How can you anticipate objections in Outside Sales?

2 Prepare your responses

The second step to anticipate objections is to prepare your responses in advance. You don't want to be caught off guard or stutter when the prospect raises a concern or a question. Instead, you want to be confident and ready to address it with facts, stories, examples, testimonials, or demonstrations. You can use a simple framework to structure your responses, such as LAER (listen, acknowledge, explore, respond) or FEEL (feel, empathize, evaluate, lead). The key is to show that you respect and understand the prospect's objection, and that you have a valid and compelling answer for it.

3 Probe for more information

The third step to anticipate objections is to probe for more information. Sometimes, the objection that the prospect expresses is not the real or the only objection. It might be a symptom, a misconception, a smokescreen, or a stall. To get to the root of the objection, you need to ask open-ended questions that encourage the prospect to reveal more details, motivations, or concerns. For example, you can ask "What makes you say that?", "How do you feel about that?", or "What would it take for you to change your mind?" By probing, you can uncover the hidden or underlying objections, and address them accordingly.

4 Confirm and close

The fourth step to anticipate objections is to confirm and close. Once you have handled the objection, you need to make sure that the prospect is satisfied and ready to move to the next stage of the sales process. You can do this by asking for feedback, summarizing the key points, or suggesting a trial or a demonstration. You can also use a trial close, such as "Does that answer your question?", "Are you comfortable with that?", or "Do you see how this can help you achieve your goal?" By confirming and closing, you can reduce the chances of the prospect raising more objections, and increase the chances of getting a commitment or a sale.

5 Learn and improve

The fifth step to anticipate objections is to learn and improve. Objections are not only challenges, but also learning opportunities. You can use them to gain insights into your prospects, your products, your competitors, and your sales skills. You can also use them to improve your pitch, your value proposition, your objection handling techniques, and your closing strategies. You can do this by tracking and analyzing the objections you encounter, asking for feedback from your prospects and your peers, and seeking coaching or training from your manager or a mentor. By learning and improving, you can anticipate and overcome objections more effectively in the future.

6 Anticipate objections in Outside Sales

Objections are part of outside sales, but they don't have to stop you from closing more deals. By following these five steps, you can anticipate objections in outside sales and handle them with confidence and skill. You can use objections as opportunities to build rapport, trust, and value with your prospects, and to move them closer to a purchase decision. How do you anticipate objections in outside sales? Share your tips and experiences with us.