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The toughest part of any sales job is overcoming a buyer's objections. Don’t take no for an answer. Here are some rebuttal techniques to common sales objections.
Today’s buyers are more discerning than ever. As many experienced salespeople know, most sales conversations are met with at least one objection. In this situation, the important thing is to keep the conversation going, cement your place as a trusted partner in your customers’ success, and continue moving towards a sale. To do this, you need strategies to resolve the objection.
We've gathered the most common sales objections – budget, authority, need, timeliness and value – and provided steps on how to use each as an opportunity to build a relationship with your potential customer, so that you can eventually convert them.
Rebuttal strategy: demonstrate the unique value of your product.
Regardless of who your customer is, pricing is one of the most prevalent objections to a sale. For many sales professionals, the knee-jerk reaction is to immediately offer a lower price. However, this approach is risky and raises questions about the quality of your product or service.
Instead, show the unique value of your product or service – make it worth the investment. Provide specific examples of how the product will solve a problem that the particular customer is experiencing - this is also an excellent way to show the customer that you understand their challenges and are focused on helping them overcome them.
Rebuttal strategy: identify the customer's concern and address that specific issue.
Having a customer tell you they need to consult their manager before making a decision can seem like a dismissal. Even more so if they’ve outright rejected your proposal with, “My manager says, no, thank you”.
Always respect their position, but look at this objection as an opportunity to get the decision makers in the room. Rather than agreeing to wait for a phone call, keep the process moving by setting up a joint meeting with all parties or transitioning the sale to the final decision maker altogether, and build a relationship with them.
Rebuttal strategy: take the time to describe the overarching problem you’re solving or opportunity.
Complacency or a fear of change can lead many buyers to dismiss a product before they’ve learned what it can do for them and their business. So, if a potential customer seems ill-informed, you’ll need to take the time to describe the overarching problem or opportunity in depth.
If you can, use examples of their competitors who’ve made recent changes that are similar to the one you’re suggesting. Fear of change is a natural reaction, so you’ll need to calm the customer’s concern by showing examples of positive change within the client’s industry to provide reassurance.
Rebuttal strategy: demonstrate why it's best to make the purchase now.
Every salesperson has heard this one. In this case, you have to make it compelling for them to buy right now. Tell them why they’ll regret passing up the opportunity. You can do this by simplifying the buying process in some way – so that it doesn’t take up too much of their time and energy – or laying out attractive terms that come with an expiry. Make it clear that waiting until a quiet time will mean they miss out on a great opportunity.
Then there’s the, “Now’s not a good time, call me later” objection. Again, the best approach is to simplify the sales process and address a current business problem. But, before jumping into that conversation, be sure to ascertain whether you’re simply calling at a bad time, or if there’s an actual business problem overloading the customer.
If it’s a bad time, find a better time to call. If it's a business problem you can solve that’s getting in the way, you have the information you need to show how your product will make the customer’s life easier.
Rebuttal strategy: introduce specific perks, guarantees or return policies.
This customer lacks trust in what you’re offering – you'll need to build credibility.
To create a more trustworthy relationship with the buyer, come from a place of honesty and empathy. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes, and think about what could be holding them back. Then demonstrate the value of the product, unique to their needs, and introduce benefits – such as specific features, guarantees or return policies – that can help them over the line.
As a sales professional, it’s absolutely necessary to understand and be prepared for the most common sales objections.
Knowing every detail and feature of your product or service is important, but getting down into the true core of the customer's objection is equally crucial. You can do this by respectfully asking your buyer open-ended questions that probe deeper into their motivations. With an understanding of your customer's wants and needs, combined with your offering, you’re armed to tackle any objection.
Finally, remember your goal is to make sure the potential customer knows that they can’t, or shouldn’t, live without your product or service. When it comes to the art of sales, objections are par for the course. But as long as your product or service is the right solution, most objections can be overcome by building credibility and trust, and re-framing the way your buyer sees what you're selling.
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