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<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nIn this article, you\u2019ll learn proven, practical objection-handling strategies you can use in your business development tactics.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n A typical sales objection arises when a prospect has a perceived or actual lack of specific resources. Prospects usually object to a sale when they feel they don\u2019t have the money, interest, need, or autonomy to buy from your business.<\/p>\n My experiences taught me that prospects are reluctant to speak with a sales rep if they:<\/strong><\/p>\n While sales objections present some daunting obstacles to a sales process, overcoming objections in sales is possible with practice and proven strategies.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Handling objections<\/a> is an inevitable and often challenging task for sales pros. According to HubSpot data, sellers who successfully defend their product against buyers’ objections can have a close rate as high as 64%<\/a>.<\/p>\n Underachieving sales reps respond to prospect objections by:<\/p>\n These kinds of aggressive selling approaches aren\u2019t effective at handling objections.<\/strong><\/p>\n Prospects often feel these kinds of responses justify their attitude about your company, or sales people in general. Using these tactics can undermine any trust or rapport you\u2019ve developed with a customer or prospect, and anyone they share their experiences with.<\/p>\n In contrast, proper handling of objections in sales demands that a salesperson:<\/strong><\/p>\n Next, I\u2019ll break these items down a little and add some context.<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t a single cure-all objection handling formula. Instead, you need to develop instincts for where you are in your sales process, the nature of the deal you\u2019re pursuing, and your prospect\u2019s needs and interests.<\/p>\n Understanding the circumstances that are shaping a prospect\u2019s objections is central to addressing them effectively.<\/p>\n In my experience:<\/strong> I\u2019ve learned from making situational awareness mistakes a couple of times. Once I admitted to a customer that I had been so busy pursuing other opportunities that I hadn\u2019t checked in with them in a while. The customer responded saying their feelings were hurt that I deprioritized them. I focused more on my account farming<\/a> responsibilities after that conversation.<\/p>\n Gather<\/strong> e<\/strong>xtensive <\/strong>b<\/strong>ackground <\/strong>i<\/strong>nformation<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n This point is a natural extension of the one above. Gathering background information informs effective, actionable situational awareness. Thoroughly research your prospect’s company and, to a certain extent, the specific prospect or client.<\/p>\n See if you can answer the following:<\/p>\n Uncovering these background insights can put you in a better position to handle objections tactfully.<\/p>\n In my experienc<\/strong>e: As I described earlier, I discovered the hard way that customers need to be consistently reminded of how much you value their business through regular follow-up. Your other business activities aren\u2019t material to their needs.<\/p>\n Empathy is central to every successful sales effort. You likely didn\u2019t get into sales purely entirely earning commission or meeting or exceeding quota. The best salespeople I worked with loved to help businesses solve problems with the products and services they helped the customer gain access to.<\/p>\n Always <\/em>bear a client\u2019s needs and interests in mind, and they will often respond with trust, signed contracts \u2014 and best-case \u2014 become an advocate for your business through testimonials and success stories.<\/p>\n The ability to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions can underscore every other point listed here. You need to get to the root of your prospect\u2019s pain points if you\u2019re going to understand and effectively handle the objections they raise.<\/p>\n Avoid questions that only warrant \u201cyes or no\u201d answers \u2014 and don’t be afraid to use silence to your advantage. Also, let your buyers air their thoughts out. Feel out their concerns and put yourself in a position to overcome objections they might raise with calm confidence.<\/p>\n Telling a prospect their objection isn\u2019t justified can derail a relationship quickly. Instead, acknowledge their objection, then explain how doing business with you would actually look.<\/p>\n It’s also important to distinguish between sales objections and brush-offs. While objections are authentic, brush-offs are excuses. Think of an objection as, \u201cI see the value in your product, but I’m not sure about buying it for X reason,\u201d<\/em> while a brush-off translates to, \u201cI don’t want to talk to you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Unstated objections are far more serious than brush-offs. If you don\u2019t know why a prospect doesn\u2019t trust you or value what you have to offer, you are wasting your time and theirs.<\/p>\n In my experience: <\/strong>I once had the IT manager of a local government tell me they would never do business with my company (a large Canadian telco). When pressed, he said he felt my company was too big to offer his organization personalized service. Fortunately, I had testimonials from the prospect\u2019s peers across the country who had similar reservations at first, but were pleasantly surprised at our ability to meet their needs. That reassured the prospect, and I landed his business.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Keep a list of customer success stories, testimonials, or third-party data that addresses common objections like cost, flexibility, or return on investment. Share authentic, quantifiable examples of the impact of your company\u2019s products and services.<\/p>\n Objection Handling Framework<\/strong><\/p>\n A proven and effective method for objection handling is Carew International\u2019s LAER: The Bonding Process\u00ae<\/a>. LAER involves four steps \u2014 Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, and Respond \u2014 and creates a positive, two-way transaction between the salesperson and the customer.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll break down each step along with insights from sales leaders I talked to.<\/p>\n Before you start with the LAER process, the first step is to anticipate objections by preparing for the conversation.<\/p>\n Laura Youngblom<\/a>, president and chief revenue officer at Sell It<\/a>, suggests \u201cby consistently preparing for potential objections, you will learn more about your customers and what\u2019s holding them back and eventually be able to predict what their objections will be.\u201d<\/p>\n If you did your homework, you can address the objection factually, offer some context to allay their concerns, and enable you both to proceed with confidence.<\/p>\n When confronted with an objection, the first requirement is to actively listen to it. Listening demonstrates to your customer that you are interested in their concern and care about what they have to say.<\/p>\n \u201cThe adage \u2018people buy from those they know, like, and trust\u2019 is still true. Buyers want (and expect) a personalized sales experience. How you present yourself and your product either builds that trust \u2014 or gives your competitors a foot in the door,\u201d comments Mark Tanner, co-founder of Qwilr<\/a>.<\/p>\n The next step is to acknowledge your customer\u2019s concern. This is where you demonstrate you have been actively listening. Acknowledging and validating an objection can be as simple as a head nod or a restatement of the issue as you understand it. A sincere acknowledgment can build trust and have a calming effect. Sometimes, your customers just want to know that they are being heard.<\/p>\n \u201cNot pretending you have all the answers and being genuine in communicating when you don’t know something helps build trusting and reliable relationships,\u201d says Sami Malik<\/a>, CEO of Linear Health<\/a>, a founder-led sales expert.<\/p>\n Youngblom adds that \u201cwhen you disagree, you stop the flow of communication, but when you agree, their defenses come down.\u201d<\/p>\n The third step is to explore the concerns underlying your customer\u2019s objection. It’s imperative that you understand exactly<\/em> what your customers meant by what they said.<\/p>\n For example, your customer may raise a price objection<\/a>. Take the time to explore the customer\u2019s objection, and you may discover they are using price as a smokescreen for fears of putting their own reputation on the line.<\/p>\n In my experience: <\/strong>I once had a customer who expressed an interest in integrating my company\u2019s document management software (which they had deployed) and their ERP software. However, we hit a roadblock when my customer objected to our acquisition process because of RFP requirements on his end.<\/p>\n Fortunately, because I was able to uncover the details of the roadblock by active listening and exhibiting empathy, I was also able to come up with a solution and ultimately make the sale.<\/p>\n The final step is to respond. Only once you have a complete understanding of your customer\u2019s objection can you effectively respond with a credible:<\/p>\n Objection handling doesn\u2019t have to be a painful activity for salespeople. Instead, objections should be viewed as opportunities to help your customer and grow your relationship with them.<\/p>\n Why is objection handling important?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nothing is more dangerous to a deal than letting sales objections go unaddressed until the final stages. When a prospect\u2019s objection goes unaddressed (whether warranted or not), it grows stronger and becomes deep-rooted, making it harder to overcome it.<\/p>\n With this in mind, don\u2019t avoid objections \u2014 welcome them. You can proactively find them as well by periodically asking questions like:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n As I touched on at the beginning of this article, most sales objections stem from some kind of \u201clack\u201d \u2014 and they typically come from a reasonable place. Prospects who raise objections generally point to the fact that they simply can’t<\/em> buy right now.<\/p>\n But those \u201clacks\u201d are often misplaced, and if you know what you\u2018re doing, you can usually find ways to work around them. Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of the most common types of objections in sales.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s too expensive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Objections based on price are the ones you\u2018ll come across most frequently. That\u2019s because all purchases come with some level of financial risk.<\/p>\n As a sales rep, you’ll want to consider the positioning of your product or service and how to demonstrate that value. This turns the conversation into one about risk vs. reward.<\/p>\n By providing value and painting a picture of where your solution will take them, they can be convinced that the reward is enough to justify the risk.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve never heard of your company.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n People do business with people they like, know, and trust.<\/p>\n In an inbound sales conversation, the prospect will have likely interacted with your content or will already be familiar with your organization in some way. This objection could be overcome by jogging their memory, or you might consider your sales cycle and whether it’s feasible to nurture them through it.<\/p>\n But not all conversations are inbound conversations, and they may have genuinely never heard of you. It’s at this point that you double down on the value you provide with your elevator pitch. Be sure to emphasize the authority your organization has in the market, and share examples of the companies you\u2019ve worked with to gain credibility.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t see how this can help me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n This may seem like an objection on the surface, but it’s actually an opportunity to give information to the prospect (and get information from them in return). Use open-ended<\/a> and layered questions to qualify the prospect and evaluate their needs. If you find a fit, leverage it to demonstrate value.<\/p>\n \u201c[X problem] isn’t important for me right now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The goal here is to figure out if timing actually is an issue or if the prospect is brushing you off. One way to do that is by asking them to elaborate on why it’s not important or what competing priorities currently have their attention.<\/p>\n Listen closely to determine if their response involves concrete timing issues or vague excuses. If they’re doing backflips to justify inaction on a real pain point, you may have an opening.<\/p>\n When all else fails, try and schedule an appointment with them at a later date to dive deeper into the issue.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n When trying to overcome sales objectives, it\u2019s imperative you respond appropriately and avoid reacting impulsively to your prospect\u2019s objections. Here are some helpful strategies for overcoming objections.<\/p>\n First and foremost, as your prospect is sharing their concerns with you, make sure you are using active listening skills to take in what they\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n While your prospect discloses their objections, listen to understand, not respond. Avoid interrupting them while they are speaking, and give them space to voice their concerns and objections freely.<\/p>\n Once your prospect has stated their objections, repeat back what you heard to make sure you are understanding correctly. Not only will this help clarify their points for you, but it will also help your prospect feel heard and valued, which is important for building trust.<\/p>\n After you have confirmed you understand where your prospect is coming from, continue building trust by empathizing with your prospect and validating their point of view. No, that doesn\u2019t mean you have to talk down on your product or recommend a competitor.<\/p>\n For example, if you are selling automation software and your prospect is worried about their ability to implement your software into their complex system, you could say, \u201cI understand. Implementing new software can feel like a daunting task. Thankfully, we have an incredible tech team that has experience working with similar organizations and can handle a seamless transition for you.\u201d<\/p>\n With this response, you acknowledge that their concern is valid and offer a solution to mitigate their fears.<\/p>\n When you hear objectives, you want to do all you can to keep the conversation going in a natural way. If you hear your prospect pulling back, asking follow-up questions can be a tactful way to keep them talking.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t ask questions that can be answered with a simple \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno.\u201d Make sure you ask open-ended questions that allow your prospect to continue expressing their thoughts on your product. The more information they give, the more you have to work with.<\/p>\n Depending on the nature of your prospect\u2019s concern, sharing the story of another customer who had similar reservations and went on to see success with your product can be a successful approach.<\/p>\n If you are in B2B sales, you can also share relevant information about your prospect\u2019s competitors and any success they\u2019ve seen from overcoming a similar objection.<\/p>\n If your prospect asks for more time to think things over, give them the time and space to weigh their options. But you don\u2019t want to leave them hanging. Set up a specific time and date to follow up in the near future so too much time doesn\u2019t pass, and offer to answer any questions they have in the meantime as they deliberate.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the most effective strategy for handling sales objections is to predict them. When you are prepared to have objections come up, you\u2019re far less likely to be thrown off your game.<\/p>\n Keeping track of the objections you receive most often is also helpful. Once you know what to expect, you can devote extra time to practicing and refining your responses.<\/p>\n We also recommend sales reps use role-playing to boost their objection-handling abilities. Take turns with another rep on your team posing common objections (like any on the list below), answering, and then giving each other feedback.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cNo\u201d is something salespeople hear often. In fact, 60%<\/a> of customers say no four times before they say yes. Objections vary by business scale, industry, and what you’re selling. But, knowing and preparing for the most common objections can help you close more sales.<\/p>\n The answers below can help you respond to the objections you’re most likely to hear on your first few calls with a prospect. But, the most effective way to handle objections is to craft your own responses.<\/p>\n\n
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Handling Objections<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Have situational awareness.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Lead with empathy.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
When the customer isn\u2019t right, tread lightly.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step 1: Anticipate<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step 2: Listen<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step 3: Acknowledge<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step 4: Explore<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step 5: Respond<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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1. Lack of Budget<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Lack of Trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Lack of Need<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Lack of Urgency<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1. Practice active listening.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Repeat back what you hear.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Validate your prospect\u2019s concerns.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Ask follow-up questions.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Leverage social proof.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Set a specific date and time to follow up.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Anticipate sales objections.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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