One aspect of sales frequently misunderstood by those not in the profession is how salespeople handle customers’ objections. To most people, sales professionals handle this problem by ‘out-talking’ the customer. They imagine that all good sales professionals have a glib tongue or a ‘gift of the gap’ and are able to convince prospects to purchase things that they really do not want to buy.

Contrary to the popular misconception, good sales professionals do not spend too much time and effort overcoming customers’ objections. The best way to overcome any objection presented by a prospect is to build value into your products and services. Building value simply means creating a vision of benefits and excitement that your prospect can relate to your product or service – so much that the prospects really want your product or service – they will overcome their own objections, solve their problems, and disregard any barriers standing between them and the purchase. Do not deal with the objection, deal with the desire!

Let me share this awesome story on the ‘Tales of Two Objections’ –

I advertise in directories and the Internet directories with two providers. But for the coming editions, I decided not to renew my advertisements either in the directory or in the internet with both providers. The usual business reason – cost savings and did not see any form of returns. For convenience of the story we call both the providers – Company Zap and Company Zok.

Company Zap called me first to ask for the renewal, and got rejected by me with all my valid business reasons. No hard sales push-talk, just being professional to understand my reasons, tried some sales maneuvers but realize almost immediately my adamance. He thanked me for my time and appreciates the previous business but believing that I will be giving them opportunity in the near future.

I received an email from him later on the same day, summarizing our conversations and hoping for future opportunity to do business with me again. Three days later, I received another email from him, explaining that he has gone through my previous advertisements and understand the reasons why it is not working for me. He created a rough design (not done by their professional graphic designer, but one that he worked it out on his own), and explain why the new approach will give me a better brand image, but it will be good if I only give him an opportunity to explain the whole concept without obligations. He called me one day after the email and asks if I could just meet up with him at my convenience. I kind of like the new design and was telling myself what do I have to lose just by listening to his idea. We met and after a series of questions and answers, guess what happen? Yes, I endorsed the advertisement. The reasons being very simple, he did his homework checking on previous advertisements, taking time to create a new design giving reasons on what new values the new design would create, engaged and involving me in the design when we met – we are not in a sales process, but a brainstorming session on how to build my brand image. I felt that he understand my business and my advertising objectives and gave him the business. Though I did not cater budget for the advertisements, but when a client wanted something, they will create the budget. Not only did I sign for the directory but also the premium internet space. For someone who said “no budget” has just spent close to S$10,000 in advertising.

Before I received the design-email and have not met this guy from Zap, I received a similar call from Company Zok. The lady asked if I am renewing, I told her that I am not advertising and giving her the similar business reasons. She thanked me and hanged up. I thought to myself that was sure easy for me. Two days later, another lady from the same company called me asking me the same question on renewal, I replied that I have already spoken to the other lady and why am I explaining all over again? This lady then explained that she is doing a follow-up and really wanted my business as I am their valued long-term client and would not want to lose my account (any of my business? Since when do I feel that I am valued as a long-term client because the only time I hear from them is when they wanted the renewal of my account … so much for valuing my business). Anyway, the ‘nice’ me tried to explained to her the reasons why I do not want to renew all my advertisements. The next thing I know was that I am in a hard-sales-push-talk, encountering defense-attack conversation, and my patience is really wearing out. Finally, I took the firm stand and said “Which part of our conversation you do not understand, I do NOT want to advertise!” Again, she did not take the answer and went another round, “But, it is for the good of your business … your image … etc.” I stopped her between the tracks, “Lady, I know what is good for my business and that is not to advertise in your directories. I do not have time for your sales pitch and nonsense. Have a nice day!” I hanged up.

Trust me; I think this company is going to lose my account for a long time. Another reasons I was a bit dismay with this company was that the previous year I prepared a cheque to make the full payment upon receiving their invoice and was nice enough to call the salesperson if she is convenient to collect the cheque from me as I will be outstation for a period of time, and was told that she was too busy to collect cheque and not her job to collect cheque, just mailed to the company will be fine. Suddenly, I have doubt if this company salespeople really care for their clients’ business. Customers can forgive a mistake but never a bad attitude!

A good, well-thought-out sales presentation is carefully structured to prevent objections from occurring in the first place. When sales professionals do their job properly, objections rarely surface. When you commence to argue with a prospect about their objections or disagree with him or her, you set yourself up to lose. If you acknowledge them in an understanding way, and then proceed to build value that keeps those objections in consideration, you may stand to win. Value is the ingredient that makes every sale possible. In my sales seminar I have often said “Develop your dreams and you create passion … Develop the dreams of others, and you create heaven.”

Consider the following points, you will discover that objections can actually benefit you rather than defeat you.

• Objection will either make you quit or it will make you stronger.
• Objection will make you mentally sharp. If you never experience it, you will never develop the acuity and toughness that you need to handle it.
• Objection prepares you for success. The worst thing that can happen to a new sales person is to experience easy sale. You should expect objection, and allow it to prepare you for victories in the future.
• Do not look upon objection as a barrier between you and a sale. Instead, consider it as a barrier that keeps other salespeople – who are not as strong, as tough, or as sharp as you are – away from the sale.
• The only reason objection ‘feels so bad’ to most salespeople is that they take it as if it were a personal reflection on them. Never take objection personally. Never let a prospect who hardly knows you affect your disposition, your outlook, or your mental attitude.
• Mentally prepare yourself for objection. It should never surprise you, upset you, or affect you adversely in any way.
• Never let objection turn you into a ‘beggar’. Remember, you should never be more eager to make a sale than the prospect is to buy. All salespeople must develop their own sense of pride and self-esteem to do well in sale.
• Objection should sharpen your focus, skills, methods, and responses. View objection as a constant challenge that will make you better at the art of selling.

Managing objection is much like any other form of exercise or discipline. It is difficult at first, you may bruise and sore. However, the more you work at it, the stronger you will become.

Professional salespeople are needed because average people cannot handle objection.