N5 Sales Management 2. Techniques to overcome objections


Specific objections require specific techniques to overcome them. The salesperson must know which technique to apply.


• Ask more specific questions: Ask “what” and “why” questions to gain more information to be able to remove the objection and move closer to a close.


• Convert the objection into an advantage: The prospect may say, “The price is too high. I can get it cheaper elsewhere.” If the salesperson knows the advantages of his product, he can use these reasons to prove that his product will last longer, thus it works out cheaper in the long run. It is important to highlight the relationship between value and price. The salesperson could answer, “Yes, that’s true, but we offer a five-year guarantee and our competitors only offers a one-year guarantee.”


• Provide proof:


The salesperson must back up facts with proof for example industry research, customer references, demonstrations etc. (see Module 9, Techniques used to prove claims).


• Agree and qualify (Yes, but... technique): Another way of overcoming objections is the “Yes, but...”. technique. People do not like to be proved wrong. With this technique, the salesperson agrees with the prospect: “You are quite right, I experienced the same thing as you until I started using the product. Then I ...”, and the advantages are provided, which will answer and overcome the objection.


• Provide more information: Objections are very often due to a lack of knowledge on the prospect’s side. If more information is provided or if the most important points that apply in the specific case, are repeated, the explanations can be closed off with a question, for instance: “Do you now understand why?” This will enable one to provide answers or give more information.


• Overcome with agreement: There are times when there is no answer to an objection and the salesperson knows this. Your product may be better in most cases than your competitors, but may not be able to compete with a competitor’s product on a few less important points. By agreeing, it does not mean you agree that the prospect is right. It simply means that you understand his point of view.


• Compare products or services: While the salesperson is explaining the product’s or service’s advantages, the prospect is mentally comparing it with the competitors’ products. If the salesperson is aware of the advantages and disadvantages of every competing product, he can make comparisons by pointing out advantages and disadvantages and overcoming any objections made against his product. Remember to never speak negatively about a competitor.


• Show the prospect what delay could cost: It often happens that the salesperson takes the prospect through all the buying decisions without any problems but when he gets to the closing, the sale is postponed to a later stage. The salesperson must then show the prospect what delay could cost him. For example, today only you’ll get 25% off your purchase.


94


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130