Julie Steelman
Sales & Business Bankability Mentor - CEO, SellebrateKAILUA KONA, HI
http://www.JulieSteelman.com
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Truth time: Ever feel rejected when a customer voices a concern about your offering? I know. Me, too. It's one of the common misunderstandings and fears about sales.
But here’s the thing: That objection? It’s not about you. It’s simply your customer vocalizing a thought about where they are in their decision-making process.
And here’s one of my absolute favorite secrets to reveal: It’s actually a buy signal.
No, seriously. It is.
Customers only object when they’re considering buying from you. They don’t object if they’re already sure what you’re offering is not for them. Think about it: Why would a customer waste one minute of anyone’s time, including their own, if they were not interested in buying your product or service? That would be awkward.
Only interested customers who are mulling over a decision object! Stew in that juicy tidbit of information for a minute. Can you see how true that statement is?
Knowing that customers object only when they’re interested should give you immediate relief and a surge in confidence. In fact, objections aren’t something to fear, they’re something to embrace. They’re a strong indicator that the customer wants to buy what you are selling.
So if we start to think of objections as a buy signals, the most important piece is not the objection itself, it’s the unresolved issue behind the objection. Your job is to ask questions until you know exactly why the customer is unable to choose. Here are some possibilities:
· Sometimes customers’ resistance patterns emerge if what you are selling means they have to change.
· Sometimes customers hesitate because they don’t understand how they’re going to get value equal or greater to the cost.
· Sometimes customers have to discuss it with someone else, like a spouse, and they aren’t clear how they will justify the purchase.
· And sometimes customers are just slow decision-makers.
When you know what is beneath the hesitancy, you can explain what is unclear or provide more information. It’s the first stage of helping them get what they want.
Think about it this way: Imagine you are talking to a friend and notice something is bothering them. You’d ask what has upset or confused them, right? And your friend would appreciate the gesture and tell you.
It’s the same thing with a customer. They will be grateful you are taking the leadership role and care enough to ask what is stopping them. It shows you are interested in them as a person more than making the sale.
I would love to hear what you think!
