The 5-Step Method of Handling Objections

 

Imagine you’re trying to sell something to a potential customer. Your prospect explains what they’re looking for. Immediately, you think of the perfect product and present it to them, sharing its many benefits and explaining how it solves their problem.

Everything is going swimmingly—or so you think. But then they hit you with: “I’m not sure. Let me think about it.”

 

 

Frustrating, right?

There isn’t a salesperson on earth who hasn’t had to handle sales objections. But as difficult as it can be to overcome your prospects’ objections, it is by no means impossible, as this article will go on to demonstrate.

 

What Is Objection Handling in Sales?

Before going any further, let’s take a closer look at what we mean when we talk about handling objections in the sales industry. 

The first question on your mind might be: what is an objection in sales? Simply put, they are any problems your prospect might have with buying your product or service.

 

We will give specific examples of commonly encountered sales objections in the next section.

Sales objection handling is the method by which a salesperson responds to and ideally resolves these issues. As you’ll see, a salesperson’s response will look different depending on the buyer’s specific problem.

 

What Are the Most Common Sales Objections?

There are lots of reasons your customer may give as to why they’re not interested in buying your product. Pay attention to what they and how they say it, as the words they use can give insight into their mindset.

 

 

Some of the most common objections in sales include:

 

• Objections about price. “That’s outside my budget.” “I can’t afford to spend that much.”

• Objections about value. “Your product is too expensive.” “It’s not worth that much.”

• Objections about effort. “This seems too complicated.” “I’m happy with what I’m currently using.”

• Objections about effectiveness. “Similar products haven’t worked in the past.” “I’m not sure this will meet my needs.”

 

How Should You Handle Objections in Sales?

Now that we’ve given you an idea of what sorts of objections you can expect to encounter in sales, let’s think about how you can resolve them and make successful sales.

Handling objections can certainly be a challenge, but with the right mindset and the proper tools, you can overcome them.

 

If you want to know how to overcome objections in sales, then check out our list of tips below. Following this advice is sure to help you connect with your customers and conquer these common sales obstacles.

 

The Art of Overcoming Objections

 

Practice Active Listening

The first and most important rule for dealing with objections in sales is to practice active listening.

When a client raises a sales objection with you, really pay attention to what they’re saying, asking questions where necessary to ensure you have completely understood their problems. 

 

When handling sales objections, many sales representatives find that customers will say one thing but mean another.

For example, if a customer says that your product is too expensive, this most likely means that they think you’re charging too much for what the product can do.

 

Avoid Closed Questions

Asking open-ended questions is a crucial part of objection handling; sales is all about the needs of the customer, after all, and you can’t get to know those needs without asking questions.

Open-ended questions are especially useful because they encourage the customer to really think about their needs and whether or not your product would solve them.

 

They can also help you find out even more information about what the buyer is looking for. On the other hand, closed questions that can be answered with just a yes or no shut down the conversation.

 

 

Isolate the Problem

Once you’ve heard your customer out, asking follow-up questions to get all the details you can, you should then isolate the problem and check with the customer that you’ve got the right idea.

One of the best ways to do this is by echoing their own words back to them. 

 

Here are some sales objection handling examples that do this:

 

• “I understand that a new computer represents a big investment. But I’m wondering if there are any other issues stopping you from buying this product today?”
• “I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a bad experience with similar products in the past. Are there any specific worries you have about our software?”
• “This ring is just what you’re looking for: a plain gold solitaire with a round-cut diamond. Despite that, you seem unsure. Can I ask why?”

 

Show Empathy 

When handling objections, sales representatives must show empathy to the customer.

By showing your client that you understand their concerns and know where they’re coming from, you validate their position, thereby strengthening the bond of trust between you.

 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the best way to handle sales objections is by talking your product down or agreeing with the buyer’s criticisms.

You can validate your customer’s feelings without confirming their fears. 

 

For example, if a client says that your product is too expensive, don’t just agree with them. Instead, say something like, “An investment like this can be daunting—however, this product does have everything you were looking for.

Would you say that price is a more important priority for you at this time?”

 

Answer the Objection

At this stage in the sales objections handling process, you should have a thorough understanding of your buyer’s objections. This means it’s time for you to make your response.

Ideally, you should have a script prepared to answer your customer’s concerns.

 

Your script should answer any questions your prospect might have, but should also be concise and to the point. Don’t start chatting away about irrelevant details that don’t even enter the equation.

Rather, provide your client with insightful answers that will help put their worries to rest.

 

Close the Sale

The objection-handling journey isn’t over once you’ve resolved your prospect’s concerns; you still have to close the sale.

At this point, avoid the temptation to keep talking. You could just end up saying something that will bring up even more objections from your customer.

 

Instead, check with them that your answer resolved their query, making sure to show that you genuinely care about their response.

If the client says that yes, their objections have been resolved, congratulations! All that’s left for you to do is ask for the deal.

 

 

Handling Objections in Sales Is Easy When You Know How

Many sales representatives find the prospect of objections resolution somewhat daunting. Sometimes it can seem next to impossible, especially when you’re dealing with a particularly stubborn customer.

That being said, we hope this article has shown that handling objection in sales can be made easier when you use the right tools.

The next time you find yourself having to deal with objections in sales, we hope you keep our advice in mind and try out our methods of handling customer objections.