How to Handle Objections in Sales

This past week we met up as a team to share ideas around a topic that is important to any salesperson, that topic was “How to Handle Objections in Sales”. 

From the very beginning of humanity sales in some capacity has existed and  I am sure there have been objections.  Thousands of years ago it could have been like “Hi, did you want to buy some of my freshly caught fish?”  The objection from the prospective buyer could have been like “Well, how long ago did you buy it and are they salt water fish”?  See nothing is easy in sales. 

For this discussion we delved into objections and how we handle them while selling VA Partners and then some of the objections we have received for clients.  I will wrap up then with a few general tips.

For VA Partners we receive a few core objections including:

  1. We are hiring full-time vs part-time
    1. Our answer for this is typically that if you can afford a full-time person, then that is the best option.  However if you cannot afford that and don’t have the management experience to oversee and build a sales team, then starting with VA Partners could be a good fit as we can provide sales strategy, infrastructure, management and outbound efforts.
  2. We are low on budget.  Can you do 100% commissions?
    1. We answer this simply with the reply that we are not in the business of financing businesses is such a manner.  B2B sales efforts takes 6 to 18 months in many cases and we are not built to manage that length of time and the risk level involved where we have no control over a product, service or how they are delivered.

For a client of ours called AssetFlo, as asset tracking solution, a core objection has been:

  • We already have a solution in place.
    • This objection is handled by discussing potential price savings and additional features AssetFlo provides over other products.  A “more for less” pitch.  This pitch is used to book the meeting.  Tied to this, we built an email to follow up with interested parties that outlined in more detail why AssetFlo is different.

For a client of ours call Borrum, a Canadian wind energy solutions provider, a core objection when selling to resellers has been:

  • Wind is costly.
    • We answer this but suggesting that rather than cost, return on investment is a better measure of potential for wind.  Solar are wind when you look at efficiency measures are very similar from a cost perspective and actually if wind conditions are good, you cost to kilowatt hour is lower.

For another client of ours, called Nelcos, a distributor or Hyundai’s architectural film, one of the main objections is:

  • We are using 3M’s DiNoc film.
    • We answer this by explaining that Hyundai’s product is at the same quality level and 40% less costly.  This often gets their attention and leveraging Hyundai’s brand recognition does help.

Some of the Objection Handling tips that we discussed as a team that might be helpful to you include: 

  • Practice your objection handling.  Have a list built of the main objections prospects often give and develop answers accordingly.  Then practice responding to them.  Then as you do more and more sales outreach and additional objections come up, add to your growing list.  
  • Discuss price early on.  In some cases, at least for VA Partners, this price discussion early on in the conversation does help to filter out those prospects that do not have funding for sales efforts.
  • If you do not understand an objection, dig further into it.  Don’t just acknowledge it.  Probe.  In some cases, a perceived objection could actually turn out to be nothing or even an entry point for the sale.
  • Recognizing that objections can change over time.  An objection today like “we are not considering using that product in our building specs”, can change over time as perhaps design needs and budgets change.
  • If after a conversation with a prospect and your solution is not a fit, admit it, be honest and bow out.
  • Always be honest and genuine in your responses.  Don’t oversell and be careful to not misset expectations.
  • If during the discussion, you do not know an answer to a question, then acknowledge that and tell the prospect you will get back to them.

Good luck with your sales efforts.  Happy Hunting!

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How to Handle Objections in Sales