BY Jessica Helinski
No matter what a sale rep is selling, they will, at some point, face an objection from the buyer. It is up to the sales rep to know how to overcome objections in sales and handle those objections in a professional manner that will move the sales process forward. Unfortunately, as HubSpot’s Leslie Ye points out, sales reps do not always handle objections well. “Some reps argue with their prospects or try to pressure them into backing down, but this isn't true objection handling,” she explains. “Prospects typically end up more convinced than ever of their position; worse, salespeople lose the trust and rapport they've built up.”
So, what should do you do when faced with an objection during the sales process? Ye has plenty of strategies on how to overcome objections in sales. Below are just a few of them.
How to Overcome Objections in Sales
Repeat the Objection
How to overcome objections in sales includes understanding the hesitation your prospect is facing. Make sure that you are clear on the specific objection stated by the prospect by immediately repeating the concern back to them. This also helps the buyer feel heard and understood since they will be able to clarify their meaning. It also gives you the opportunity to learn more about the objection if the prospect decides to give you more detail when they confirm or deny the objection when it is repeated to them.
Validate the Concerns
“After you have confirmed you understand where your prospect is coming from, continue building trust by empathizing with your prospect, and validating their point of view,” Ye writes.
For example, if you are selling an alarm system and the prospect is concerned about implementing it, you could say, "I understand integrating a new security system can feel like a daunting task. Thankfully, we have an incredible, experienced team that can make it a seamless transition for you."
You are not dismissing the prospect's concern. You are showing understanding of that concern and empathy for their mindset. You are also presenting information that can mitigate those concerns.
These are only two of the many suggestions Ye shares on how to overcome objections in sales. She also breaks the strategies down by objection type, such as money-related, objections about the competition, and worries about the need and fit of your product or service in their company. She also offers advice on how to deal with objections that truly are brush-offs. Like she points out, sales objections are inevitable. “But,” she explains, “as long as you're familiar with common objections and equipped to answer them, you'll be able to distinguish between prospects who have the potential to be good customers and prospects with whom you need to part ways.”