NFIB

Overcoming Objections in Sales, Part II
03/ 22/ 2002

Salespeople constantly face resistance to the entire sales process. Learning to overcome that resistance is the key to a successful sales career. In the second of a two-part series, Jeffrey Moses lists five main reasons why a customer may object to a sale.

1. Inertia is a problem because undertaking something new requires time and energy-- two things most people have in short supply. To address customer inertia, a salesperson has to make the process seem as easy as possible. If a new piece of equipment is going to be delivered, the salesperson should take care of everything and have a service technician on the spot to make sure that the customer doesn't have to lift a finger.

2. Some people fear they'll look foolish if the new product or service doesn't work. Many purchase agents, managers and owners would rather say no to a sale, or simply stick with the status quo, than risk looking bad. To overcome this type of objection, a salesperson has to show the customer how the potential for looking good outweighs the risk of looking bad. This can be one of the most difficult types of objections to overcome.

3. Some customers may have confusion in their personal lives that makes it hard to close a sale that involves a difficult or lengthy decision. Unfortunately, it's often hard for a salesperson to uncover this type of objection, especially during a single sales presentation, and overcoming this obstacle involves a heightened level of personal interaction and trust between the customer and salesperson.

4. Dissatisfaction with the salesperson on a personal level is sometimes a problem. It's surprising how many sales pitches fall flat because the salesperson got off on the wrong foot with the customer. When a sales pitch seems to be going in circles, the salesperson should think about calling in an associate to work with the customer.

5. Many people find making decision difficult. When you have a customer who continually needs more facts, another brochure, more testimonials or more time to think about it, you may be involved with a person who wants to buy but cannot commit to a decision. Veteran salespeople will tell you that such a person sometimes can be closed by a variation of "assuming the sale," but often it's best to simply ask the person if there is someone else you can speak with about completing the sale. Consider bringing a second party into the decision process, which will take the person off the hook and move the sale forward.

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