Raise Objections: What You’ll Learn
- Why do people raise objections
- The problem is that I can’t seem to overcome objections.
- The cause of the problem
- There are a few ways to get out of objections, and one is the defusing objection framework.
Need Help Automating Your Sales Prospecting Process?
LeadFuze gives you all the data you need to find ideal leads, including full contact information.
Go through a variety of filters to zero in on the leads you want to reach. This is crazy specific, but you could find all the people that match the following:
- A company in the Financial Services or Banking industry
- Who have more than 10 employees
- That spend money on Adwords
- Who use Hubspot
- Who currently have job openings for marketing help
- With the role of HR Manager
- That has only been in this role for less than 1 year
People who Raise Objections Are Real: What to Avoid
When you feel like your prospects always raise objections to what you’re saying, then this is the right place for you.
A few months ago, when I was in the mall, a kiosk worker locked eyes with me and asked if they could ask me something. They said this: You have beautiful brown eyes. May I ask you a question?
If you’ve ever been in this situation where they raise objection everywhere, it probably made you uncomfortable. You might have looked away or left the store. But I didn’t do that.
I say yes to the uncomfortable conversations. I want people who are willing to have difficult discussions, but they also need to be able to answer any objections.
The first question I was asked at the mall kiosk had nothing to do with why they were hiring but instead focused on my ethnicity.
“What is your hygiene routine?”
I was a little taken aback by that, but I answered the question. My wife and I have been married for 20 years now.
It depends on the day, but it’s usually once or twice a day.
Do you wash your face?
Yes.
What’s your skincare routine?
Soap.
And then the pitch.
I was just telling someone that this cream cleanses grime impurities without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
When she tried to apply the product on my hand, I said No thanks and that was when her she first raise objections.
Why? Let me show you.
“No thank you,” she said. “I use soap for that and I’m good.”
She used this objection to her advantage.
“I know it sounds counterintuitive, but soap also strips the skin of its natural oils. This means that water is more quickly removed from the surface and makes your skin dry.”
I said no because I was not interested.
And then she used a different rebuttal to get them interested in the product again.
“Why aren’t you interested in this?” the saleswoman asked. “It’s perfect for your dry skin.”
I dont want it.
Why not?
I argued back, I dont have the budget for that.
The woman said, “You know it’s hard to put a price on healthy skin. Why don’t you ask me some questions so I can see if we’re the right fit.”
I pretended I had to take a call and left the interview.
After listening to this situation, what made it really awkward? What’d you notice about the employee and her boss?
When a prospect raises an objection, we usually have a rebuttal script to try and overcome that problem.
“If a prospect says, ‘We already have a vendor,’ you might respond with something like the following: “Well how do we know there isn’t someone better out there?” You can feel pressure when they say this.”
Another phrase that I’ve seen when Googling this is something like, Companies who use our product find it much easier to do their job since they have A, B and C.
When you use statements like these, prospects know that your interests are more important than theirs.
I want to teach you how to get out of a bad situation.
Sometimes, prospects will have objections that you’ll need to answer. A good way to do this is with a pre-call script or sales pitch.
So, for this article I want to cover three things: the mindset you should have when hearing an objection, some phrases that will help get your point across better than just saying “no,” and finally a pitch at the end.
But because this is a one-way webinar, you will not be able to raise any objections.
How to Handle the Situation when Prospects Raise
Mindset is a key element. We need to approach our customers with the right attitude so we can be successful.
So first things first. When you hear an objection, the best response is to detach yourself from it. What do I mean by that? There are many other sales opportunities out there and if this one falls through, then so be it.
It’d be great if they said yes. Its also okay, though, if you don’t.
When you come at this with the prospect’s best interest in mind, even if that doesn’t involve you, and don’t assume what they need is always your product or service every time to make a sale, the customer can feel it on their side.
When you come in with the right intent, it transfers to your work. To detach from what might happen.
Instead of trying to think about objections is something you have to overcome, I want you to think about them instead as a way for people in the interview process to get more information.
When you show people that they are understood, even if it means working with someone else or not, then their guards go down and they will open up to a conversation.
Validating the Prospects when they Raise Objections
To make prospects feel understood, they have to know that you are listening and validating what they say.
So instead of trying to get past the problem, were going to validate it. This means that we have to accept what they’re saying and show our acceptance by validating them or acknowledging their point.
Let me give you an example of this because it’s a difficult skill for most people to understand.
Chris Voss, a successful negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference has many principles that Ill share with you today.
He was a hostage negotiator and used some of these tactics when negotiating for people’s lives. I applied this experience to how to diffuse objections.
Lets talk about one that is not so popular, but has created a lot of discussion.
Let’s say you are at dinner with someone who is a pro-border wall. They believe that the border needs to be more secure, while your opinion may differ.
Most of the time when I’m out to dinner and hear this, it’s usually because people are trying their best to convince someone else that they’re right. They rarely change their mind.
Ask and repackage
So, for validating someone’s opinion or idea, how do we validate? Here are some phrases you can use to show that you think they have a good point without agreeing or disagreeing with them.
Rather than disagreeing with someone, ask them to explain what they mean. Ask the person who said I’m for having a border wall why it is important.
When you say, “I hear what you’re saying,” people are going to feel less threatened because it’s not a power struggle. You really want them to understand your perspective.
If you want to understand someone better, try not agreeing or disagreeing with their opinion. Just listen and validate the person’s feelings.
They might start to tell you all of the reasons they want a border wall, and when they stop talking just wait for them to continue. After listening, say something like It sounds like you want this because of illegal immigrants, human trafficking, or smuggling
Here’s what we do: We take the words they say and then repeat them back to them. And when you do that, something magical happens.
When people feel really understood, they are more likely to be open-minded about what you have to say.
This is a really good skill. Try practicing this for a while, whenever someone says something that you disagree with. Ask them to better explain it and then say back what they said in your own words.
Mirroring
So if you are a mattress salesperson, lets say someone comes in and lays on the bed but says they don’t like it because it is too firm. Rather than defending your product by getting into details about price or financing, just ask them what they would prefer.
Chris Voss has another interesting technique. He’s called mirroring and this is what I’m doing here, repeating the last three words with a slightly higher tone to get people to give me more information.
When people are talking to you, the best thing is for them to feel like they’re being heard. This way, when it’s your turn to speak up and give an opinion of your own, they’ll be more open-minded.
So, I like the mattress but it needs to be softer.
“It’s too firm?” And you’ll notice they just keep talking.
You could also try this with people.
After they’ve finished talking, you should repeat the last three words. But be careful not to interrupt them. Then we will repackage it.
If you just do this and get used to it, then after a while you’ll start getting better at it.
The Framework
Here are some examples of what we do next when there are those who raise objections. This is when an objection will typically come up during a sales call.
When we’re calling people from an outbound perspective, they are likely to be using something when we call. If someone is actively shopping for a product or service and calls us back, then they would say that too.
Let me share some language with you, but I want to make it clear that this is not a suggestion for you to memorize my words exactly. But get the intent behind what I’m saying and then make your own phrases by using words that feel comfortable.
So typical objection. “Hey, we’re already using a vendor. We’re using this, we’re using that.” Rather than trying to overcome it I’m going to lean into it and detach myself from the situation in order to understand what’s really happening.
Step 1: Shh
The first step of the framework is to create a plan. This can be done in an office, home, or anywhere you want.
Wait a few seconds before you start talking.
This is a skill you can practice outside of the office. Just give people a couple of seconds to process what you’ve said, and try not to interrupt them.
But when people say they are already using a vendor, it sounds like silence.
Step 2: Diffuse
Step number two is to repeat these statements that will help you slow down and not get into the tug-of-war mode.
So let me give you a couple of examples. These are just some ideas, and you can make them your own.
I already have a vendor.
That’s okay.
You can immediately change the tone of a conversation by doing this one thing. When people are expecting you to get defensive, just keep your cool.
That’s not a problem.
Or
Got it.
Or
“That makes sense. I’d imagine a company with an inside sales team the size of yours already has a full-time trainer.”
If someone said they’re already working with a sales trainer, I would say that it sounds like their training is going well.
So, try to commit these diffusers to memory. It will just slow you down a little bit during the sales process.
Step 3: Encourage
Step three. Were going to motivate the person we just interviewed and ask more about their objection.
John noticed that you’ve been selling for 16 years and know what it takes to be successful. I saw how well you did with your previous companies, so I wanted to ask if there are any tips on being a great sales trainer? What would make someone an excellent salesman in training?
I’m trying to understand what you are saying, but I am also using a couple of other techniques here.
One of the things that we learned from this webinar is a technique called positive stroking. It’s not something I want to get into in detail right now, and it may seem like an odd topic for a salesperson, but I’m using it.
I’m not trying to manipulate you with this language, I’ll be crushing it. The truth is that when I see a prospect who has been successful in the past and then asks for their perspective on things, I take notice.
I’m curious about your opinion on this. What do you think?
When we ask for people’s opinions, it’s because we want to know what they have to say. We’re not pretending or feigning interest.
The best way to show that you’re interested in what they are saying is by nodding your head and not interrupting them. If you do this, then there’s a better chance of success.
When someone feels like you care about what they’re saying and that it’s safe to talk, then they will be more open with their own thoughts.
Howard Stern is famous for interviewing people on his show. The longer he interviews them the more they open up to him.
So if we’re asking questions to understand what they mean, then that’s the same as doing something. We want people who like sales trainers.
I might ask for more information if they’re talking about something I want to learn a little bit more with. If someone is saying something and it seems like there may be some follow-up questions, I will try asking them.
Step 4: Repackage
This is the final step. I say what they said but in my own words a little bit.
I’m trying to put myself in their shoes.
Hey, John, apparently the best sales trainers have a natural ability to make connections with others and create environments where people can learn from each other.
And then we’ll do this to try and figure out what the prospect is thinking as Chris Voss says, When you understand them like that sometimes they say ‘yeah, yeah. You got it. That’s right.’ “
So, what should we do? We need to think about the obstacles that are in our way.
Step 5: Respond
Always be receptive to the needs of your customers. They will always want more and better, which is why they are listening to this webinar.
People dont always want to talk about problems, so it’s important for you as a manager not to call them that. Instead of talking about their challenges and what they need from you, think more in terms of possibilities.
People are always trying to improve themselves.
Here are some phrases we can use:
John, I’ve noticed that you have a lot of knowledge about what it takes to book meetings with senior executives. So this is something you might be interested in. If not, no problem at all, and sorry for wasting your time! But there are other top performing teams out there who know how to do things better than we do when booking these appointments so if you want me show them off too.
Now lets break this down. What am I doing? I’m providing the prospect with some unbiased information.
We want to give prospects the choice of whether or not they would like to continue talking with us. We dont think we can motivate someone if they are never motivated in the first place.
The first sentence is kind of a compliment. It’s easy to see that you’re trying to make the reader feel good.
Rather than assuming you are interested in the job, it is more appropriate to be honest and say that you’re not sure if it will suit your interests.
I love the phrase “if you’re open to it.” It’s so much more inviting.
I can tell you how other teams are doing.
I can tell you about some research I did on my own.
Id like to share some unbiased information with you about X so that you can make an informed decision.
It’s good to compare what you are doing now with other jobs, just to see if there is anything that would be more rewarding or fulfilling.
Providing prospects with information so they can make their own decision will result in an affirmative response because it is not a fight, you’re just giving them the opportunity to understand.
The Handling Process when There are People who Raise Objections
So to recap, the steps are listening, diffuse, encouraging, and responding. I’ve also written a book called Know Your Lines that includes examples of these objections for you.
If youre interested in a career with us, go to academy.salesdna.co and check out our open positions there or on LinkedIn if you want to chat more about it.
Need Help Automating Your Sales Prospecting Process?
LeadFuze gives you all the data you need to find ideal leads, including full contact information.
Go through a variety of filters to zero in on the leads you want to reach. This is crazy specific, but you could find all the people that match the following:
- A company in the Financial Services or Banking industry
- Who have more than 10 employees
- That spend money on Adwords
- Who use Hubspot
- Who currently have job openings for marketing help
- With the role of HR Manager
- That has only been in this role for less than 1 year