Many sales conversations are derailed by an out-of-the-blue objection.
You think everything is going smoothly when, all of sudden, your prospect starts listing off reasons why they won’t buy. So you’re stuck deciding between scrambling to find a satisfactory answer or telling the prospect you’ll get back to them later — both of which are far from ideal.
What if instead, you could anticipate prospects’ objections and answer them quickly and confidently. I’d wager you’d have a much smoother sales process if you took the time to anticipate and prepare.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
Start With A Positive Attitude
Part of being prepared is approaching every conversation with a good attitude.
Remember: an objection isn’t an attack on you or your product. Despite how much initial rejection may sting, objections are a good thing! It means the prospect is interested enough to ask questions.
The goal isn’t to sell the product but to help the prospect make the right decision. Their objections are a necessary part of this process.
Know Your Prospect Well
How well do you know your prospect? If you’ve compiled a complete and detailed customer profile, you should be able to guess what questions or comments they may have. You’ll also know their needs and what is most important to them, so you can address their objections in a satisfactory way.
You’ll get better and better at this with experience, but a solid customer profile is a great start.
Take Good Notes
Once you start having sales conversations with customers, take good notes on the objections they raise. Make a list of these comments and questions so you can prepare for the next time you hear them.
And if you really want to wow your prospect, include your answers to these common objections in your initial presentation before it’s ever raised.
Know The Greatest Hits
One way to anticipate issues is to know what people commonly are concerned about, which are:
- Price. Naturally, you should be prepared for people to say the price is too high. Be ready to explain the value and justify the cost.
- Lack of Need. The prospect may feel they don’t need the product at this time.
- Trust. A major purpose of your sales presentation should be aimed at demonstrating to the prospect that you’re trustworthy and the product will function as expected.
Create A Cheat Sheet
Success in sales depends on you knowing your product inside out. It slows down the sales conversation when you have to check and get back to the prospect on something. One way to mitigate this is to create a “cheat sheet” with product information that’s easy to see at a glance.
Remember: It’s A Conversation, Not A Struggle
Keep in mind that you’re not disagreeing with or struggling against the prospect. Sales is a collaborative process where you’re working together to find the best solution to the customer’s needs. You’re presenting a possible solution (your product) and working with the prospect to determine whether it’s the right one for them.
Do you want to learn more about creating a completed and detailed customer profile? Check out my Market Research Mastery System, which teaches you the A to Z of target market research and how to use it to increase your sales.
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