Why Sales Objections Are Golden?
As sales professionals, we are quite familiar with sales objections. We hear them on a daily basis, and sometimes, several times a day. We can hear them at any part of the sales process: when we open, when we discuss our solution, or when we close the deal.
I want to talk about the hidden value of sales objections, and how useful they really are.
But first, let’s get some clarity about what an objection isn’t. To me, an objection isn’t a pushback.
A pushback occurs when you approach a company for the first time - the thing after 'hello.' You speak with a gatekeeper or someone who has never spoken with you before. Understandably, they often respond with a brush-off, a rebuke, or a stonewalling line, which is interpreted as an objection.
We’ve all heard these pushbacks, ranging from “we don’t need that”, or “we already have someone who does that”, to the all too familiar "just send us an email".
The ability to resolve these sales objections is crucial for a number of reasons:
As we help entrepreneurs and sales consultants, we frequently hear that they don’t want to use the phone for outbound sales because they don’t know how to handle 'objections'. But it’s not objections that they're coming up against - they aren’t even getting that far - they’re still repeatedly rebounding from pushbacks.
To me, objections occur later in the sales process and they certainly can't happen until you are speaking with your target prospect. Objections can't arise until a prospect has some level of understanding of what you do, or the potential benefits of working with you. Objections happen when you are discussing a problem that the prospect has (ideally the same problem that you know you can help solve). Objections are specific - either about your business, team, product or service, or specific about the prospect’s business, team, products or services. Either way, a genuine objection is something you can address.
Ultimately, it is the specificity of genuine objections that makes them golden. Here's why:
1: Specificity of objections can provide invaluable insight into the values and concerns of prospects; it will help you understand what prospects are thinking, what keeps them awake at night, and the direction they would like to go.
2: A prospect sharing an objection is already having a conversation with you; it’s impossible to sell something to anyone if they aren’t speaking with you.
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3: Any objection (genuine or cloaked) voiced by a prospect is an opportunity; ask, clarify and try to understand what they are thinking, reacting to or worried about.
4:Objections help to clarify when a prospect is not your ideal customer; if a solid objection reveals something that you cannot address, then at least you have mutual understanding, they can talk to vendors who are an ideal fit and you can move on to focus on ideal prospects.
5: Each specific objection that you are able to address is an even greater opportunity; reinforce your skills, demonstrate your capabilities and show where you can add value.
6: Honest feedback of any kind is beneficial; objections are very valuable because you are already having an engaged, two-way discussion.
7: Take any opportunity to better understand what your prospects are thinking; ask, reframe and clarify without adding in your own thoughts or making assumptions. Questions starting with “can you?” “how?” or “when?” are useful when reframing questions. Remember to be straightforward with your questions, such as “can you explain what you mean by that?” or “could you help me understand how you see that impacting your team?” or even “how do you plan to complete this project if we don’t…”
Clients feel strongly about their objections, and there is an emotional component attached. So, you must acknowledge and show empathy to defuse any negativity and avoid becoming defensive or aggressive yourself. If the client says, “I am happy with my current provider (X),” you might start with, “X is a good company.”
Your questions should be open and linked to the objection. You don’t want to fall into the “flight” trap (“How good is their service?”) or the “fight” trap (“There are always things that a long-term provider can do better.”), trying to fish for areas of weakness. You might ask, “What specifically do you like about your relationship with X provider?”
These are important steps that shouldn’t be bypassed in favor of positioning your solution. As sales professionals, this is our comfort zone, our bread and butter. We love any chance to talk about our solutions. Going there too quickly risks creating other objections. Instead, take the time to relate, question and listen. This will be the most effective use of your time.
Finally, check to ensure that you get the client’s feedback. Silence doesn’t mean agreement. Don’t force a “yes” by asking a closed-ended question. You might ask: “How comfortable do you feel now that we have discussed X?” or, “What are your thoughts?”
If you don’t know how to resolve objections positively, you will likely lose some deals, weaken the relationship, make the sales cycle longer or leave money on the table.
So, remember to acknowledge and get on the client’s side. Ask open-ended questions to gain more insights. Position your solution, idea or recommendation persuasively. Finally, check to make sure you have resolved the objection. You might ask: “How does that sound?”
Above all, remember that the biggest problem with objections, could be your attitude towards them. If you start from a position of dreading objections, then there's a danger that you'll avoid having conversations. And when you avoid conversations, you're missing the very best opportunities to be of service to the prospects you can genuinely help.