Commercial prospecting is difficult, more and more difficult by dint of hearing the many objections of prospects? While prospecting is a tall order for you, if done right, it not only creates a stable sales pipeline of potential customers, it helps position you as a trusted advisor to them. So how do you deal with common customer objections?
Prepare for these most common sales objections
It is not uncommon for prospects to hold objections from the initial contact phase, during commercial prospecting. And everything is not won in advance before signing a contract, because even just before, expect to receive objections! So, be prepared to deal with possible objections from your prospects, which can arise at any time such as:
- The immediate rejection (example: “Send us your documentation.”)
- competition (example: “We are already in cooperation with company X.”)
- The budget (Example: “We don’t have enough budget.”)
- Decisional incapacitythe (example: “We will think about it.”)
- Procrastination (Example: “Remind us next month.”)
- The search for information (example: “We are only making inquiries at the moment.”)
Stand up to the prospect who has no time
One of the most common objections raised during a sales pitch, whether on the phone or in the field, is that the prospect doesn’t have the time.
To respond appropriately, first explain that this discussion will only last X minutes. Suggest a realistic but acceptable deadline and adjust your pitch accordingly.
If the person you’re talking to says they’re not available, ask if you can call them back or make an appointment to talk about it in more detail.
Respond to the prospect who just wants to search for information
Have you contacted the potential client who is still in the information gathering phase? He says he only inquires because he wants to control his buying process. He is therefore not yet ready to hand over to the commercial…
Most salespeople take this answer at face value and force the prospect to end the conversation. However, you can opt for another, much more effective approach.
Realizing that it may be a little too early to present this or that offer to the prospect, a more appropriate response would be to say: “Since you want to seek information, what can we tell you about today?” “.
Manage objections related to the price of your offer
Price is usually not an obstacle. However, it is imperative that prospects can know and understand the benefits they will get from purchasing your product or service. More than its cost, the most important thing is what it can bring to the customer.
Ask him to explain why he finds your offer expensive in order to find out what his benchmarks are:
- The lack of information. This gives you the opportunity to come back to the presentation of the benefits you can offer;
- THE trading principle. You need to know your thresholds (price and quantity) and your customer’s counterpart very well, because you need firm commitments on order volume and lead times;
- Comparison with competitors. If these are the same products, how much do they cost? This lets you know if prospects have considered competing offers.
Respond to the undecided prospect
In some cases, during prospecting, you can lose sight of the target: you are confronted with someone who cannot make a purchase decision. However, this is no reason to panic! This interlocutor can prescribe your offer internally, even if he is not the final decision maker.
Anyway, take your time and make a very short presentation of your solution. You can also quickly identify the needs of the businesses you sell to. But the most important thing is to ask for an appointment with a superior (the decision-maker) or to ask him for his contact details. In any case, do not forget to include the initial interlocutor in the first contact with the decision maker. This person is the crucial element to convince the company!
Manage competitor objections
Try to reassure the customer by explaining that opting for your offer is a good choice. Use a question-and-answer type approach to present the added value that your offer can offer compared to others in terms of service, guarantees, availability, responsiveness, etc. This approach also allows you to identify the gaps and weaknesses of your competitors and ensure that they are important to your potential customers.
By following these creative and incredibly actionable approaches, you’ll never groan about prospecting again.
So have fun!
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