When it comes to questions about how to succeed in sales, there’s one question that’s usually on everyone’s mind. How do I get better at handling objections in sales? That’s the question because, honestly, that generally feels like the most difficult part of sales. It feels like the make or break point, right? Like if you don’t handle an objection correctly, you could lose the sale. This isn’t necessarily the case. Learning a bit about how to deal with objections can help you feel more relaxed about the sales process.
#1 Listen for the Real Pain Point
Often when a potential customer throws out an objection, they’re not being completely honest. They’re not intentionally lying, but they’re probably providing a blanket issue rather than sharing the real reason buying may be a problem. For example, if they say that the price is an issue, what may be the truth is that they have cash flow issues. They could afford the product or service with a payment plan or in two weeks when their cash flow improves. Be committed to listening to your customers and asking questions. Be willing to build relationships and dig deeper with them to help them solve their problems.
#2 Mindset Matters When Handling Objections in Sales
When you’re going into a sales conversation, your mindset is everything. A positive mindset with the goal of building a relationship, versus making a sale, can help you improve how you handle objections. Imagine the difference between feeling like you need to convince someone to buy versus feeling like you’re there to help them and to provide value.
Shifting your mindset to one where you focus on relationship building means that you’re ready to work with them to help them find a solution that meets their needs. This also means that you may be able to create custom solutions and to negotiate a solution together. Now “negotiation” comes with its own biases and implications. People have a love/hate relationship with negotiations. Mindset, mindset, mindset. It’s about providing value and finding a solution that works for everyone.
#3 The Magic Words for Handling Objections in Sales
When I was a Mary Kay sales director we were taught that the first two objections are just fillers and the real objection is third or fourth. If that is true, then you have to know how to get past the first couple of objections. First I help them to see the objection is not a problem. Then I ask them “Is there anything else that could stop you from getting started with this program?” If I am successful at overcoming the objections, then eventually they don’t have a “yes” to this question anymore.
Another powerful question is to ask “If I can show you how you can get beyond that, are you ready to get started today?” Sometimes people just don’t have the guts to tell you they don’t want it. They come up with excuses instead. This helps to weed out the “tire kickers”!
You’ll be in a much better position to handle objections in sales if you have knowledge about both your product and your customer. The better you understand the situation, the easier it is to navigate objections. Learn as much about your customer in advance and obviously know your product or service intimately.
Handling objections in sales are easier when you shift how you think about them and approach them. Ask questions, learn more about what your client needs, and understand the situation. Focus on the relationship and providing value. The rest falls into place naturally.
I recorded a video about closing a sale and overcoming objections!
