How to Respond to Objections in Business

Sales objection is any concern a buyer raises in respect to buying your goods or services.

Objections are part of sales. Virtually every prospect you talk to has one thing or the other to say. Most are valid and some are not.

Objections can come in any form as different people always have different things to say. But there are some objections that are already common and seems to be mostly encountered in sales.

Objection handling is responding to objections in a way that alleviates and solves the concerns of the buyer. This will enable the conversation push forward and leading to close of the deal.

Handling objections should not be done forcefully or by pressurizing the prospect but in a way that seems to authoritatively provide solutions to the objections.

Importance of handling objections

Leaving an objection unattended is like putting furniture in a house without roofing. At the end, the house is left uncompleted and useless.

The more you let an objection sink, the stronger it gets to address it and convince your prospect.

Attending to objections will increase your chances of closing a deal.

How to handle an objection

Handling objections is a natural unavoidable part of sales. If you can not handle objections, then you probably won’t be able to close any sale.

Here are some tips on how you can handle objection.

1. Doing a background analysis on your prospect

A background check can help you know beforehand some likely objections you will face. Some of this analysis can include:

• What problems is the company/individual facing?
• What led to seeking your product/services?
• What issue have they encountered in the past with a similar product like yours?
• Their financial budget regarding the price of your product.

2. Treating your clients/prospects with empathy

Treating your clients with empathy is a good way to handle objection. Showing them that you actually care for their needs will help them trust you enough to buy.

When they raise legitimate objections, be sure to affirm them and show you care about their concerns and you want the best for them.

When you approach a prospect’s objection with empathy, you are sure to win them over.

3. Understanding the mindset of your prospect

This a good way to determine how to respond to an objection. Most objections are valid, while some is just a nice way of letting you know they are not interested.

If you realize that a prospect is not interested in your product/services, the best is to let them go and move on to the next person. You can not force a product on someone.

Reading their body language is also a good way to determine what they are trying to point out to you.

To understand your prospect, you need to listen to them.

4. Asking open-ended questions

Open-ended questions that are thoughtful can help you better understand your prospect. Avoid asking “yes or no” questions and normalize asking questions that prompts a response from them. Ask questions that will help them air their thoughts and better understand you.

Try as much as possible to keep the conversation going and heading to closure of sales. Some examples of those questions can be:

“What do you think?”, “what would you do in my position?”, “does that work for you?” “Is there any particular reason you do not want X or Y?”

5. Using the LAER method

A very good and effective method of handling objections is the LAER method.  Acronym for Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond. This method is also known as the bonding method.

When faced with an objection, the first thing to do is to listen. Listen attentively as there are points you can pick up from the objection. You might also find loopholes that suggests the motive behind the objection raised.

The next thing to do is to acknowledge the objections. This will let the prospect see that you care about their needs. Even if you notice that what the motive of the objection is, acknowledge it first before responding.

You can do that by simply nodding in the affirmative or repeating the objection before you respond.

The next thing to do is explore the objections raised. Do this by asking thoughtful questions to be certain of the objection and pin point the motive so as to make a good response.

The final thing to do is to respond to the questions by providing a recommendation, an alternative, a solution, providing additional information or laying off a wrong claim with proofs.

Examples of common objections and how to respond.

1. “It’s too expensive”

How to respond:

Show how your product/services solves a problem that’s worth spending on.

 

2. “I am happy with (competitor)”

How to respond:

The good news is that they need your product/services. Make sure you show them why you are the best option or what you can do better.

 

3. “I am not interested”

How to respond:

Maybe you caught them at a wrong time, so what you can do now is to position yourself for the future.

Respond with “when next you need this product/services, can I be the first person you contact?” also ask “what will have to happen before you need my product/services?”

write down the response for when you will follow up. Also ask for referrals to someone they know that might need your product/services.

 

4. “I will get back to you”

How to respond:

“Usually, when I hear I will get back to you, I never hear from them again. What would it take for you and I to do business today?” or “you are just trying to be polite; you don’t want to reject me. Tell me exactly what’s going on. Is it the product or money or price? What don’t you like?

 

5. “I have not heard of your company”

How to respond:

Treat this as a request for information. Give a summarized information about your company. Make sure to add legal certifications and show proof.

 

6. “I have heard complaints about your business”

How to respond:

If the information is false, clarify the prospect and give more accurate information. If its true, admit and show you have improved on that aspect and that goes to show that your business is always improving and listens to reviews

In conclusion

The best way to master handling objections is through experience as the more you meet different people, the more you meet different objections. There is no formula to fit any and every objection. Understanding the reason for the objection can help you have a good response or make informed decision.