The 3 Sources of Buyer Objections

When you boil it all down, there are really three sources of buyer objections.

1. disinterest,
2. ignorance, and
3. fear.

We handle each of these sources differently. So when you hear a concern raised by a potential client, your first thought should be, “Where is this coming from?” Identifying the source is a key element in choosing how to respond.

If the client says, “That’s just not something we’d be interested in,” after the presentation, you either missed something during your qualification sequence or something has changed since then. You’ll need to ask questions to determine what happened before moving on.

Begin by getting permission to ask a few more questions, especially if they are acting like the meeting is over. “Ms. Jones, would you mind if I ask just a couple more quick questions before I leave? I just want to clarify a couple of points so I am sure I understand you correctly.”

If the product demonstration showed them something that caused the sudden disinterest, it could be that they realized what they already have is good enough. If that’s the case, you may be better off to wrap up and keep yourself in their good graces so they will think of you when they are ready to make a change. Get their permission to keep in touch in case their needs change. Then, keep in touch regularly.

If, based on the answers to your qualification questions, you feel they really did have a need for your product, perhaps the investment information overwhelmed them and it’s just a matter of money. Treat this situation with a modified version of the “I Want to Think it Over” close phraseology. “I understand, Mark. When we discussed your needs a few minutes ago, you felt strongly that your company needed this new equipment to stay competitive. May I ask what has changed your mind about this? Do you have doubts about the abilities of the equipment to handle your needs? Is it the spacing requirements? Could it possibly be the financial aspects of the decision?” If their hesitation is the money, this is a gentle way of getting him to admit it. Then, you’ve got something to work with other than disinterest.

It could also be that this person is not the final decision-maker or they may have decided to consult with someone else before making the purchase. Whatever the answer is, you need to find out with gentle, non-threatening questions so you know what direction to take.

Let’s move on to the next area, ignorance. Face it, in most instances, your potential clients are listening to you because you purport to be an industry expert — or at least an expert on your product or service and they need to be educated about it before they can make an ownership decision. Identifying this area is where your ability to read body language will come in handy. If they’re leaning back, not making much eye contact, or intently reading any written material you’ve given them, chances are they are less educated about your product than you thought.

If a potential client has never been exposed to your type of product or service before, you’ll first need to earn their trust in allowing you to be an educator. Then, you’ll have to go deep into explanations and take the process in baby steps. If you’re already mid-presentation before you realize their ignorance, suggest a recap of what you previously covered and go into a bit more depth during your second time through the material.

Chances are good that you might hear, “we don’t need that” prior to even getting a confirmed time to visit with a prospect. In this case, the objection or concern has been raised to block you out. You’ll have to educate these prospects about their need for and value of the benefits of your product prior to even getting to present to them. They may be unconsciously incompetent about the subject — not knowing that they don’t even know they could benefit from it. In such cases, you need to ask questions that would pique their interest. Start with phrases such as, “If I could show you... (state benefit) ...you’d be interested to know more, wouldn’t you?” Or, “I know you may not see a need for this type of product right now, however... (state benefit). So may I have your permission to... (visit, send information, tell you more).”

The third, and most common, source of concern is fear. I could cover a list of ten to twelve possible fears, but most of the time, the client fears things won’t turn out as well as you are telling them. It’s basically a trust issue. If you don’t have a track record with this potential client or with the person who referred them to you, this will be a likely basis for their fear. This is when you’ll want to pull out testimonials from happy clients or give them a list of clients they can contact for referrals about the product. If you offer a money-back guarantee of any sort, this is the time to emphasize that guarantee. Explanations of the high level of service you give also help in overcoming their fears.

By learning to quickly identify the source of concerns, you’ll find yourself moving more rapidly toward resolving them. And that’s what we need to do in order to move into the final closing sequence, isn’t it?

To learn more of the nuances of selling, read any of the hundreds of posts on my blog.

Copyright Tom Hopkins International, Inc. www.tomhopkins.com