A win-win way to hit your sales targets
Self-employed people take on many business roles, and selling is often the one they least enjoy. One reason for this distaste is that sales can seem like a nebulous process when really it involves a common series of steps.
Many people find that responding to client and customer objections is particularly tricky and awkward. To help you out, I’ve broken down the process into six easy steps.
Many people find that responding to client and customer objections is particularly tricky and awkward. To help you out, I’ve broken down the process into six easy steps.
Step #1: Thank your customer for bringing the objection to your attention, and use active listening.
Your customer is doing you a favor by objecting. Not only is she offering you an opportunity to respond to her objection but she’s also giving you the chance to find out how she really feels about your product or service. So, be sure to thank her and use active listening to let her know that you heard her.
Example: “I appreciate you telling me your concerns. It sounds like my product costs more than you had anticipated spending.”
Step #2: Ask open-ended exploratory questions to learn more about the objection.
Sometimes your client's objection is not really her main concern, or it is one of several objections. That’s why you need to ask exploratory questions to really understand the problem.
Example: “If cost wasn’t a concern, how would you feel about using my product?”
Example: “What concerns do you have about my product besides cost?”
Step #3: Summarize the objection.
Let your customer know that you thoroughly understand her worry by paraphrasing what she told you.
Example: “It sounds like your main concern with my product is that you were hoping it would meet all your technology needs, but you aren’t sure that it will.”
Example: “So, you’re concerned that my product won’t meet all your technology needs, and therefore you don’t think it’s worth the cost.”
Step #4: Answer the objection.
Directly address all your customer’s objections.
Example: “Let me explain how my product addresses the technology needs that you mentioned.”
Example: “Let me show you how my product will address your technology needs and how you will recoup your costs in less than a week.”
Step #5: Check in.
Test out whether you have successfully addressed your client's concerns.
Example: “Does this make sense?”
Example: “Have I answered all your questions?”
Step #6: Start closing the sale.
Based on your customer’s response to the check-in question, begin to close the sale.
Example: “Now that we’ve addressed all your concerns, would you like to order 10 of these to give them a try?
Example: “How do you feel about purchasing 25 of these for $500, with a 30-day money-back guarantee?”
Example: “Would you like to save 20% by ordering 100 of these today?”
Objection Handler
Now that you know how to respond to concerns, complete this objection handler. Write down the most common objection you hear and a response to each step in the process.
Objection: ___________________________________________________________
Step #1 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #2 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #3 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #4 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #5 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #6 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Create an Objection Handler for Your Top Objections
Make a list of the top five challenges that you hear, and complete the objection handler worksheet for each one. Then, practice responding to these objections with a friend or colleague until you feel comfortable and natural with each interaction. Sales clubs and entrepreneurs’ Meetup groups are great places to find practice partners.
Win-Win
Handling objections by using this six-step process makes for a win-win situation with your customer. She'll trust you because you listened to her, understood her concerns, and addressed each of her worries. You’ll also notice that you feel more confident and less anxious when handling objections, and you’ll also be in control of the sales interaction. All of this makes it much more likely that you will close the sale.
And that’s how I define a win-win situation.
Your customer is doing you a favor by objecting. Not only is she offering you an opportunity to respond to her objection but she’s also giving you the chance to find out how she really feels about your product or service. So, be sure to thank her and use active listening to let her know that you heard her.
Example: “I appreciate you telling me your concerns. It sounds like my product costs more than you had anticipated spending.”
Step #2: Ask open-ended exploratory questions to learn more about the objection.
Sometimes your client's objection is not really her main concern, or it is one of several objections. That’s why you need to ask exploratory questions to really understand the problem.
Example: “If cost wasn’t a concern, how would you feel about using my product?”
Example: “What concerns do you have about my product besides cost?”
Step #3: Summarize the objection.
Let your customer know that you thoroughly understand her worry by paraphrasing what she told you.
Example: “It sounds like your main concern with my product is that you were hoping it would meet all your technology needs, but you aren’t sure that it will.”
Example: “So, you’re concerned that my product won’t meet all your technology needs, and therefore you don’t think it’s worth the cost.”
Step #4: Answer the objection.
Directly address all your customer’s objections.
Example: “Let me explain how my product addresses the technology needs that you mentioned.”
Example: “Let me show you how my product will address your technology needs and how you will recoup your costs in less than a week.”
Step #5: Check in.
Test out whether you have successfully addressed your client's concerns.
Example: “Does this make sense?”
Example: “Have I answered all your questions?”
Step #6: Start closing the sale.
Based on your customer’s response to the check-in question, begin to close the sale.
Example: “Now that we’ve addressed all your concerns, would you like to order 10 of these to give them a try?
Example: “How do you feel about purchasing 25 of these for $500, with a 30-day money-back guarantee?”
Example: “Would you like to save 20% by ordering 100 of these today?”
Objection Handler
Now that you know how to respond to concerns, complete this objection handler. Write down the most common objection you hear and a response to each step in the process.
Objection: ___________________________________________________________
Step #1 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #2 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #3 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #4 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #5 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Step #6 Response: ___________________________________________________________
Create an Objection Handler for Your Top Objections
Make a list of the top five challenges that you hear, and complete the objection handler worksheet for each one. Then, practice responding to these objections with a friend or colleague until you feel comfortable and natural with each interaction. Sales clubs and entrepreneurs’ Meetup groups are great places to find practice partners.
Win-Win
Handling objections by using this six-step process makes for a win-win situation with your customer. She'll trust you because you listened to her, understood her concerns, and addressed each of her worries. You’ll also notice that you feel more confident and less anxious when handling objections, and you’ll also be in control of the sales interaction. All of this makes it much more likely that you will close the sale.
And that’s how I define a win-win situation.
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