Saturday, December 5, 2009

Handling Objections - Part 1

Do you allow objections to stand in your way of helping customers? Most professionals do... even those who do almost everything right. They find prospects, initiate contact, build relationships, understand needs, present solutions and ask for commitment. And then, when the customer responds, they think they hear the word “No!” and run away in search of another prospect… to start the whole process all over again. What a waste!

There is a BIG difference between "No!" and:

  • “I’m too busy”
  • “That’s too expensive”
  • “I’m already doing that”
  • “Let me think about it”
  • “I’m happy with my current provider”
  • “Let me ask…”
  • “I don’t trust you” (unspoken)
  • “I don’t know who you are” (unspoken)

These are simply cries for help and more information... Always remember these two important things about Handling Objections:

  1. People rarely say, “No!” to your requests. They give you some type of excuse why they are hesitant to proceed.
  2. Everyone hates to change (even if it means doing something in their best interest), so don’t be surprised by objections… embrace them!
Would you be in a better position to handle objections if you spent 60 seconds before each interaction reviewing and preparing for them? Do you do that every time now?

What if you did?