Get More
Clients By Learning To Overcome These Top Five Objections
by Adam Urbanski
When five years ago I
was faced with having to sell my services for the first time I was
terrified. I hated asking for the sale. I dreaded the part where my
potential clients inevitably came up with objections why they couldn’t
use my services.
I’ve since learned that
lack of objections is not necessarily a good thing. In fact, I now
welcome it when prospects tell me “why they can’t”.
Frankly, when a potential
client shares his reasons why he or she hesitates to take advantage of
my offer, to me it’s a sign of two things; one – they are interested in
my services, and two – I’m getting closer to closing the deal.
But many professionals
find “overcoming” objections and “closing” the deal stressful,
unpleasant and “pushy”. If that’s you I want to share with you two
lessons that helped me develop a different mindset around this.
First, a “no” doesn’t
always mean “no”. Mostly it simply “not now” or “I don’t have enough
information to say yes.”
Second, you can’t
“overcome” your prospect’s objections – but you can give them
information and tools that allow them to make a new decision.
If you too experience
anxiety around “closing sales” here are my favorite responses to the
top five objections your prospective clients are likely to raise.
OBJECTION #1: I HAVE
TO THINK ABOUT IT
--> "I don't blame you.
Hiring a <coach, consultant, trainer, copywriter, therapist, etc.> can
be a big decision. Can you share with me what specific aspect of my
services you are concerned about?”
--> “Yes, I can see how
this can be a big decision. You know I found that typically my clients
are initially concerned with one of the three things: is the problem
important enough to solve it now, is this the right solution for your
situation, can you afford the solution? Which one of those concerns you
the most?”
--> “Hmmm... I see. Let
me ask you… Let’s say we get started on this project – what are the
downsides?”
OBJECTION #2: I HAVE
TO TALK TO MY PARTNER ABOUT IT
--> ”Great. What kinds of
questions do you think they might they ask?”
--> “Good idea. I always
discuss decisions like this with my partner (or spouse). But let me ask
you a question – what will you do when your partner doesn’t like the
idea of us moving forward with this?"
OBJECTION #3: IT'S TOO
EXPENSIVE
--> “Expensive comparing
to what?”
--> “Yes, it’s a sold
investment. I tell you what - I know this is only worthwhile if you
produce solid results, right? What's the one result you would want to be
absolutely sure we could produce in the next <month, 90 days, six
months> that would have you really happy you hired me? … Great- why
don't we make this our top priority and get started right away?”
--> “Not really. How does
this price compare to what it’s costing you to do nothing about this
problem?”
--> “Frankly, that’s
exactly why you need me.”
OBJECTION #4: I SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DO IT ON MY OWN
--> “Hmmmm…how long have
you been dealing with this issue? If you haven’t solved it on your own
so far what makes you think you can do it now?”
--> “Yes, I suppose you
could. But let me ask you something – when was the last time you saw
(heard) of a heart surgeon performing an open heart surgery on himself?
--> “With all the
respect…I must disagree. If you thought you could solve this problem on
your own we wouldn’t be talking right now. Tell me, how would things be
different if you could rely on an unbiased opinion to give you a fresh
perspective of this problem?”
OBJECTION #5: I DON'T
HAVE THE TIME RIGHT NOW
--> “Yes, it will take
some time to address this issue. How much more time per week could you
devote to other, revenue-generating activities if you could eliminate
dealing with this problem on ongoing bases?
--> “That’s funny; you
just told me it takes you 10 hours a week to deal with this problem –
wouldn’t it make sense to hire someone like myself and solve it so that
you can use your time on more productive tasks?”
--> “Wow, if you are that
busy and you are still not getting the results you want perhaps it would
make sense to start the project by helping you better prioritize your
activities and leverage your time more effectively?”
These are only a few
examples of responses I found helpful in getting to a “yes” in
negotiating a sale. Rather than trying to memorize those specific
sentences learn the underlying concept.
On objection is a
cover for a deeper concern. By voicing it your prospect gives you an
opportunity to address it and provide information to eliminate it. So
quit trying to prove your point and instead ask thought provoking
questions. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcomes ;-)
(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Urbanski, the Marketing Mentor, helps Independent Service
Professionals and Small Business Owners attract more clients. For more
promotional tips and a FREE 32-page marketing guide go to
http://www.themarketingmentors.com
NOTE:
Are you looking for fresh content for your ezine or web site? You’re
welcome to reprint this article as long as it's kept intact and unaltered
(including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your
reprint to
adam@themarketingmentors.com
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