Making sales calls isn’t always easy these days, but developing a positive attitude towards the variety of objections that will no doubt come your way can only benefit you and make you a better sales person. Being able to turn an objection into a chance for you to ask questions and learn more about your potential customer can often mean the opportunity to make a sale.
Here are some of the most common responses to sales calls and suggestions on how to overcome them, starting with the old classic, “Is this a sales call?”
This response is a regular one, especially when calling a potential client and reaching a secretary or receptionist. Remember, their job is to stand as a sort of invisible barrier to the decision maker and they will often do it very well. But this doesn’t mean that you should be discouraged. The secret here is to be truthful. If you are making a sales call, then simply admit it. Likewise if you are fact finding, introduce yourself and say you are looking to find out a bit more about the company or person you were hoping to reach. Sales calls are often a chance to build a relationship with your client and the more you know about them and their company the better. If you believe that their business would benefit from the products or services you are offering, make that clear and ask to make an appointment with a decision maker.
Another objection is, “We currently use someone else”. Don’t be dismayed, just because they already have a supplier doesn’t mean they are happy with their services or that you can’t offer them a better deal. People and businesses change service providers or suppliers all the time for a number of reasons. In this case, show you understand that they are already using these services but that you may be able to offer them something better, such as saving them money or providing a number of new features.
Likewise, the objection, “I’m happy with my supplier”, brings about a similar response. Again, let them know you will be able to give them the best information to make an informed decision. Start by saying something like, “A number of people I have spoken to today were also happy until they heard just what we could do for them”.
If you are targeting department heads who hold a budget, you will probably have heard the classic, “I don’t have any budget right now”. This objection can put many sales callers off – after all what good is it if there is no budget left to buy your services or products. However, this can often be a white lie in an attempt to avoid sales calls, so do persevere. Try to make it clear that even if that’s the case, you would still love to come in and show them exactly what your company can do for them. At best, the no-budget line was a fabrication and there is potential there to make a sale. At worst, the client likes the look of your products or services and will make a point of securing budget when it is available.
For any negative objections, try to look for a way to turn it to your advantage. For example, if you get the often-heard, “You’ve let us down in the past” or “We’ve had a bad experience with you”, then don’t panic. The secret here is to put yourself in the position of the client and acknowledge and apologise for their experience regardless of whether it happened before you joined the company. Something along the lines of, “I know there has been some problems in the past but these are all sorted out now”, can work wonders. Talking about how the products or services have changed and highlighting the new features and benefits could also restore faith. See this as a chance to build relationships. Ask exactly what happened in the past so you can be aware of any problems and get them sorted out.
Whatever objections you encounter over the phone, remember that the way you handle yourself will say a lot about you and your company. Never argue or get confrontational with a client. Use these situations as a chance to better understand your buyer and where he’s coming from.
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