Handling Objections – Head them off at the pass…

The best way to overcome objection from sales prospects is to make sure they don’t come up in the first place. Head them off at the pass. If you can get out in front of an objection before it comes up, you have a better chance of making sure it never comes up. By definition, objections are statements that prospects make in response to being offered something. If you offer to drop by next Tuesday, your prospect can raise the objection that Tuesday isn’t good. Objections are also standard equipment for any prospect in need of a quick excuse to avoid making any commitment to you.
What if we sold in a world where there are virtually no objections, and anytime an objection was raised, you could handle it with ease? Is it possible? Perhaps, if you can head the objection off at the pass, and keep it from coming up in the first place.
I think salespeople struggle with objections because they don’t understand what an objection really is. I also don’t think salespeople understand how much they help prospects bring up objections. They shoot themselves in the foot because they talk too much, and that’s just what a prospect needs to raise an objection.
I’ve already defined what an objection is, so let’s examine how salespeople help their prospects bring up objections. Whenever someone speaks to another person, and the other person responds, it’s called an exchange. Two people speak, and they form their response based on what they other person said to them. It works like a tennis match, it’s back and forth until the conversation is over. As for objections in conversation, when you propose something to a prospect, or make a claim about your product, it signals prospects that it’s time for them to respond in some way. Unfortunately with objections, they tend to be negative (for you). So, if you offer something to a prospect that you know in advance would generate a negative response, do you think it makes sense to offer it anyway? Of course not, but that’s what salespeople do.
The best way to head objections off at the pass is to stop offering things to prospects, or making a claim about your product, and start asking simple questions that qualify them. Ask them for time to talk, ask whether they are the right person to call, ask if they have a problem, and so on. And, only give a short introduction of your business in terms of the specific problem you solve. Exercise your Miranda rights, and don’t say anything that will get you into trouble. Spare them the details early on. Say less up front, and you’ll find there’s less for prospects to object to. That’s how you head the objection off at the pass!

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