Responding to Objections

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Responding to Objections
CHAPTER 11
Some questions answered in this chapter are

• How should salespeople sell value and build
  relationships when responding to objections?
• When do buyers object?
• What objections can be expected?
• Which methods are effective when responding to
  objections?
• How do you deal with tough customers?

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The Goal is to Build Relationships and Sell Value

• Proper attitude is shown by
• Answering sincerely
• Refraining from arguing or contradicting
• Welcoming objections
• Salespeople must assume the attitude of helper,
  counselor, and adviser and act accordingly
• Objections present sales opportunities
• Arguing and contradicting wont build
  relationships
• Maintaining a positive attitude toward objections
  goes a long way toward building goodwill

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When do Buyers Raise Objections?

• Setting up an initial appointment
• Most common when products, services, or concepts
  are foreign to the buyer
• The presentation
• Usually show the prospects interest
• Attempting to obtain commitment
• May reveal a poor job up to this point
• After the sale
• Carefully respond to these objections

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Common Objections

• Objections related to needs
• I do not need the product or service
• Ive never done it that way before
• Objections related to the product
• I dont like the product or service features
• I dont understand
• I need more information

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Common Objections (continued)

• Objections related to the source
• I dont like your company
• I dont like you
• Objections related to the price
• I have no money
• The value does not exceed the cost

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Value The Relationship Between Costs and Benefits
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Common Objections (continued)

• Objections related to time
• Im just not interested today
• I need time to think about it
• Other objections
• We have no room for your line
• There is no demand for your product
• Sorry, but I just dont do business with blacks
  or women
• Ive heard complaints from my friends who use
  your product.
• I prefer to do business with Arab-owned firms.
• Its a lot of hassle in paperwork and time to
  switch suppliers.

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Behaviors of Successful Salespeople

• Anticipate objections
• Prepare helpful responses
• Forestall known concerns
• Raise objections beforebuyers have a chanceto
  raise them
• Very important inwritten proposals

Forestall Prevent by doing something ahead of
time.
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Behaviors of Successful Salespeople (continued)

• Relax and listen do not interrupt
• Listen first, then answer the objection
• Do not interrupt with an answer
• Plan to relax as buyers offer objections
• Evaluate objections
• Objections may be classified as unsatisfied needs
  or excuses
• Circumstances can provide clues
• Always tell the truth
• Lying and deception are not a part of a
  successful long-term relationship

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Effective Response Methods

• No perfect method exists for answering all
  objectives completely
• In some instances, spending a lot of time trying
  to convince the prospect may not be wise
• Probing method
• Can be verbal or nonverbal
• Blunders occur when the salesperson
• Does not understand the question
• Answers the wrong question
• Fails to fully answer the objection

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Common Methods for Responding to Objections
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Effective Response Methods

• Direct denial
• The salesperson makes a relatively strong
  statement to indicate the error the prospect has
  made
• Appropriate only when the objection is blatantly
  inaccurate
• Should never be used if the prospect is merely
  stating an opinion
• Indirect denial
• The salesperson denies the objection but attempts
  to soften the response
• The salesperson must recognize the position of
  the customer who makes the objection and then
  continue by introducing substantial evidence

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Effective Response Methods (continued)

• Compensation method
• Buyers may object because the salespersons
  product is less than perfect
• The salesperson should acknowledge the validity
  of the objection and then proceed to show any
  compensating advantages
• Also use when the prospect tries to put off
  closing the sale
• Referral method
• Feel-felt-found method

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Effective Response Methods (continued)

• Revisit method
• Salesperson turns the objection into a reason for
  buying (boomerang method)
• Works with most personality types
• Acknowledge method
• Buyer voices opinions or concerns to vent
  frustration
• Salesperson listens, acknowledges, pauses, then
  moves on
• Should not be used if the objection is factually
  false

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Effective Response Methods (continued)

• Postpone method
• Buyer raises objections the salesperson would
  prefer to answer later in the presentation
• The salesperson should ask permission to answer
  the question at a later time
• Most useful when a price objection occurs early
  in the presentation
• Using the methods
• Salespeople often combine methods
• Sometimes several methods can be used in one
  answer

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Effective Response Methods (continued)

• Objections when selling to a group of buyers
• Seller should rephrase the question and try to
  get a sense of whether other buyers share the
  concern
• Throw the concern back to the group
• Any response should be directed to all buyers,
  not just the one who asked the question
• Make sure that all buyers are satisfied with the
  answer

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The Price Objection

• Use up-to-date information
• Salespeople should ensure they have the most
  current pricing information available to them
• Establish the value
• Establish product value before discussing price
• Try to look at the objection from the customers
  point of view
• Sell value and quality rather than price
• Intangible features
• Use communication tools effectively
• Show customers quality and value

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Dealing With Tough Customers

• Sellers need to maintain a positive attitude,
  even with rude, hard-to-get-along with prospects.
• It may be appropriate to point out the prospects
  rudeness.
• The buyers culture often dictates their response
  to a seller.

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Summary

• Responding to objections is a vital part of a
  salespersons responsibility.
• Successful salespeople carefully prepare
  effective responses to buyers concerns.
• Buyers object for many reasons.
• Effective methods of responding to objections are
  available, and their success has been proved.

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