Q: What do I do
during a sales call when another business person comes up with all kinds of
objections not to buy my product? Usually I can counter most of the
excuses, but it always seems like I'm arguing with them, which I
don't imagine is a good idea. And usually, their excuses aren't
really valid anyway. Do I just move on and hope they'll change
their mind?
A: If you
are speaking to a person who has the authority and money to buy your
product, you should be able to overcome most of their objections
without seeming to argue.
Initially,
this takes some planning, although you'll get more comfortable at
it with experience. Before meeting with a prospective purchaser, try
to anticipate all the questions and objections they might raise.
Make a list of all the excuses you've ever heard, and try to come
up with an answer to each one.
As your
customer is raising these objections, ask them questions like
why and why not. Another tactic is just to nod, smile,
and keep quiet. The aim is to get your customer to keep talking, and
thus reveal their real concerns or at least the story behind their
objections.
Perhaps your
prospect has a misunderstanding that you need to get out in the open
and address. Or they might be unwilling to purchase from you as a
result of a negative experience they once had with another business,
or even with yours. Get them to talk about this concern and you can
probably deal with it.
Also, telling your
customer about the benefits of your product during your sales pitch
can often derail the most common excuses before they get started.
Keep in mind
that some people might use excuses as a way of stalling for time in
order to make up their mind. As long as they're still talking, you
have a chance to make that sale.
If quite a
bit of time has gone by, try to close the sale. Sometimes all it
takes is a bit of leadership from you and they will become
comfortable with the purchase.