There are some simple keys to moving from victim to victor and become a Master Objection handler. Step one is to understand what an objection is. Next- we need to overcome the fear of receiving objections. We help our clients actually embrace and welcome them because they are more than ready for them and know that for each objection mastered- they are that much closer to a pay check.

Objections and Conditions

Often a salesperson will confuse objections and conditions. If handled correctly an objection can be overcome and result in a sale or continue moving forward in the sales process. Conditions, however, are barriers and problems that cannot be overcome. Financial inability for one can be a condition. The prospect just doesn’t have enough money available or the qualifications necessary to acquire financing to secure your product.

By definition, an objection is a statement by your prospect that they want to know more information. The prospect is not saying no to you, rather if you can solve or handle whatever their request is or answer their question to where you satisfy and solve their need or problem. If you have effectively overcome their objection, you will close the transaction and win the sale.

A condition is a valid reason the prospect has that prevents them from moving forward. It is a total block to the sale that must be accepted by the sales rep. Conditions should be weeded out at the prequalifying stage. A master objection handler will walk away from conditions and not overspend in time, effort and energy trying to overcome the condition. They know a condition cannot be overcome.

Overcoming the Fear of Receiving Objections

Some sales reps cringe at the word “objection”. Their palms get sweaty just thinking about the “O” word. If that describes you and if you would like to change and become a master objection handler then you need to follow the guidelines below. A master objection handler is not only ready to overcome an objection but eagerly anticipates them.

Guidelines for Overcoming Fear or Receiving Objections

1. Objections are not “no”, just a request for more information or clarification.
2. If prepared in advance, objections can be easily overcome.
3. If you successfully overcome an objection, you are one step closer to a sale.
4. If you don’t master objection handling, many sales will be lost as a result.

Preparing in Advance for Objections

Every industry/product/service has objections unique to them and there are common objections that transcend or cross over many or all professions. For example: “I want to think it over” is common to every rep. “Your price is high” is another common objection. The point is you probably know by heart the ten or so most common objections you will encounter in your sales cycle. The question is have you or your company taken the time to review each objection and come up with a strategic response that will allow you to prepare in advance and successfully overcome the objection each time it arises?

In my next blog I will discuss the best techniques to overcoming objections. Please contact us today if you want to learn more about how to master objections and win more sales.

Please contact me today.

After you receive objection upon objection and the typical stalls like: “I need to think about it” or “This is more than I have budgeted” or “I am going to stick with my current provider” or “I need to run this by my spouse/partner”; discouragement and self pity take over and you begin searching the depleted want ads looking for a JOB figuring minimum wage is better than all the wasted time with no check on the back end.

Before you throw in the towel and blame the prospect for “wasting your time” or begin feeling sorry for yourself- let’s examine the scenario.  First of all, when a sale fails- it is your fault – not your prospect’s fault.  Second, tenacious follow up is admirable and a necessary component for sales success- but does not guarantee a sale.  Third- we miss sales because we miss steps and usually have a marginal if any sales process to follow.

Before we can diagnose what caused the death of this sale and why the present failed we need to review the process.  The key steps in the sales process are:

1-      Building Instant Rapport: at the Initial Call in 10 seconds or less
2-      Prequalifying:  hard to sell easy- asking key questions about the
Individual/Company, Need/Pain, Interest/Desire, Motivation and Ability
3-      Delivering a Dynamic 6 Step Presentation: with key mini bridge closing questions
that lead to the ultimate-“Yes”
4-      Mastering Objections: getting to the bottom line objection
5-      Closing and winning the Sale

Since you were able to set a presentation- my guess is you built enough rapport and value with your follow up to earn the right to take your prospects time.  Unfortunately- sometimes that time is given just to get the chance to say “no” to you so you will go away.  In this case – the sale began to fail at the prequel.  Typically- we don’t ask enough
questions or the tough questions to determine if this person qualifies to take your time. (That’s right!- You need to talk to more people to say no to more people- this puts you in a position of abundance!) Asking key questions on ability- or interest in doing business with you- how deep their relationship is with their current provider could have determined whether taking the extra time to present would generate a sale.  Or if those objections could be handled in the prequel – or better yet addressed in the presentation; either way you are increasing the likelihood of a conversion.  It is imperative prior to presenting that you know your prospect has: problems you can solve, an interest in solving them, the motivation to solve them now, and the ability to invest in them self.  Presenting to all key decision makers and getting an “up front contract” prior to the presentation increases the likelihood the sale is yours.

The other reason this sale failed at the present is you failed to deliver a 6 step dynamic presentation that led to the ultimate “Yes.”  Here’s what I mean by a 6 step dynamic presentation:

1-      INFORM
2-      EDUCATE
3-      INSPIRE
4-      COMPARE
5-      PERSUADE
6-      MOTIVATE

Inserting the key mini- bridge closing questions between each step identifies all objections and allows you to handle them all prior to the sales ask.  The goal of the 6 step dynamic presentation is:

 ·Deliver key content in the right order
 ·Build value
 ·Offset commodity consumer mindset
 ·Address all objections before the final ask
 ·Show you are the right company/rep
 ·Eliminate your competition
 ·Remove all risk to the prospect
 ·Lead to the ultimate “Yes”.

If you followed these steps, you either would have flushed out the objections/conditions at the pre-qual and didn’t set the present (saved time) or would have addressed and overcome by being better prepared and delivered appropriately.  If all these steps are
taken and the sale still fails – you either missed a step or mis-managed the objections you encountered.  I will talk about that on the next blog.  If you want to learn more about the specifics within the 6 steps including the key mini bridge questions, simply click on the links below:

6 Steps to Delivering a Dynamic Presentation

Mini Bridge Closing Questions

This chronic curse and poisonous well that too many draw from is over spending in lead generation products.  I am not saying all lead generation products and services are bad or unnecessary.  But for a vast majority- it is perceived as an easy way to grow business and eliminate the dreaded discipline of daily prospecting.  Let’s face it- the more incoming leads you have to work with could mean an increase in business. 

The real issue is lead conversion.  What happens once you are in front of your lead is more important than getting a lead in front of you.  The bottom line is leads are all around you- waiting for you to intentionally reach out to them with a valid reason for your call.  The best news is – these leads cost you nothing. 

Once in front of them, you need to effectively:

• Build Instant Rapport in 10 seconds or less
• Prequalify hard to sell easy
• Deliver a 6 step Dynamic presentation that leads to the ultimate conclusion (Yes!)
• Master any objections you may encounter
• Close the sale

This is your sales process.  Having a bullet proof sales process you take your prospect through once you are in front of them dramatically increases your conversion ratios.  If your process is not in place – contact us today so you can learn more about how we can get your ratios up immediately.

Core Selling Skills Overview Video

Hey Tim, why are you asking this?  Great question, here’s why.

Right now is the perfect time to reflect on 2011 and be proactive for ’12.  And, to help you with this here’s a SMART approach to get you moving.  So relax, go to a quiet place, grab your favorite beverage, and reflect on what’s happened as you plan your future.

Are you ready?  Good!!

S = SPECIFIC.  Once you’ve determined how you did this year, let’s layout your goals for 2012.  This will be 3-5 specific goals that you will accomplish.  What will your income be?  How big of an organization will you have?  What will you do with your family?  You get the idea.  What’s important to YOU?  The more specific you are the better you’ll see your objective. 

M = MEASURABLE.   This is where the rubber meets the road.  It’s not enough to say “I want to make more money.” How much will you make? Each goal must be quantifiable.  When you look at your goal(s), how will you know if you’re moving in the right direction or have achieved it?  Take a look at where you are at now and where you want to end next year at.  The difference between the two is the GAP that must be bridged.  Knowing what that is will allow us to work together and know what to do.

A = ACTION.  What are the actions steps needed to accomplish these goals?  Do you know what to do?  ARE WE ON TRACK IN ASSISTING YOU ATTAINING YOUR GOALS AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR DO WE NEED TO RAMP IT UP?  Is there anyone else that you need to get support from?  What are you willing to sacrifice or set aside on a temporary basis to allow you to accomplish these actions?

R = REASON.  First, let’s visualize it’s December 31^s 2012 and we are celebrating your victories because you’ve successfully achieved every goal you’ve set.  HOW DO YOU FEEL? Write that feeling out.  Make it so vivid that you can SEE, FEEL, HEAR, TASTE and SMELL IT.  This is awesome.  Make it that way.

Second, it’s December 31^st 2012 and you haven’t fulfilled any of your goals – OUCH.  Write out how you’d feel.  Are you OK with that?

T – TIMELINE.  Now, layout your timeline for accomplishing each goal.  Break this down by quarter, month, week and day.  This will act as your roadmap on your 2012 journey to keep you focused and on track.  And, it will allow me to assist you in maintaining that focus.

Once you’ve finished this exercise then what?  File it away? NO!!  First, put it where you can see it everyday. Carry your goals with you, share them only with those who will support your effort and encourage your success.  Send a copy to your mentor/coach.   This will allow us to be constantly checking each area so by next December we’ll be toasting your accomplishments.

My desire for you is that you have a most blessed Christmas and Holiday season and that 2012 will be your best year ever.

Be Awesome,

Coach Tim

If we are desperate to make a sale, fill a quota or qualify for a trip or bonus, our prospect may see us looking at them with dollar signs in our eyes.  We NEED them.  Whether we are doing this overtly or not, we are telegraphing that need.  The result is people feel used.

Businesses convey the same message when they talk to their producers about goals and objectives.  Asking for business plans from their key leaders, then disregarding those plans and dictating to them what their plans will be.  The message received is that it doesn’t matter what the manager thinks is right for his or her division, the company will dictate what will be accepted.  The result:  animosity, fear and distrust rather than teamwork and mutual trust.  In essence, we have a war like environment where the company and the people are the antagonists.

What would happen if instead of being right at all costs we worked to create a mutually agreeable result that benefited both sides? 

If our potential client, customer, partner realized that we were concerned about satisfying their wants, needs and desires the lines of communication would be open.  Different options would become apparent.  Dialogue between the parties would take on a positive construct.  Negotiations would be more win-win.

To do this will require looking at people as people, not objects.  By taking our eyes off of ourselves, focusing on the prospect through their eyes, we’ll be able to understand how to craft our dialogue to assure the outcome will create the win that benefits all.

The next group may have a general annual goal in their head but it is not written down.  There is a smaller group that actually will write down an annual goal and may even break it down to monthly numbers.  Fewer still will take monthly goals and break those to weekly and even daily goals.  A minority will take this one step further- they will report and measure their results.

Which of the groups I described will have the greatest likelihood of seeing their large goal realized?  Answer:  Those who break their annual goal down to daily numbers and report and measure their activity.  The reason why people fail to set large goals, is they don’t know how to achieve or accomplish them.  $100,000 annual increase can seem insurmountable; however, five additional contacts each day seems very attainable.  Focusing on achieving the daily goal consistently is the key.  A friend and mentor of mine said: “If we deal in generalities we seldom see success.  If we deal in specifics we seldom see failure.” 

Dare to set a large goal in writing that breaks down to daily numbers and find someone to track your production.  You may need help to make adjustments along the way.  Deal in specifics and expect success.   Plan to advance and make 2012 your best year ever in spite of the market!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we must Burn the Ships for our business.  What do you need to burn, eliminate as an option or add as a discipline to create that intense and powerfully motivating desire to succeed if the best option is to keep moving forward?  

What do you need to fight back with everything you have to advance in 2012 and have your best year yet?

Today, we are bombarded with story after story of bad news, in all areas of life.  In business, we see sales slumping, expenses going up and businesses closing their doors.  All of the chatter is about what’s going wrong.  If not checked, this can be a cancer to our sales teams and employees.

To combat and eradicate this sickness, we must turn our eyes to focus on what are goals and objectives are.  This economy is challenging, yet there are many opportunities for us to grow.  Let’s look at what works, what we can concentrate on that is bringing in results.  We may need to reassess what we’ve done in the past and challenge the sacred cows that no longer serve us. 

Take your eyes off of the obstacle and put them back on the objective.  Great results will be achieved.

Planning for growth can be hard if you are allowing yourself to be bombarded by the news.  Confronting brutal facts is important and we all need to factor in the economic headwinds as they are very real.  At the same time planning for growth is crucial and believing you can advance is the first step.  Dealing in specifics is the next.  Plan on finishing 2011 strong and advancing in 2012!

The starting quarterback for Florida State kept playing in the game against Oklahoma Saturday even though it was obvious his shoulder was giving him excruciating pain.  It is the same way in our business.  Like our allies in Britain, the 9/11 survivors or athletes playing in pain we need to keep persevering on even when it hurts.

Some experts are now saying we have a 50/50 chance of a double dip recession or worse.  For some of you it may feel like you are heading out into the ocean in a row boat with a Tsunami heading your way and there are Crocodiles waiting for you on the shore.  Persevering on (even if it hurts)  will deepen your character and give you hope which just might mean the difference in getting the breakthrough you need to not only survive but actually thrive even if the dreaded double dip occurs.  Remember it is not what the market is doing that makes the difference but what you are doing in the market that makes the difference. Let’s do some extra persevering and prove the “experts” wrong and turn this economy around in spite of the conditions!