
Consultant Response: “You say that you do not need [for example, in our business] temporary services in a down economy? That’s great, because we are not in the temporary-services business. If I can show you how to increase your revenues and grow your bottom line, would you be interested? Let me explain how we can help your business grow and prosper even in a down economy.”
- Objection – I Have No Time and I Can’t Buy Today
Consultant Response: “I have nothing to sell you today, even if you wanted to buy. I’m also in business to make money, just like you. I value your time as well as mine. All I need to do is ask you a few questions. These questions will determine if I can help you. Does that make sense?”
Since we want the prospect to understand the benefits of answering a few questions, we continue by explaining, “If I can show you something that will give you more time with your family and more time to do the things you enjoy, would you be interested? Good; because not only can I show you ways that will help you find more time to enjoy your family, I can also show you ways to help grow your business.”
The above three sales objections are common and universal. Obviously there are countless others, depending on the nature of the services or goods being sold.
Effective and prepared sales people know the objections they face ahead of time. They avoid the “curve balls” by getting those objections out on the table right from the start. Once objections are acknowledged and defined, a sales consultant can then set the stage for:
Ultimately, people do not commit to or buy from someone they don’t like or trust.
Developing rapport is important because successful sales people must first establish common ground with the prospect. A successful sales consultant has a team-player attitude and works side by side with the prospect to solve their problems and provide real value.
While today's business climate is one of turbulent change, one core principle certainly remains: If someone doesn’t like or trust someone, they won’t buy their service or products. This principle holds true for earning referrals and testimonials as well.
A trusted advisor will always earn more respect and sales than a peddler.