6 Easy Ways For Being Prepared For Handling Customer’s Objections Effectively
Whatsoever may be the objections; these can be handled in many ways. To be a successful salesperson must prepare himself/herself to overcome a prospect’s objections effectively. For handling/overcoming customers’ objections effectively a salesperson should be prepared prior to the objections appearing.
Different types of sales objections arise in selling, to be prepared about handling such objections effectively a salesperson can follow one or more techniques explained below:
Develop a Positive Attitude
In order to overcome/handle objections effectively, a salesperson needs to show a proper and positive attitude to prospects/customers. He/she should be bold but patient to listen to what the customers say. He/she should not keep himself/herself from arguing or contradicting a prospect.
Moreover, he should welcome the prospects’ objections because these objections can guide the seller in the search for solutions. While doing this, he/she will be able to forge a long-term relationship with the customers. Sincerity in dealing with customers symbolizes respect by the salespeople. This respect later builds up confidence in the consumers not only to buy but also to promote the product among other buyers-friends, relatives, etc.
Hence, the real/ valid objections should always be answered seriously, respectfully, sympathetically and with understanding, regardless of how irrational they may appear to the salesperson. This means a seller must develop an attitude of a helper and a counselor, and should always treat the prospects in a friendly manner. He/she should not unnecessarily argue for argument’s sake because arguments raise tempers and lead to friction.
And ultimately, instead of winning, he/she will be losing a lot. He/she should build an opportunity by convincing prospects of the truth. That’s why, Alfred Fuller says, “It is the truth that makes one free, not only in their business but also in their business concept.”
Anticipate Objections
In order to answer the objections, the salespeople should prepare lists of answers to probable objections. These answers are prepared on basis of past experiences, commonly encountered objections by most sellers.
That is why while appointing salespeople, many firms assume that they know the common encountered objections and answers to such objections which they can use before making the sales calls.
Forestall Objections
Forestalling objections, here, refers to doing something before order to prevent the chances of objections. And ‘something’ includes gaining experience and specific training in handling objections effectively.
Those salespeople who have the forestalling capacity can change a prospect’s mind even before a prospect states his/her objections. They succeed in doing so because they know a lot about the product features, the services to be offered, the materials used in the product, methods of use, the way to use safely, the terms of payment, discounts to be allowed, etc.
Hence, they try to tackle the objections by describing the product in comparison with other competing products. They can easily convince the prospects how products are superior to other competing products.
Evaluate Objections
All objections presented by the prospects are not valid. The validity of objections depends upon the virtues of a good prospect-need for the product or service, ability to pay, and willingness to pay. As already explained earlier, the suspect cannot be a prospect, and every prospect cannot be a good prospect. If prospects are not good, the salesperson should not waste his/her time and stop countering invalid objections and should move to other prospects.
Depending upon the prospects’ validity of objections, the salespeople should categorize objections into two groups, real/ valid objections, and excuses. They need to evaluate these two types of objections very carefully so that they can use appropriate methods for overcoming/handling such objections effectively.
Although there is no exact formula to separate valid objections and excuses, the tone of voice or the nature of the reason may suggest that a prospect is raisings objections or not. Examples.
| Tone of Objection | Category of Objection |
| The seller is greedy. | Excuse. |
| The price is out of line. | Excuse. |
| I can beat your price on these items. | Excuse. |
| The price is too high. | Valid objection. |
| The quality is too poor. | Valid objection. |
| This machine has a repairing problem. | Valid objection. |
Time the Answer
The evaluation of objections shows when to answer them. The views relating to the timing of answers to valid objections and excuses differ from one salesperson to another.
There are two arguments relating to valid/ real objections. Some say that these should be answered immediately, but others say that these should be postponed for creating product value. The first groups of salespeople are of the view that if real objections remain unanswered for long, there could be an accumulation of resentment in the prospects’ minds and instead of closing a sale, the possibility could be lost. Similarly, other salespeople say that if objections regarding price occur in the early interview, it is better to postpone answering the objection for getting other accumulated positive objections from the prospects.
However, these two arguments depend upon various factors, such as:
- The salesperson’s skill and intelligence
- Type of objection
- Subject of objections
- Nature of product
- Competitive situation
- Prospect’s understanding capacity, etc.
Regarding excuses, there are again two opinions. Some salespeople say that it is better to ignore answering excuses rather than responding immediately. They think that by ignoring immediate response, they will test whether the prospect has any interest in buying their product or not. So, they wait for the excuse to be repeated. But other sellers believe that there should be no delay in response, because an immediate response may ring about a significant change in future sales.
To clarify this, it would be worthwhile to present what the United States Rubber Company says about such a situation.
According to the Company’s saying the customers want an answer immediately from the very moment when they voice the objection. If the seller passes over the objection and goes on to other points of the sales presentation, it is certain that he/she leaves his/her customers behind, because they would be still thinking of their objections.
Build Countering Skill
From the earlier discussions, it is obvious that a large part of selling depends on the salesperson’s skill in the use of techniques and methods while demonstrating, delivering the sales presentation, overcoming objections, and closing the sale.
A salesperson’s skills can be developed through consistent practice and the use of his/her intelligence while practicing. Only knowing how to do anything is meaningless unless the knowledge is applied in practical sales jobs. That is why many salespeople practice the answers to objections encountered by experienced salespeople. Similarly, some salespeople rehearse until they develop the right tone, the right voice inflection, and the right emphasis to answer any sort of objection. This way, building countering skills in this regard needs a lot of hardwork.
It is better to be prepared and ready earlier rather than being ready after the occurrence of any event. Use the above-mentioned techniques to prepare yourself as for handling objections effectively.