Far too many salespeople cringe upon hearing an objection
about their product or service. They haven't learned yet that most prospects
object when they feel themselves being drawn toward making the decision to go
ahead. After all, why would they bother objecting to something, if they weren't
interested in owning it?
There are also salespeople who leap on objections before prospects have a
chance to get their thoughts composed and out of their mouths. These salespeople
act as if an objection is some evil that will grow and multiply, unless it's
stomped out before it's put fully into words. This method serves only to
irritate the interrupted prospect. It will also make him or her suspicious of
the salesperson.
Steps to Objection Handling
Step 1. Hear It
Suppose you leap on an objection before your prospect
completes it and it turns out not to be the objection you thought it would be?
You've just doubled your work. Now, you've got two objections to handle. That's
why the first step in objection handling I teach is to HEAR THEM OUT. Simply
exercise a little common courtesy and let them get the objection off their
minds, before you try to overcome any it. By listening to, not just hearing,
their concerns about your product or service, you will gain a better
understanding of exactly what fear you have to overcome.
Step 2. Feed It
The next step in objection handling is to FEED IT BACK. Repeat the objection
back to them as if to clarify your thinking. I've had many prospects answer
their own objections when they hear them reiterated. If your prospects are a
husband and wife team, sometimes the spouse will answer the objection for you.
Even if they don't answer their own objection, you will at least be assured you
heard them correctly.
Step 3. Question It
The third step in objection handling is to QUESTION
IT. By questioning the objection, asking for clarification, elaboration or more
detail, you give yourself time to consider the proper answer. This is a more
valuable move than quickly answering the objection with an obvious pat answer.
This way, your prospects sense you're taking your time to handle their concerns
as if it were the first time you'd ever heard it expressed.
Step 4. Answer It
The next step to take is to ANSWER IT. It may seem I've given you a lot to do
before you finally get to answer an objection, but believe me, this method has
worked for thousands of sales professionals around the world.
Step 5. Confirm It
Once you've
answered the objection, CONFIRM IT. Say something like, "That's the answer
you're looking for, isn't it?" Or, "That solves your problem with ___________,
doesn't it?" When they agree with you, you can then move on to the final step in
objection handling.
Step 6. Close It
Change gears and move on to the next step in your selling sequence, whether it
be proceeding with your demonstration, or moving on to the close.
These six steps, if you learn them and apply them properly, will take you a long
way toward achieving your goal of selling others even when they raise objections
or concerns.
Tom Hopkins
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