BODY LANGUAGE TO COUNTER OBJECTIONS

(This is an extract from the Peter Collins book Body Language for Busy People).

BODY LANGUAGE TO COUNTER OBJECTIONS

During the selling process, the salesperson is aware that they can rely on the use of postures, facial expressions, gestures, mannerisms, and their physical appearance to present, sell and close the sale in the most successful manner. And the fact is, most prospects tend to buy when triggered by either their emotions or their senses. Therefore the key here is to do everything you can to positively affect your prospects senses and emotions. 

Objections from prospective clients are generally considered to be a predictable part of the sales process. The rule of thumb here is that the more junior or the more underprepared the salesperson is, the more likely objections are to rear their ugly heads. But there are ways to overcome the “objection obstacles.”

Whenever an objection has been raised by the prospect, it must be addressed or the sale will may be compromised. Reactions to objections may vary widely among salespeople.

The true professional salesperson welcomes objections and in many cases will pre-empt them and use that information to present in a manner that limits the number and type of objections raised.

This approach is in sharp contrast to the lesser experienced salespeople who can view objections as prospect delays, or stalling tactics they fear and/or worry about. But the real difference in the way these two types of salespeople approach objections is not as much as one of experience, or exposure to training, as it is of attitude. The majority of delays, or stalls, or objections are almost never isolated events.

Objections should be viewed as clues about what is happening. They help the professional salesperson evaluate the customer or prospect and than guide them toward a satisfactory resolution. Body language can also provide a range of clues and suggested client needs and direction-finders that can help consolidate sales.

It is therefore important to understand and use the following suggestions to turn those objections into sales!

Here they are encaptured in just five points:

1. Whenever the client’s arms are crossed, it generally means he or she is disinterested. To avoid this, the salesperson will need to use counter measures. Here the salesperson must use simple, but effective, positive movements that can help the prospect to cause them to uncross their arms. Once this happens, it becomes a signal for the salesperson to begin the sales presentation. When the prospects arms and legs are uncrossed, but the hands are in an open stance, this is a great scenario for the salesperson to sell in, as this cluster of gestures indicate they are open to the salespersons ideas - and a sale is likely to eventuate. 

2. Another good body language sales indicator is when the client mimics the salespersons gestures. Here are just a few examples. You rub your fingers through your hair and the client does the same immediately or a short while afterwards. Or you shift your sitting position or cross your legs and the client does the same immediately or a short while afterwards. Or you move forward in your seat, look closer at some of the detail on the page in front of you and the client does the same immediately or a short while afterwards. Any one of these gestures shows your client is more than just receptive to your ideas, but very receptive, and now extremely open to buy your ideas, products or services. Whenever a situation such as any of these occur, or even a situation similar to any of these, simply “test the sales temperature” with a few trial closes, throw one or two more features and benefits, and simply close the sale! Understanding how to work this one body language factor can simply make or break a sale.

3. There are a number of correctable body language danger signals that the salesperson should be aware of. If the prospect or client cover their mouth; rubs the chin: touches their nose or the part near the eye, there is a strong probability that the sale is slipping out of the salespersons grasp. At this point there is a strong possibility that something you said or did may be of concern to the prospect. Whenever this situation occurs, the salesperson should not despair but simply rework that part of the selling process (or presentation) again, but this time, do it differently. Then work at reassuring the prospect that he is getting a good deal and then encourage him to open up and share ideas as well. When he does that, open your palms and then work at letting him see you occasionally putting your palm of your hand to your chest. Whenever you do this in a reworked environment, it will generally suggest honesty. Once done, work at recreating that positive sales atmosphere again and when achieved, simply “test the sales temperature” with a few trial closes, throw one or two more features and benefits, and simply close the sale! 

4. The salesperson should constantly be alert to the signs the client is sending out through his or hers body language. Whenever the client or prospect shows interest through more than just one body movement, in fact through a combination of body movements in the positive to the salesperson, the seller should immediately “test the sales temperature” with a few trial closes, throw one or two more features and benefits, and simply close the sale! However, if worked to quickly by the salesperson the prospects body language may change from positive to suspecting. Whenever this happens, the seller should slow down, ask a few open ended questions, gather his wits, read the client’s mood at that point, and immediately work at winning him back. Once that is achieved, the salesperson should begin to exhibit openness and sincerity. At any stage at this point if the client crosses his legs, or arms, or both, this should be perceived as a warning signal, and whenever perceived warning signals are received from the client, the only way through is to use mirroring techniques (the ones discussed in the previous chapter). From this point onward, providing the mirroring techniques are successful, the seller must make every effort to re-earn, then maintain the clients trust. Once done, the seller (as before) should immediately “re-test the sales temperature” with a few trial closes, throw one or two more features and benefits, and simply close the sale!

5. Here is a hint whenever you find yourself in a worse case scenario where you are unable to close the sale, you need to work at being as professional and diplomatic as possible – and do so at all times. Whenever confronted by a situation such as this, thank the prospect for listening, then shake the prospects hand with sincerity, and leave the door open for future opportunities by a simple gesture like handing the client your business card and writing your home number on the back of the card for the times your mobile may be switched off. There is a 99% chance the client will never call you on your home number, but will keep your card due to the unusual and unexpected gesture. It should also be remembered that not every call will eventuate in a sale. At one stage in my career, I personally closed around 90% of my sales for two years in a row, but never 100%. It should also be remembered that most attempts at making sales cannot be achieved overnight. The reality is you normally win some and you lose some. However, closing the presentation on a positive note will always leave a good impression of you the salesperson. Who knows, your prospect might be your next big client at some in the near future.

It must be remembered that the salesperson who understands his or her ability to bounce back and is confident they will not feel threatened when the prospect stalls or raises objections. It should also be said, too often, salespeople get themselves implicated in a game of mental ping-pong where the prospects objections are followed by the salespersons responses, then followed by objections and so on.

Prospects don’t buy products or services, they simply buy the end result of what your products or services will do for them after they had invested in them. The salespeople who know how to translate their product knowledge into filling the needs and dreams of the prospect are the ones who predominantly make more sales. They bare the ones that consider themselves to be problem solver and a needs-satisfier for their customers.

Practice these techniques, and soon you will gain confidence in your ability to listen, understand the needs/wants of your clients, and above all convert their objections into a positive win-win scenario, and do so with absolute self-assurance. Then as you apply the concept of well considered body language, you will undoubtedly start turning your prospects’ objections into sales!

As a final comment, learn to use your body every way you can in the selling process. Always stay enthusiastic, and if you truly believe in the unique high quality of your product or service, others will be positively affected by your enthusiasm. And above all, remember that carefully structured body movements can convince prospects to become believers in what you are offering. Also your understanding the uniqueness of the power and positioning of body language can have the same effect.

#BodyLanguage, #CounterObjections, #Presentation, #Selling, #Sales, #PeterCollins, #PeterCollinsProfitMaker, #ProfitMakerSales, #Postures, #Facial expressions, #Gestures, #Mannerisms, #PhysicalAppearance, #Present, #Sell, #CloseTheSale, #Objections, #MostSuccessfulManner

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This Article is by Peter Collins - In a sales career spanning more than 50 years, Peter Collins has focused on helping and bringing out the best in others - whether it involves training or mentoring salespeople, managers, business consulting to SME’s. Since the 1970’s Peter has built a reputation as a Nationally and Internationally Published author, and of the 130 books he has written over the past 48 years, Peter has 65 Business Books to his credit, (but he is mainly known for one book based on the Audio Tape series of the same name, Over 50 Ways of Closing the Sale). Peter also has written 23 Christian books. One of Peter's books sold almost 2 million copies in the late 1970's and is still selling well through second hand online marketers worldwide. In his personal life, Peter has been sought after as an encourager and motivator that has given of his time and talents freely despite his busy schedule. Subsequently, he has assisted churches, pastors, community and charity groups, as well as individuals through his teaching, training, development and on-going mentoring.

? Copyright Peter Collins, Profit Maker Sales, Sydney, Australia, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2015, all rights reserved.

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