4 Steps for Sales Reps to Use When Responding to Objections

BY Jessica Helinski
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Responding to objections is a challenge for sales representatives, according to recent research by SalesFuel. The Voice of the Sales Rep study found that “handling objections” is one of reps’ biggest selling weaknesses. It doesn’t bode well for sales professionals. Handling objections is crucial to moving a deal forward and getting prospects to buy into your solution. 

Shift your mindset when responding to sales objections

Salespeople hate objections and see them as an uphill battle to win a sale. But a subtle shift in thinking can make facing and overcoming objections in sales easier. Instead, consider objections in a different light and view them as opportunities.

A sales objection is an explicit expression by a buyer that a barrier exists between the current situation and what needs to be satisfied before buying from you,” Mike Schultz writes for Rain Today. “In other words, it's a clear signal that you have more work to do in the selling process."

Four steps to overcoming objections

Schultz explains a process involving four steps that can help sellers tackle common objections. Typically, all objections from the buyers are fueled by a lack of one of the critical elements in the purchase process:

  • Need
  • Urgency
  • Trust
  • Money

1. Listen

Listening is one of the most significant sales representative skills to use when engaging with a buyer. Only by giving the prospect your full attention can you hope to ever address their concerns. Additionally, while it’s natural to get defensive or want to immediately respond when they raise an issue, practice self-​restraint, and don’t let your negative emotions get in the way of hearing what they have to say. Practice active listening skills to help you listen efficiently and demonstrate to the prospect that you’re listening intently.

2. Understand

If you can’t grasp the sales objections and the concerns the prospect raises, how can you expect to overcome them? “Many objections hide underlying issues that the buyer can't or isn't ready to articulate,” Schultz explains. “Often the true issue isn't what the buyer first tells you. It's your job to get to the heart of the objection—to fully understand it and its true source. To do this, ask permission from the buyer to understand and explore the issue. From there, restate the concern as you understand it.”

3. Ask the right questions

Jeffrey Gitomer agrees. In a post for SalesFuel — he writes, “Qualifying the objection and overcoming it are of equal importance. Finding the real objection is the first order of business. Then (and only then) is successfully overcoming it and making a sale possible. You can overcome an objection perfectly, but if it isn’t the real objection, you’ll be shaking your head, wondering why the sale didn't go through. So, when you get an objection, you must qualify that it is true and the only one.”

It's where asking the right questions can really help when responding to objections. Ask open-​ended questions that encourage the buyer to go a bit deeper. You can also use questions to guide buyers who may have trouble articulating their real concerns. Check out our past advice on crafting quality questions, including questions that focus on need and layering questions.

4. Respond properly and confirm

These final steps of Schultz’s sales strategy put the knowledge you’ve gained into action. Then, devise a thoughtful, relevant response to all their shared concerns.

And once you’ve presented your official response, be sure to confirm that it actually addresses the prospect’s objection. As Schultz suggests, “Ask if the buyer is happy with your solution and explain your solution further if necessary. Sometimes you must go through a process to overcome common sales objections rather than a quick answer or a‑ha moment.”

Be sure to be completely transparent about your plan. Lastly, be honest about the timeframe if you need more time to consult with others.

Responding to objections and overcoming them doesn’t have to be a weakness. Putting this simple four-​step plan into practice makes it easier to confront the most common sales objections — and defeat them. You’ll also strengthen your relationship with the buyer along the way, which creates even more incentive for them to make a deal happen. So the next time you face an objection, reframe it as an opportunity and put this plan into action.

Photo by SHVETS production


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