We’ve all been given the age-old objection that the person on the other end of the phone isn’t interested. In the early stages of prospecting, that’s a pretty common thing to hear. There are several reasons they may not be interested – topping that list is probably the fact that they have no idea who you are, they probably don’t like you yet, and have no interest in whatever it is you’re selling (that they know of). Ouch!
It’s a harsh reality, but one that you can understand as you’ve probably been on the other side of that phone before. Objections are no fun, and can throw you off your game, yet, they are unavoidable! What if we shifted our attitude about objections from hating them to loving them? Hear me out…
What are objections, really? While they may seem like pushback or disinterest in buying, they are a good thing! Here’s why:
1. Objections give you a view into the customers operating reality.
If you dissect their objection, you are likely to figure out what really matters to them.
“We already have 5 suppliers we work with.”
Now you might wonder why they have so many suppliers…are they not getting results so they need multiple agencies to help them? Let the questions unfold.
2. They show that your prospect/client is engaged.
How so? If they weren’t interested at all you’d be hearing a dial tone instead of an objection. Objections take thought and energy!
3. Objections may be a request for more information.
If they say they aren’t interested – how can you adjust your messaging to appeal more to their interests and operating reality?
Now that you understand why objections can be a helpful tool to continue the conversation, it’s important to PRACTICE your responses to the most commonly heard objections. At Butler Street, we are huge proponents of regular role practice. It’s a non-optional practice for us that occurs weekly with our sales team and it looks something like this:
Role Practice Recommendations:
Block time on the team calendar so everyone participates, including the leader. This is a mandatory weekly role-practice session.
Send a scenario a couple of days before the session and ask everyone to come prepared with a script.
Role practice live. Have someone be the client or prospect and have fun with it!
After role practice is complete, ask everyone what they liked and what they may do differently.
Create a safe environment where coaching & feedback is welcomed. Encourage successful failures.
Keep track of the scripts in a place such as OneNote so that over time, you have a library of objections and how you would overcome them.
At Butler Street, we teach sales professionals the skills needed to find more success using a structured and repeatable methodology. If you’re looking for ways to sharpen your sales skills and be 100% prepared and ready to control all the things you can control in the sales process, Butler Street can help! Check out our sales effectiveness eLearning, or contact us to discuss additional options.