Categories of Objections

Most objections that salespeople encounter fall into six categories. Know how you will handle each situation before it occurs. Knowing in advance how you handle these objections will help you become a better salesperson by improving your image as a problem solver. We are going to explore the four most common objections.

Stalling Objection

Click here to view a video on selling: Overcoming the objection "I want to think it over".

When your prospect says, “I’ll think it over”, or “I’ll be ready to buy on your next visit”, you must determine if the statement is the truth or if it is a smoke screen designed to get rid of you. The stalling objection is a common tactic.

What you discovered in developing your customer profile and customer benefit plan can aid you in determining how to handle this type of objection.

You have forced their hand. This buyer either has to order more merchandise from you or tell you why he/she is allowing the product supply to dwindle. When the prospect says, “I’m too busy to see you now”, you might ask, “When would be a good time to come back today?”

One of the toughest stalls to overcome arises in selling a new consumer product. Retail buyers are reluctant to stock consumer goods that customers have not yet asked for, even new goods produced by large, established consumer product manufacturers. The following excerpt is from a sales call made by an experienced consumer goods salesperson on a reluctant retail buyer.

The salesperson ended the stall in this case through logical analogy. A third common stall is the alibi that your prospect must have approval from someone else, such as a boss, buying committee, buying agent, or home office. Since the buyer’s attitude toward buying your product influences the firm’s buying decision, it is important that you determine the buyer’s attitude toward your product.

When the buyer stalls by saying, “I will have to get approval from my boss”, you can counter by saying, “If you had the authority, you would go with the purchase, wouldn’t you?” If the answer is yes, chances are that the buyer will positively influence the firm’s buying decision. If not, you must uncover the real objections. Otherwise, you will not make the sale.

An additional response to the “I’ve got to think it over” stall is, “What are some of the issues you have to think about?” Or you may focus directly on the prospect’s stall by saying, “Would you share with me something that holds you back?”

Another effective response to “I have got to talk to my boss” is, “Of course you do.” What are some things that you would talk about?” This allows you to agree with the reluctant prospect. You are now on the buyer’s side. It helps encourage the buyer to talk and to trust you. This empathetic response (“Of course you do.”) puts you in the other person’s position.

As with any response to an objection, communicate a positive attitude. Do not get demanding, defensive, or hostile. Otherwise, your nonverbal expressions may signal a defensive attitude – reinforcing the prospect’s defences.

Your goal in dealing with a stall is to help prospects realistically examine reasons for and against buying now. If you are absolutely sure it is not in their best interest to buy now, tell them so. They will respect you for it. You will feel good about yourself. The next time you see these customers, they will be more trusting and open with you.

However, the main thing to remember is to not be satisfied with a false objection or a stall. Tactfully pursue the issue until you have unearthed the buyer’s true feelings about your product. If this does not work:

• Present the benefits of using your product now;
• If there is a special price deal, mention it; and
• If there is a penalty for delay, mention it. Bring out any or all of your main selling benefits and keep on selling.

No-Need Objection

The prospect says, “Sound good. I really like what you had to say, and I know you have a good product, but I am not interested now. Our present product [or supply or merchandise] works well. We will stay with it.” Standing up to conclude the interview, the prospect says, “Thanks very much for coming by.” This type of objection can disarm an unwary salesperson.

The no-need objection is used widely because it politely gets rid of the salesperson. Some salespeople encourage it by making a poor sales presentation. They allow prospects to sit and listen to a sales pitch without motivating them to take part by showing true concern and asking questions. Therefore, when the presentation is over, prospects can say quickly, “Sounds good, but…” In essence, they say no, making it difficult for the salesperson to continue the call. While not always a valid objection, the no-need response strongly implies the end of a sales call.

The no-need objection is especially tricky because it may also include a hidden objection and/or a stall. If your presentation was a solo performance or a monologue, your prospect might be indifferent to you and your product, having tuned out halfway through the second act. Apart from departing with a “Thanks for your time”, you might resurrect your presentation by asking questions.

Hidden Objection

Prospects that ask trivial, unimportant questions or conceal their feelings beneath a veil of silence have hidden objections. They do not discuss their true objections to a product because they may feel that they are not your business, they are afraid objections will offend you or they may not feel your sales call is worthy of full attention.

Such prospects may have a polite conversation with you without revealing their true feelings. You must ask questions and carefully listen to know which questions to ask to reveal their real objections to your product. Learning how to determine what questions to ask a prospect and how to ask them are skills developed by conscious effort over time. Your ability to ask probing questions improves with each sales call if you try to develop this ability.

Smoke Out Hidden Objections

With prospects who are unwilling to discuss their objections or who may not know why they are reluctant to buy, be prepared to smoke out objections by asking questions. Do what you can to reveal the objections. Consider the following questions:

• What would it take to convince you?
• What causes you to say that?
• Let us consider this, suppose my product would (do what prospect wants)… then you would want to consider it, wouldn’t you?
• Tell me, what is really on your mind?

Uncovering hidden objections is not always easy. Observe the prospect’s tone of voice, facial expressions, and physical movements. Pay close attention to what the prospect is saying.

You may have to read between the lines occasionally to find the buyer’s true objections. All these factors will help you discover whether objections are real or simply an excuse to cover a hidden objection.

Prospects may not know consciously what their real objections are. Sometimes they claim that the price of a product is too high. They may be reluctant to spend money on anything. If you try to show that your price is competitive, the real objection remains unanswered and no sale results. Remember, you cannot convince anyone to buy until you understand what a prospect needs to be convinced of.

If, after answering all apparent questions, the prospect is still not sold, you might subtly attempt to uncover the hidden objection. You might ask the prospect what the real objection is. Direct inquiry should be used as a last resort because it indirectly may amount to calling the prospect a liar, but if it is used carefully, it may enable the salesperson to reveal the prospect’s true objection. Smoking out hidden objections is an art form developed over time by skillful salespeople. Its successful use can increase sales. This approach should be used carefully, but if it enables the salesperson to uncover a hidden objection, then it has served its purpose.