Getting Past Sales Objections

It seems that every time I’m on a sales call I get an objection.

Sometimes it’s a concern about the program taking too much time or costing too much. Sometimes they already have taken programs and want to do more with them before moving on or getting more. Maybe they feel that they can’t make the decision at that moment and need to consult with their partner.

Bottom line, it’s almost never “Sure that sounds great, sign me up!”

As a business owner and, by default, a sales person, it’s frustrating.

You know your product or service is amazing. You know that your product or service can help people.

Why don’t prospects simply say yes?

The reality is that nobody says YES to any purchase immediately, including you.

Don’t believe me? Think about this.

You go to the supermarket for groceries.

You are in the produce section. You look around, what looks good? You head to the apples. Do you get the organic or not? What’s the price difference? Which looks better? You decide which type to get and then pick through them to find apples with no blemishes or soft spots.

You see spinach. This should be easy, your entire family enjoys spinach and it’s on sale. Then you wonder, why is it so cheap? Better check the date on the package. Are they trying to move it before it goes bad?

You go to the broccoli and then you remember, last time you bought broccoli it didn’t get used up and it went bad, maybe you won’t get it after all.

Finally you see onions, you grab a few, then stop… you think there may be some left, and you call home and check before you get them.

You move onto the meat department. You see a beautiful roast. It’s on sale, but it’s still quite expensive. Logically you shouldn’t buy it but you really want it. You go for it, even though you know you’re going to have to explain yourself when you get home.

Here’s the deal, every time you buy something a decision is involved.

You decide if the product is right for you and if it solves the problem you have. You need to trust yourself to use the product. You also must trust the business or person providing the product. And most important, you need to believe that the problem you have, or the desire you are seeking to fulfill is worth your time, energy and money.

This is true even for your “impulse buys”.  Retail stores are experts at engaging in a sales conversation with you the entire time you are in a store. They hint, they “warm you up,” they put products right where you are most likely to have a YES conversation.

And what about those things the things that you just grab off the shelf because they are on your “shopping list”? Well, you already engaged in a sales conservation with yourself and decided to buy it even before you went into the store, although I bet you check the quality of the packaging anyway.

How do you, as a business owner, get people to say “YES”?

First of all know that you are going to hear an objection. The objection is simply the prospects way of engaging in a meaningful conversation with you.

It is never your job, as a business owner and sales person to convince someone to buy from you. It is simply your job to be present with them and help them to make a decision.

It is your job to help them see how your product or service can benefit them. To help them understand how what you are offering is different from something that they already have. To help them prepare for a conversation with their partner, so that they can help their partner understand why they bought it or want to buy it.

Give your prospects the same courtesy you want, information and an opportunity to make a decision.

What are you going to do differently in your next sales conversation? Let me know by commenting below.