Working with objections - telephone communication techniques, examples in sales

Cold calling rules

For success, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Speak competently, confidently and “without water”. If cold calls will be made regularly, then you should improve your speech.
You need to be prepared for a huge number of refusals. Even experienced specialists are refused. Don't get upset and take it for granted.
Don't focus on the product. If you have additional information about the client, you should use it. For example, the interlocutor is a football fan, and there will be a match in the next few weeks. It’s worth starting with positive news, and only later moving on to the benefits of cooperation.
Respect the client's choice. Many are already collaborating with competitors. Don't talk negatively about them. It is worth sensitively identifying customer dissatisfaction, and then accepting new information in the future.
It is worth separating objection and refusal. If you refuse, it is useless to continue the conversation, and you should work with the objection. Often a person may be busy or on vacation, which does not encourage discussion of matters. Then the task is to make a new appointment.

Before calling, you need to clearly define the purpose - to meet, sell a product, sign a contract. Nothing should stop you, you shouldn’t give up quickly and worry about troubles.

Algorithm for handling objections

Sales techniques and working with objections are needed in order to know and understand the algorithm for working with a client when he has objections. The objection management algorithm contains four steps. The first step is to allow the individual to speak. The second step is psychological familiarization with objections. The third step is a specific answer or questions of a clarifying nature. The fourth is a call to action.

Providing an opportunity for an individual to speak out leads to the person simply speaking out, thereby “blowing off steam” and calming down. As a result, it will be easier to work with him in the future. In addition, giving the opportunity to speak will allow you to hear all the values, needs and other information you need.

It is important to listen very carefully so as not to miss important information

Psychological familiarization with objections allows the consumer to think the way he wants. With this behavior you show the client that his point of view has a right to exist. In addition, you show him that you understand him. That is, you put yourself in a position of cooperation in relation to the consumer, rather than confrontation. This can be achieved through a conciliatory statement.

Questions that clarify the focus and specific answers allow you to either clarify the essence of the objection or provide it with comprehensive information. A call to action aims to offer the consumer a win-win option. It is not necessary to use all of the above steps when selling.

This algorithm helps you choose the right and effective way to manage objections and work with potential clients. You should act based on the requirements of a specific situation. You can also use tools such as a pause or a compliment. Although they are quite rarely used.

The only step of the algorithm that must be used in any situation is psychological connection. If you want to get the best result of your work, then you should master the joining technique masterfully. It is not enough to know all the listed steps of the algorithm; you need to apply them in your work and then the result will be noticeable immediately.

Overcoming customer objections

How likely and overall how difficult is it to overcome the client's objections? The complexity of this task directly depends on the individual qualities of the potential client, but also on the skills of the seller and his communication skills.

There are several basic steps for dealing with objections:

Learn to listen. You should always start by listening patiently to your prospect. This step is as simple and effective as possible, since attentiveness to the client’s monologue provides an understanding of his interests and predispositions, and will also arouse sympathy and more trust on his part. Accept the objection. This step may seem somewhat counterintuitive at first, but in order to overcome the client’s objections, they must be accepted

This is really important, since the situation that the client describes from his point of view is indeed theoretically possible. It is necessary to give the client the opportunity to understand that you agree with the seriousness of the problem he has raised.

Start with the phrase: “This is a really important question” or “This is something that really needs to be looked into.” Understand correctly the reason why the client refuses the proposed product or service. Is his objection a real disagreement, or is it just an excuse with which he is trying to get rid of the intrusive agent. If you are unable to independently determine the answer to this question, ask subsequent, leading questions. Most often this situation is resolved in two ways. The first of these is to ask the consumer whether there are other reasons why he refuses to purchase. The second technique is sincerity. Tell the customer that other customers have had similar objections but rejected the product for a different reason. Be specific and specific. Do this with leading questions. If you allow your client to talk, and also correctly ask clarifying questions, you will be able to better navigate his objections, understand their essence, as well as the real needs of your client. This stage has several values. In addition to the fact that you will have a complete understanding of your client, you can also benefit from the very competent implementation of this stage. The client can appreciate your professionalism, which will endear him to you more and allow you to overcome his objections. Give counterarguments. If you have competently implemented all the previous stages and learned to navigate the needs and objections of your client, then you are ready to start putting forward counterarguments. They must be positive, and the facts you provide must be verified and reliable.

In addition to the basic steps, also remember the main mistake agents make - entering into a dispute with a potential client. Argument is the main enemy of a successful sales manager, since it will force the client to take a completely opposite and harsh position.

Build trusting and professional relationships

Once we know we are on the right track, we should begin to provide the potential client with information regarding the product or service to build their trust in you and your organization. This could be market research or additional information about the product.

The potential client may also need answers to questions about who you are and why they should purchase a product or service from you.

A potential client must have 100% confidence in:

Your product or service can solve his problems;
Your product or service is of adequate quality;
You.

This is the sacred triangle of sales.

Make sure you understand these three points and are able to work through them efficiently in communications with potential clients, then your conversion into transactions will inevitably increase! I always tell my training participants: “... as long as you are unable to create value beyond the cost of the product, you will continue to miss opportunity after opportunity to close deals.”

Examples of competent handling of objections

All objections can be divided into subgroups, each of which has its own typical answers and templates. Below is a description of the most common of them.

I'm not interested in this

Recognize this opportunity, communicate the offer of a meeting for the purpose of getting acquainted in the future, so that the client has information where to go and what advantageous offer he can count on if the need arises.
Clarify the conditions under which cooperation would be interesting.

I do not need anything

Tell them that this is not a momentary purchase and does not oblige the client to anything.
Communicate your desire to simply bring the buyer up to date.
Colorfully describe the prospects for the purchase.

Thanks, I'm just watching for now

Show participation, ask what products the client is interested in. Report the best deals of the day/week.
Give brief recommendations on the category of product the consumer is interested in.

No time

Offer a return visit at a time convenient for the client.
Promise to be concise and provide valuable information, without water.
In passing, remind you about the planned price increase in the near future.

Expensive

Clarify the consumer's limit, talk about the factors that determine the price.
Clarify what the buyer is comparing with. Describe the advantageous differences between the offer and competitors.
Recognize the high cost and offer to supply a trial batch.

No money

Agree with the client, pay attention to the fact that the lack of available funds is the result of overpayment to other suppliers. Switch attention to the quality of the product, informing that the price can always be negotiated. Assume that this circumstance can change at any moment, and the money will appear right tomorrow, and the buyer will already know from whom to purchase the goods.

This product is of questionable quality

Clarify what this assumption is related to.
Offer to evaluate a sample or product portfolio.
Offer for consideration documents on licensing and certification of the product. Real reviews from satisfied consumers are also useful to read.

Competitors are cheaper!

Clarify who exactly the buyer has in mind, compare offers for consistency between price and quality.
Acknowledge the fact, supporting it with a detailed description of appropriate reasons.

We are already working with another company

Hint that it is never too late to consider new and perhaps more profitable options for cooperation.
Report that there is a growing trend to have more than one permanent supplier.
Offer to evaluate the pros and cons of interaction with the client’s current supplier. What could the first offer if he knew about the meeting.

I will think

Showing sincerity, emphasizing once again the main benefits of the product for the client, hinting at the instability of the price offer and thinking about the purchase for a long time can work against the customer.
To clarify what exactly confuses the client, perhaps the manager will be able to shed light on points that the buyer does not understand.

If you give me a discount, I'll buy it

Talk about the pricing features and offer the maximum possible discount in this case.
Tell about cases of providing an unprecedented discount and its criteria.

Scripts for handling objections over the phone

Handling objections over the phone begins with the client making a statement that you simply do not have the right to interrupt. Be sure to let him finish! In addition, never try to change his point of view, because any position is based on certain beliefs and knowledge, so it deserves to be taken into account. When working with a client over the phone, you must remember that your conversation can end at any moment, so the client should not feel pressured from you. Moreover, the potential buyer should have confidence that his opinion and position are important to you.

When starting a cold call, you have to determine: what is the client using to refuse - a real reason or an excuse? Once you have the answer to this question, you will be able to develop the dialogue correctly.

Typically, when making a cold call, you will have to deal with customer rejection.

Now is the time to turn to analytics and systematization data, which name 4 types of failure:

We don't need this, since we already have everything.
We are not interested in this.
We don't have time to do this.
Send your commercial offer to our e-mail.

The wording of the refusal may be different, but the essence will correspond to one of these reasons. Looking ahead, I would like to note that you are not calling to make a deal. Your main goal is to make an appointment! Naturally, you should not exclude options when work is carried out only by telephone. There is an opinion that with the help of a telephone conversation you can achieve two goals: to sell the product that the client initially needs, and to set a meeting time. This opinion is completely justified.

We don't need this because we already have everything

Main obstacles

Every reputable company has secretaries and office managers. Their task is to protect the manager from “spam”. The secretary is not interested in the “boss” communicating with the seller. For this reason, it is necessary to make friends with him or get around him. But you shouldn’t consider this an easy task, since there are professionals working there too who protect the manager from unwanted visits and calls. They undergo special training to optimize their boss’s working time.

In the call center, calls are divided into strangers and our own. In the first case, switching occurs upon request, and in the second, the caller is rejected in every possible way. At this stage, the seller’s task is to get into the allowed group. Otherwise you will hear something like this:

"Thank you, but we don't need it."
"We are not interested."
"The person is not present."
"No time".
“There are no available funds”, etc.

To get the green light, you need to become “insider” - an important partner or client. But if this is not the case, then you should use the client database with the data:

Company name.
Full name of the director.
Contact details.

Such information will allow you to get through to the decision maker. It is enough to clearly name the name of the person of interest. However, such data is not always available. Then you need to prepare in advance for difficult negotiations.

Techniques to help overcome objections

The most basic rule of any dialogue: do not interrupt, let the interlocutor fully pronounce his objection and justify it. This is your passive psychological attack: a person, having shown his dissatisfaction, will feel complete satisfaction and will be mentally prepared to be convinced.

It is likely that by the end of his rebuke, your client himself will understand that his position is not completely impenetrable and is based more on speculation than on common sense and facts.

The second technique that works 100% is converting an objection into a question. This method is often called “Jewish” and consists of answering your opponent’s question with a question:

- This is an expensive product!

– Do you think he’s expensive? Compared to what?

– Your competitor offered me more goods for the same price!

– Don’t you think that he sacrifices quality in pursuit of a low price?

Well, the third, sure-fire way to stop your interlocutor’s objection is to agree with him and transform the objection into an argument. For example:

– Product delivery takes 2 weeks – too long!

- You're right. This product is so popular with us that there is already a line for it at production.

Don’t forget about basic politeness and showing respect to your interlocutor: “Thank you for asking this question,” “You really understand the topic if you are interested in such things.” Also, do not use recommendations or refer to your famous clients.

Types of objections

Your interlocutor can object in three cases:

when he needs an excuse (he has no money, mood, time, desire to communicate and/or buy) - these are unreasonable objections;
when he believes that he knows everything about your product from other sources (friends’ opinions, the Internet, forums) - these are insincere, unfounded objections;
when the interlocutor is really familiar with your product and for a number of reasons he is not satisfied with it - these are real, justified objections.

What objections do you think are the most difficult to deal with? The answer to this question is simple:

in the first case, working with objections is not necessary, because no matter what you give as an argument, your interlocutor will still want to end the dialogue as soon as possible. Here the manager’s task is to clarify with the interlocutor when he will be more inclined to continue communication; in the second case, you will have to overcome the false and erroneous belief of your opponent, his fear of being deceived and confidence in his own rightness; in the third case, you just need to find real and effective options to neutralize the client’s dissatisfaction and provide him with additional preferences

Here it is important not to argue with the arguments of the interlocutor, but together to look for ways to compromise

Conclusion: the most difficult objections are those that are based on an erroneous, selective or false idea about your product (the second type is unfounded objections).

Most often, such objections from your interlocutor are based on that information. which he receives from various sources (Internet, reviews, friends’ opinions, etc.). For example: “your products are unreliable, I know about this from my best friend,” or: “Your service is no good,” etc.

To win over an interlocutor so inclined, it is necessary, firstly, to force him to abandon his usual position, and secondly, to force him to hear counter-arguments. To do this, listen to the arguments that the client gives. And then clarify the sources of information from where he got his knowledge.

After that, proceed to argumentation, supported by strong arguments and facts.

Typical examples of objections

Every client objects differently. You need to know the basic objection phrases and learn how to deal with them.

The most popular objection is “it’s too expensive for me.” Managers give different meanings to this phrase:

lack of available funds from the client;
request for a discount;
desire to get the product cheaper.

Some people voice a counterargument - “competitors are cheaper.” After such a phrase one cannot despair. Often such words mean that the client needs to think about the offer, consult with someone, or postpone the purchase for a certain period.

Examples of objections:

expensive;
no money;
I do not trust;
this is not beneficial for me;
I can not talk;
I saw a cheaper offer;
I already have a supplier/partner, etc.

The second most popular refusal option is “I’ll call you back.” The client has no time, has more important things to do and cannot speak. In this case, you need to clarify when you can call back and discuss everything. If this is a conversation with the client's secretary, ask her to convey the message to the right person.

Dealing with objections in sales: 15 examples

The most common, especially in retail sales. The client says: “It’s too expensive” and goes off to look for something cheaper. The manager’s task is to show the buyer the value of the product so that he sees that the purchase is worth the money.

How to answer

Advice	Example
1.	Find out what the client is comparing it to. Prove that your product is better and tell about the advantages.	If you think that this product is expensive, then you have found a cheaper alternative. Is it really as good quality as this one?
2.	Agree. And then tell us that for this high price the client gets a solution to his problems.	You're right, it's expensive. Many customers are unhappy with the price, but in return they get (...).
3.	Break down your spending by week, month, year. This is a good technique for dealing with objections in sales: the client immediately sees where he is saving, and the amount no longer seems so scary.	I agree, 24 thousand is expensive, but if you break this amount down over a year, you get only 2 thousand rubles a month.
4.	Make sure price is the only thing that confuses the client. He may not be satisfied with the characteristics of the product or the warranty period, but he clings to the price and does not want to understand anything.	Is price all that's stopping you from making a purchase right now?

Not satisfied with the product/service

Another common objection from clients in sales: the client may not like the product, delivery conditions, design - whatever. The manager needs to figure out what the problem is and focus on the main benefit.

How to answer

Advice	Example
1.	If there were problems with delivery, apologize and tell us what caused the problems and how you resolved them.	Yes, we had problems with delivery, but we changed the transport company and improved the service. Now we personally control all stages of order transportation.
2.	If you don't like the design, talk about its benefits and how customers react to it.	Yes, the design is non-standard, but we ordered it from Lebedev’s studio. It is now one of the best selling products.
3.	The client doubts the quality of the product and the reliability of cooperation. We need evidence.	We have all the certificates, reviews from our clients, letters of gratitude and a list of guarantees that we provide
4.	The buyer categorically does not like the product itself. The sales objection technique in this case is based on indirect persuasion. You no longer convince, but at the same time you casually inform that the client is losing.	It’s a pity that you won’t be able to appreciate (...), which became a hit with us this fall.

Read on the topic5 secrets of how to gain the trust of a clientForbidden phrases that cause you to lose clients

Excuses: “no money”, “no time”, “I’ll buy it later”

If the client uses one or all excuses at once, consider that there is now a wall between you. How to handle objections in sales if the client is just waiting to leave? To get through to him, point out the strong advantages of the product, make a profitable offer, use the triple “yes” technique.

How to answer

Immediately says “no”

How to deal with objections in sales if the client immediately says “no” or brushes it off with the standard “I’m just looking”? You can leave him alone, or you can establish contact.

How to answer

Advice	Example
1.	Make sure that your dialogue does not take much time.	I will only take 1 minute from you.
2.	If the buyer tells you that they already have a similar product/supplier, reassure them that they don't have to give up anything.	If you regularly update your assortment, old customers will come to you more often and more new ones will appear.
We do not suggest using old suppliers. Take another supplier. Thanks to our products, you will diversify your assortment and attract more customers.

Read on topic We have devoted a series of articles to how to build a conversation with a client. If you often sell over the phone, ready-made conversation scripts will be useful to you: Ready-made sales scripts: templates for cold calling Examples of sales scripts: templates for warm calls Ready-made sales scripts for hot calls Persuade in 12 steps: explosive tips for warm calls to customers

Stages and methods of handling objections

In this and the next few sections we will talk about practicing true objections, and at the end of the lesson we will tell you how to parry false ones.

So, the scheme for working with objections is as follows:

Listen carefully to the objection without interrupting the client (use active listening technique). When you listen to the end, you can say: “I heard you,” etc.
Do you agree with the objection, i.e. join the client, showing that you share his point of view. You can say: “I agree with you, functionality in this matter is very important,” etc.
Give a reasoned response to an objection, showing the client a way out of the situation.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “The same product is more expensive than in the neighboring store”

Seller: “I agree with you. Saving is always very important. But unlike other stores, the price of our goods includes maintenance costs and additional services. You may overpay a little now, but in the future you will be able to use many of our services for free.”

The considered scheme is considered classic, and it must be mastered without fail. But besides this, there are also various techniques for working with objections in sales. They will be discussed further (we will immediately make a reservation that we will not mention the stage of joining a client, but always keep it in mind).

Counter question method

In response to the client’s objections, you can ask him several counter questions so that he thinks about the correctness of his own judgments.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “It’s expensive here”

Seller: “How much is inexpensive for you?”

Seller: “Why do you think ours is expensive?”

Seller: “Expensive compared to what?”

After the questions have been asked, you will have two options for action: if before this the client spoke “automatically,” now he will think about it and, perhaps, rephrase the objection, and you can choose the appropriate tactics for the conversation. Or you can penetrate to the deeper essence of the objection and find its more serious reasons, which can then be eliminated.

Comparison method

In this case, you simply compare what the client has now and what you can offer him. You can also resort to this method when the client chooses, for example, between a cheaper and more expensive product.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “This model is more expensive than that one”

Seller: “Okay, let's compare. Which brand is better known? Is German quality better than Chinese? Will you need additional accessories in this case? And in another? Does this company provide a guarantee? And that one?

Just show the person a difference they haven't thought about and give them the opportunity to look at your offer from a broader perspective.

“Yes, but...” method

This method is one of the most popular. It is most often used in situations where the client’s objections are justified: for example, your product can really be expensive, and your task is to explain to the person why such a cost is quite adequate.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “It’s very expensive”

Seller: “Yes, but this is guaranteed quality”

Buyer: “Some people say bad things about this brand.”

Seller: “Yes, but there are many more who respond well”

Buyer: “It’s cheaper in the next store”

Seller: “Yes, but ours is better”

Essentially, the “Yes, but...” method can be applied to many situations, but it is only effective if you are able to clearly justify what comes after your “but.”

"That's why" method

To some extent, this technique is not similar to the previous one, but its distinctive feature is that it is perfect for working with false objections. The point is to make the client's objection the starting point for your persuasive words.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “I need to think”

Salesperson: “That’s why I would like to meet with you - to point out what exactly is worth paying attention to.”

Buyer: “Your place is expensive”

Seller: “That’s why, firstly, we have samples for each client, and secondly, all our clients are provided with additional services”

Buyer: “I already have a person who supplies this product”

Seller: “Great! That’s why you definitely need to learn about our advantages and new opportunities for yourself.”

When used correctly, this method can be a very powerful tool for neutralizing even the most serious objections.

Assertion Replacement Method

The method of replacing a statement is also known as “Paraphrase” and “Substitution”. The point is simple: when working with an objection, you begin your statement with the words “So you mean that ...” or “I understood you correctly that ...”, and then replace the client’s objection with a statement that is beneficial to you.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: "You don't have what I'm looking for"

Seller: “So you mean that if we bring the product you need, we will contact you?”

With such a subtle influence on the client’s psychology, you will be able to “turn” him to you and discuss the prospects for possible cooperation.

Past experience method

Professional managers are very fond of this method. For it to give results, find among the potential buyer’s actions those that he has already done in the past, but he will have to do them in the future.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “Your place is expensive”

Seller: “Tell me, have you already had a situation where at first you saved, but then you still had to buy more – when you had to overpay once again?”

Buyer: “We already have a supplier”

Seller: “Listen, remember the moment when you were choosing a supplier. What motivated you? Surely favorable conditions, right? Perhaps it makes sense to consider our proposal? Who knows, you may well find it much more interesting.”

If you can find something vital in the client’s objections, use it immediately. If the client still refuses, use some other method to try to remove the obstacle again.

These methods of handling objections are considered the most common, but in addition to them, we want to introduce you to several additional techniques that will make your professional sales arsenal much richer and more powerful.

Reframing Technique

The technique is a bit similar to the statement replacement method, but trickier than it. It consists of using the client’s expressions and questions in your speech in order to begin to speak in “his” language and about the same thing. Different people can talk about different things using the same words, which is why ambiguities and ambiguities arise. To be able to eliminate them and come to an agreement, this technique is used.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “Our production technologies are very complex. It is not practical to change technological processes and retrain employees.”

Seller: “I agree. With such a complex process and significant innovation costs, changing technologies must be approached carefully. For this reason, our employees carefully study the work of their clients in advance. This allows us to seriously minimize risks and costs.”

This same technique can be used very effectively in conjunction with the counter-question method. Together, they greatly increase a manager’s chances of success.

Guessing technique

Using the guessing technique, you hypothetically assume that the obstacles to closing the deal have been eliminated. Think about whether the potential buyer will now agree to your offer? If not, for what reason? Do this with all objections to quickly fend off unimportant objections and move on to more serious ones.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “Your computers are very expensive”

Seller: “Okay, if the question wasn’t the price, would you be interested in this offer?”

Customer: “I think so, but what should I do with my old computer?”

This dialogue clearly shows that the reason for reluctance to buy is not the high price of the product. This means the salesperson can move on to the main objection and handle it. However, the second objection may conceal a third, and this must always be taken into account.

“Anything else?” technique

“Anything else?” technique much simpler and safer than the previous one. It is used when you need to identify the main reason for refusing an offer. In this case, the seller simply “fishes out” objections without any order.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “I think it will be very difficult to get rid of old equipment”

Seller: “You know, we work on a unique system: you buy new equipment, and we ourselves take the old one from you, taking into account its cost. Tell me, is there anything else that confuses you?

Buyer: “With the change of equipment, we will also have to deal with the reconstruction of the office. No, it's too expensive."

Seller: “So this is great: update your office - it will be more pleasant for you, your employees, and your clients. Maybe there is something else that worries you?

Buyer: “Most likely, employees will have to be retrained to work with the new software”

Seller: “We’ll help you sort this out too. Tell me, is this all, or is there something else that could interfere with our work together?”

As you can see, the seller simply “pulls” objections out of the buyer one after another, without even properly processing them. This allows him to find the most important objection and concentrate on it. This technique gives the manager room for action, because he has plenty to choose from. And when most of the objections can be identified, it will not be difficult for the seller to take the initiative into his own hands.

Sincerity technique

Using the sincerity technique, you seem to open up to the buyer, talking about all the advantages and disadvantages of your offer. In this way, you will arouse mutual feelings in him, and he will tell you what really prevents him from accepting your proposal. The proposed technique is based on sincerity, trust and concern for the interests of the potential buyer.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “I need to think about it. Perhaps I can find a cheaper option."

Seller: “You know, to be honest, you’re right. Since you are frank with me, I will also tell you how it really is. I myself, as an employee of the company, can purchase any product with a 10% discount. I can offer this discount to you too. But no one should know about this. Do you think such a discount would be pleasant for you? And in general, I won’t hide anything from you, so you can ask whatever you want.”

When you “open up” with a client in this way, you show your respect and affection for him, which pushes him to respond in a similar way to you. And the trick of this technique is that the client will most likely tell you the true reason for his worries, which is what you need.

Technique of naivety

This is where you treat all of the client's objections as if they were all 100% true. To do this, you simply pretend to believe everything the potential buyer tells you, and then begin to vigorously solve the problem by offering the person different options. This is what you do with every new objection. But keep in mind that the technique of naivety is quite labor-intensive and dangerous from the standpoint of your reputation: from the outside, people may think that you are some kind of “good-natured simpleton” and will stop wanting to deal with you, not considering you a professional. However, there is a trick for you in the technique: while the client answers your questions, you can find options for further convincing him, and then show yourself from a new side - from a serious professional.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “We no longer have room to buy something new and put it in storage”

Seller: “By the way, I’ve heard more than once that you have many suppliers. But we can help you place everything in a convenient way, not only in the warehouse, but also in the store."

Buyer: “Listen, our movers simply won’t be able to do the job if we also order from you.”

Seller: “No problem. Our loader will be in the car and will do everything for you for free.”

The unnaturalness of the objections is obvious, but the seller solves the client’s “problems” with all seriousness. Most likely, after a long time of processing such meaningless objections, the seller will find out the real reasons, even if it takes some time.

Technique for focusing on the benefits of cooperation

This technique is suitable for working with clients with whom you have already worked. You just need to find a few moments that brought pleasure to a person in the past. These could be discounts, additional services, congratulations or some prizes, etc. If the client objects to you, you simply redirect his perception to pleasant memories of cooperation.

EXAMPLE:

Buyer: “We’ll probably order elsewhere this time.”

Seller: “I see. Do you remember how last time you were pleasantly surprised by our gifts for your company’s anniversary?

Buyer: “Of course! It was great! It would always be like this!”

Seller: “By the way, we have almost ready a new system for developing our best customers. But I would still like to know what would be interesting to you personally? Maybe you can give me some advice?

Buyer: “That’s interesting! You always have something new! Now I don’t even know if it’s worth going somewhere else...”

The seller’s task in this technique is to make a person relive pleasant sensations in memory and evoke in him a desire to experience them again in the near future. With the systematic use of technology, your clients will form a conditioned reflex: it’s cool with you, but somehow it’s not the same without you.

And one more thing: this technique can be used in the opposite direction, when, for example, you need to evoke negative emotions associated with cooperation with your competitors.

Pseudoanalysis technique

The technique is quite unique: when communicating with a potential buyer, take a piece of paper and write in two columns all the disadvantages and advantages of your offer. After that, eliminating the disadvantages that the client does not like, eliminate one advantage at a time. Eliminate the most significant advantages and minor disadvantages first. This should continue until the client says the final “Yes” or the final “No”. Using this technique, you will show the client the value of all points of your offer and present him with a choice between cost and value.

Apply the technique of pseudo-analysis with all sincerity and without guile, because the client will notice both, and if he determines that you are being cunning, you will be playing against yourself. We also recommend preparing in advance for using this technique: break your proposal into components and determine their positive and negative aspects, and do this in a variety of options, so that in the “field conditions” you have different combinations. Based on the individual characteristics of each individual client, select the desired combination of pros and cons and work with it.

As a result, we have examined more than a dozen different methods and techniques for working with objections. As you apply them and gain experience, the work will become increasingly easier, and as a result you will receive an effective arsenal of techniques for almost all known objections. However, while it is relatively easy to handle true objections, many sellers are completely unable to work with false ones. To avoid being one of them, read on.

Working with hidden objections: ways to overcome them

Working with false doubts is difficult to standardize, since the choice of an appropriate technique or technique largely depends on the specific situation. The manager’s key task is to identify the true cause of the objection.

Below are the most competent approaches to handling false doubts, which can be applied depending on the current situation.

“Ignore” a false objection

The most effective approach that exists is not to practice objections at all. Instead of responding to false doubt, which in itself is counterproductive and does not lead to a successful deal, it is beneficial to continue actions in accordance with the sales stages.

The key point is that the manager in such a situation does not ignore the client, but continues to talk about his personal benefits.

Get sincerity from the client

The point of this method is to gently and carefully let the buyer know that the doubt he raised is not serious enough to be sufficient, and he can share the true reason for refusal.

Limit the client to a general question

It is advisable to ask the buyer a limiting question, for example, is this the only obstacle to the purchase, is the client ready to make a deal if this problem is eliminated.

Summarize benefits

The essence of the approach is to emphasize a number of advantages and benefits of purchasing this product. For example, the client will receive a guarantee of high quality, ease of service, and a pleasant experience of use, which will devalue the weight of the expressed doubt for him.

Create trust

If you suspect a lack of trust in the seller’s company, it makes sense to give a real example of effective interaction with the company of satisfied consumers. Customer reviews, research conducted among consumers of the product, etc. are also suitable here.

Close "closed"

According to this method, you can gently continue to guide a potential client through the stages of a transaction, even after receiving assurances from the client that this need has been closed. In this way, the manager can make sure that there are no hidden reasons for the refusal and, in addition, get the client by offering him, for example, a better alternative.

Dealing with false objections

When interacting with potential buyers, you can often hear things like: “I’m not ready to make a decision right now,” “We already have everything,” “I need to think about everything,” etc. All of these objections fall into the category of false. In reality there can be a lot of them. As a rule, these are all “dummies”, but there are some that are difficult to distinguish from the real ones.

You must understand that every false objection hides either a true objection or a real condition that does not allow you to make a purchase (exactly what you talked about at the beginning of the lesson). Based on this, in order to learn how to identify and work through false objections, you mainly need to gain experience and analyze each specific situation.

But whether you have experience or not, remember that you should not give an answer to a false objection, otherwise you will simply waste time and, most likely, will not spend it at all on closing the deal.

Another caveat is that most false objections are failures to establish the customer's needs or flaws in the presentation of the product. So if different clients keep telling you the same thing, it makes sense to reconsider your approach to the rest of the sales cycle.

So how do you deal with false objections?

The task of working through false objections is to bring the client “to the surface,” i.e. find out the real objection. For this reason, methods of working with false objections are not standard, and they must be used based on the characteristics of the current situation (if necessary, it may be necessary to use combinations of techniques).

The main techniques for dealing with false objections are the following:

Simply ignore the false objection. For example, you were told “I need to think,” and you continue your story, following all stages of the sales cycle, right up to the completion of the deal.
Attune the client to sincerity. In response to the client’s objection, you say something like: “Well, is this a reason to refuse such a purchase?! Better tell us what really worries you.” But look at the situation: speak softly and unobtrusively, trying to be tactful and careful in communication.
Summarize benefits. You once again list all the advantages of your product and tell the client about the benefits for him. You can say, for example, this: “Judge for yourself: by buying this product, you acquire guaranteed quality, save on service, and get so many joyful emotions from the new gadget and using it! And you say it’s expensive?!”
You ask a limiting question. Ask the client if this is the only reason preventing him from buying the product? Will he agree to the deal if this problem is fixed?

Dealing with false objections is much easier and faster than with true ones, because, as we said, they are almost always just empty words spoken automatically so that you do not invade the client’s personal space. It is much more important to learn to identify them. So practice and gain experience.

Dealing with objections is often called fighting them. But the concept of “struggle” is completely out of place here, because, we repeat once again, there is no need to fight objections. The stage of overcoming psychological barriers in the client’s mind is a natural part of selling, through which a manager grows personally and professionally. Without difficulty, as they say, you can’t pull a fish out of the pond, much less sell it to a spoiled gourmet. And even when for some reason you cannot work out everything “against” your client, you must make an extra effort and try to close the deal. Remember, the more “No” you overcome, the faster they will start saying “Yes” to you.

In the next lesson we will talk about another serious topic: we will talk about what sales management is and what the principles of this process are; Let's talk about sales management strategy. We will also briefly touch on the sales department, tools and methods of sales management. Even if you do not intend to become a manager, this information will be very useful for you, as a manager, because... will point out many subtleties of the trade sphere that we have not yet mentioned.

Successful cold calling: rules and recommendations

Successful calls are the key to good sales. It can be difficult to get such a result. The rules for making successful cold calls will help you with this:

Call often and a lot. There is a rule of “8 calls”. Its essence: in order for a person to be remembered, it is necessary to make at least 8 calls. The level of sales directly depends on the number of calls made, so do not hesitate to be persistent.
Use scripts. This is an algorithm for working with returns. There is a script for each client behavior model. To make your work as efficient as possible, you need to know and use all the scripts.
Fix agreements. It happens that the sale did not take place, but the call is regarded as promising. People can promise and say a lot, but you need to play it safe and ask to meet to discuss the details. Another option is to write down your contact information and call back later.
Find out the reason for the refusal. Many inexperienced employees forget this. Find out what caused the refusal. Leading questions will help. Frequent reasons for refusal: high price, poor quality, expensive delivery, availability of the same or similar product. Such information will make it possible to raise your interlocutor’s objections and understand in which direction to move. If everything is done correctly, the transaction can be successfully completed.
Don't be upset by rejections. At the beginning of your career there can be many of them. This is quite normal. Such practice will become an incentive to work on yourself and improve your professional skills. With experience, the number of failures will decrease.
Stick to your work schedule. Lack of a plan and poor self-organization are the main enemy of sales managers. There must be a clear schedule where working hours are outlined literally minute by minute. You need to know in advance how long one call can last and what the breaks between them may be. The optimal work option is 50 minutes of continuous calls and 10 minutes of rest.

Follow the rules when calling clients

Advice to managers is to always monitor the work of subordinates, especially sales managers. They may perform their duties poorly due to poor competence, lack of experience or knowledge. It is necessary to make a list of the main problems and discuss them with employees

It is important to create a table describing the criteria for assessing the quality of negotiations. This will allow you to objectively evaluate the work of staff

The main components of cold calling

Handling objections in sales involves making a good first impression. No need to be intrusive. Attention is paid to timbre, intonation and pitch of the voice. It happens that such little things do not allow us to continue the conversation.

The client notices immediately if the employee is worried. Therefore, the text of the script needs to sound confident.

The first impression is formed within 3 minutes. Start with a sincere and friendly greeting, even if it's your hundredth call that day. Introduce yourself and name what company you represent.

Be sure to explain the purpose of the call. Tell us where you got your contact information from. The main sources are a previously established agreement, a call based on a recommendation, an application from the same client, etc.

Immediately inform about the timing, that is, the time limit and ask not to interrupt. This will save time for the manager and the client. Try to close the deal. If refused, ask the client why. Establish other agreements (as required by the potential buyer) and follow them.

Use guiding questions to find out:

whether the person is familiar with the company’s products;
is he interested in her?
does he own sufficient funds?

If all the answers are yes, you should continue the conversation. Otherwise, you need to think about whether the deal will be successful; wasting time on empty talk is irrational.

Addressee's objection

Even if you manage to get through the secretary, there is no guarantee of successful communication with the manager. When communicating with the consumer of a product, you should unobtrusively but convincingly show the value of the product and its advantages over the one already in use. Most of the calls will be to companies that are already collaborating with someone.

Call example:

Good morning! My name is Ivan, organization…. I would like to offer you cooperation regarding provider services.
Thank you, Ivan, but we are working with another company, we are happy with everything.
This is good, but I suggest conducting a comparative analysis to determine the material benefits and quality of services. I offer to use our services for free to determine the benefits.
I don’t know, Ivan, whether it’s worth changing anything. We are satisfied.
Let's meet in person so I can show you the benefits of cooperation. Who refuses significant savings in the current situation? Is it convenient for you tomorrow before lunch or better after?
I'm very busy, I can't spare even a minute.
Our meeting will not be long. Maybe today at 20.00?
Okay, let's talk today at 19.45 for 15 minutes.

Conducting a conversation is much easier if preparations are developed and various situations are worked out. To do this, they use scripts that make the conversation more efficient and faster. When used, the conversion of cold calls increases.

Preparation

Cold calling actions will depend on the availability of the following information:

the name and position of the person concerned is known;
Only the position is known, but the full name is not;
there is no information about the name and position.

The first option is the simplest and does not require detailed consideration. In the second and third cases, it is necessary to collect the maximum amount of information about the person: his full name, the correct job title. You can find the data on the Internet or ask a company employee:

"Good morning! Tell me the name of the director, it is necessary for the service agreement.”
"Good afternoon. Please contact the sales department." There are no secretaries in the sales department; there are only salespeople who work there and have the necessary information.
“Tell me the director’s middle name. What is the correct spelling of his last name? We need to draw up an agreement."

You can find the manager’s details on the official website, “contacts”, etc. You should not ignore this method of obtaining information. You can also use search engines to enter your company and position or full name.

After searching for your full name, you can start calling with “Good morning, please connect with Petr Petrovich Sidorov.” A clear, confident and clear message will allow you to get into the “friends” group, since the caller already knows exactly who he needs. Predicting the further development of the conversation is problematic, but influencing it is quite possible.

How to Increase Telesales Conversion

First, remove all the minor flaws that play against you:

For incoming calls, managers must answer immediately, without delay, and the phone must always be working. If you don't pick up the phone in time, there's a good chance the customer's next call will be to a competing company.
Minimize the number of unsuccessful calls when clients don’t get through.
The voice of the manager answering the call should be invariably friendly, and great importance should be given to the welcoming phrase that potential clients hear first.
The manager must have absolutely complete knowledge of the product. The option: “Wait, I’ll find out from my colleague now” will definitely not add trust to the manager and the company as a whole.
If the manager promised to perform some action after a conversation with the client, for example, send a price list by email, this must be done immediately.

Closing will push the deal

Most people don't want or like to make decisions because they come with responsibility. But there are some psychological tricks that make making a decision much easier. For example, it is known that the answer and solution appear in your head before you think about it. Therefore, a timely question asked can become a driver for making a decision.

Business coach Evgeniy Zhigiliy calls “closing” the action of the seller, which helps push the client to make a decision. “Closing” is a driver question that encourages the client to make a decision.

Evgeniy Zhigiliy divides all closing options into soft and hard.

An example of a script for a typical objection “I’ll call you back myself”

I am sure that you have many important things to do every day. Therefore, you better tell me when - and I will call you on that day. At your convenience?
Most likely, in this case you will end up with the secretary. And I would like to communicate with you myself in the future. You don't mind, do you? … Thank you. When is the best time for me to call you back?
My job involves talking on the phone. When you call, the line may be busy. Let's set a date for the next conversation, and I'll call you back myself. Fine? When is it convenient?