Stop Trying to Overcome Objections

How successful are you at overcoming sales objections from your prospects and clients?

Good? Pretty good? Extremely good?

What’s your answer?

This comment may surprise you. I don’t believe salespeople should invest their time and energy trying to overcome potential buyer’s objections. For 25 years, I’ve been owners, sales leaders, and sales reps on how to handle and manage sales objections, rather than trying to overcome them.

Sales techniques that are designed to overcome objections fail miserably for one giant reason; they pit sellers against buyers and they give birth to tension and confrontation. When people feel confrontation it’s as if they’re being pushed or forced to do something.

Sellers who are anxious to overcome objections, by getting the buyer to see their point of view, only decrease their odds of properly handling the objection and establishing rapport and credibility. Handling objections is not about getting potential buyers to see your point of view. It’s about allowing yourself to see the buyer’s point of view.

Objections are inevitable but should never be seen as a door slamming closed in your face.

I recently did a workshop on objection handling with a team of insurance producers in New York. I asked the attendees to jot down words they associate with the word overcome. Some words they wrote down included: beat, conquer, defeat, outmatch, get the better of, overbearing, upend, triumph-over. Then I asked if any of them wanted to be perceived as an insurance agent who: beat, outmatched, got the better of, upended, or triumphed over their prospects and clients? The answer was a resounding no.

To try to overcome a buyer’s objection (“your price is too high”) suggests a power struggle on the seller’s part to be right (“our price isn’t high”) and prove the buyer’s opinion is wrong. The last thing a buyer wants to hear from a seller is to be told that he/she is wrong.

There’s a more effective and less stressful way to handle sales objections.

Why attempt to overcome objections and go through the exhausting experience and frustration of trying to be right when there’s a more effective and less stressful approach to help buyers move beyond their objections?

Help buyer’s move beyond their objections by:

• Helping them alleviate their real concerns.
• Looking at objections, not as problems to overcome, but as opportunities to be unleashed.
• Approaching objections with a collaborative mindset—buyers and sellers working together to develop answers to objections that reflect the buyer’s view of value.

Buyers don’t combative behavior. The seller’s demeanor should be calm, upbeat, and inquisitive. When sellers humanize the buying and selling experience and treat buyers as human beings, not nameless faces in a database, they become more successful at handling objections and winning deals. 

Your goal is to have an effective plan to handle objections that stand between you and that converted sale.

How to handle objections and treat buyers as human beings                       

1. When confronted with an objection, the first requirement is to listen to the objection. Very often, however, the first objection you get is a smokescreen. The buyer says, “Your quote is higher than what I’m currently paying.” This may or may not be the real objection. Don’t stop here and try to solve the objection. Follow up with another question.
2. Ask the potential buyer, “If we were to take price off the table, and I understand price is important, is there something else that’s standing in the way of us working together?” The buyer responds, “I’ve been working with the same insurance agent for seven years, I’m uncomfortable switching insurance agents.” This is most likely the buyer’s real objection.
3. Restate what you heard in your own words and ask the buyer to confirm that you understood them correctly. The seller, “It sounds like you believe my price is high, but what’s really bothering you is switching insurance agents. Is that how you’re feeling?” The buyer, “Yes, that’s been troubling me.” BINGO!
4. Next use a complimentary statement. Seller, “I understand what you’re saying.” or “I’m glad you brought this up.” or “I hear this a lot.” Then ask open-ended questions to explore the concerns underlying the buyer’s real objection. It is imperative that you understand exactly what the buyer meant by what they said.
5. Respond to the objection, but don’t get into a tug-of-war (trying to overcome the objection) with the buyer. Once you have a complete understanding of the prospect’s concern, offer your response in the form of a value recommendation that addresses the customer’s concern(s).

• Explain how you’ve helped others in similar situations.
• Revisit the buyer’s desired outcome—their buying motive. Is it still important?
• Discuss the consequences of not making a change – sticking with the status quo.
• Educate your buyer’s on how your solution will add value to their business.
• Share compelling reasons (the benefits) to work with you and back-them-up with proof—testimonials.

Charlie Anderson is President of the Selling Skills Institute. He is the creator of Shift Thinking, a unique mindset shift teaching method that enables individuals to continue to grow, thrive, and realize their goals and dreams in all areas of life.

If you want to reach out to me, feel free to call or email me. If I can be a helpful resource, I would be glad to respond. No strings attached. Okay?

To contact me call 339-927-2746 or email me at [email protected]