6 Ways to Handle Objections

By Brad Huisken -- JCK Online, 2/1/2006 2:00:00 AM

There are two kinds of objections: stalls, which may or may not be true, and specifics, which probably are true. If you get a specific objection, ask more questions and then demonstrate again and re-close. A price objection may be to the perceived value or might be a budget issue. Handle price objections and stalls with the following steps.

Listen to the entire objection. That lets the customer know he was heard and allows you to repeat it back verbatim as an acknowledgement.
Acknowledge the objection. Say: “I can understand you need to think about it,” or “I can appreciate that you want to look around.”
Give or get agreement. Say: “It's an important decision isn't it?”
Relive resistance. Say: “Before you go, may I ask you a quick question?”
Review information from the needs assessment. Ask: “Did you love the _______.” How did you feel about _______ [feature or benefit]?” Respond to negative comments with more questions and repeat demonstration and re-close as needed.
Address the price. If the price is acceptable, give another company story or talk about benefits of buying from your store. If price is an issue, ask: “Is the price too high (value), or is it more than you wanted to spend today (budget)?” If value is the issue, recite more features, benefits, or stories. If budget is the issue, ask: “How much did you want to spend today?” Then either show a lower-priced piece or use your finance options to make the sale.

Author Information

Author, trainer, consultant, and speaker Brad Huisken is president of IAS Training and the author of the books I'm a Salesman! Not a Ph.D. and Munchies for Salespeople: Sales Tips You Can Sink Your Teeth Into! He developed the PMSA Relationship Selling Program, the Professional Sales Management Course, The Mystery Shoppers Kit, and The Weekly Sales Training Meeting video series, as well as aptitude tests and proficiency exams for new hires, current sales staff, and sales managers. Huisken and his staff of trained professionals conduct in-house training and consulting all over North America on an ongoing basis. He also publishes a free weekly newsletter called “Sales Insight.” For a free subscription or more information, contact IAS Training at (800) 248-7703, fax (303) 936-9581, e-mail: info@iastraining.com, or visit www.iastraining.com.