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We Help Service Firms Grow Wellesley Hills Group ©2010
Don’t Take No for an Answer: How to Handle Common Client Objections
John DoerrPresident Wellesley Hills Group
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John Doerr’s 25-year career in professional services marketing and sales, includes experience as CEO and leader of professional service firms and consultant to some of the world’s leading organizations.
John Doerr, President, Wellesley Hills Group
Co-author of the book Professional Services Marketing (Wiley 2009), John facilitates numerous retreats and strategy sessions for professional service firms each year, helping them energize their business development efforts.
John is also Founder of and contributing editor for RainToday.com. When not speaking or writing about professional services, John can be found on the basketball court playing with other aging professionals in OTH Basketball.
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What We Will Cover Today
Objections – An Overview
Five Steps to Handling Objections
Responding to Different Types of Objections
Preparing for Your Next Conversation
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Objections – A Definition
An objection is an explicit expression, by a customer, that a barrier exists between the current situation and what he or she needs to engage your services.
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Objections: Overview
Your objective:Overcome the objection and make advances towards gaining commitment with the following caveats firmly in mind:
– The close begins the relationship
– Objections often have merit
– Many objections take a process, not a quick verbal answer, to overcome
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Poll Question
What are the most common objections you encounter?
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Four Types of Objections
No trust – buyer has fear, uncertainty, doubt in the solution or you
No need – buyer doesn’t see the value of the service
No urgency – value may be appreciated, but not fully
No money
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Poll Question: Objections I Hear
I have too many things on my plate right now
– Trust?
– Need?
– Urgency?
– Money?
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Poll Question: Objections I Hear
I do not have the budget
– Trust?
– Need?
– Urgency?
– Money?
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Five Steps to Handling Objections
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Five Step Process for Responding to Objections
Step One: Listen
Step Two: Understand
Step Three: Respond
Step Four: Confirm
Step Five: Continue
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Step One: Listen
Listen fully to the objection
– Don’t interrupt
– Don’t anticipate
– Don’t become defensive
– Do take a deep breath
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Step Two: Understand
Ask permission to completely understand the issue
– Ask questions
– Restate or clarify the objection
– Make sure you get it right
– Uncover the real objection
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The Power of “What Else”
What else is of concern (you are thinking “what else is standing in the way of our doing business together”)
What else….
What else…
What else…
When the prospect stops answering…that is the real objection.
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Step Three: Respond
Choose your response
– Minimize
– Answer immediately
– Propose resolution process
– Do not buy it back
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Step Four: Confirm
Ask whether your answer or proposed solution will satisfy the objection
– Test your solution
– Do not be discouraged by no
– Don’t take yes for an answer immediately
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Step Five: Continue to Commitment
Continue towards gaining the next commitment step in your sales process
– Clarifying need (aspirations and afflictions)
– Uncovering impact
– Advocating for your solution
– Advancing the sale toward commitment
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Summary: The Five Step Response to Objections
Listen fully to the objection
Ask permission to completely understand the issue.
Choose your response.
Ask whether your answer or proposed solution will satisfy the objection.
Continue towards gaining the next commitment step
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Responding to Different Types of Objections
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Responding to Trust and Need Objections
Trust
Need
Strong Trust, No Need
Action:
Take Time to Explore
Clarify Expected Results
Articulate Value
High
Low
Low High
No Trust, No Need
Action:
Move on (usually)
No Trust, Strong Need
Action:
Nurture Relationship and “Fit”
Make Past Results Tangible
Strong Trust, Strong Need
No Objection…
Move to Commitment
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Responding to Money Objections
ResponseClarify your value proposition.
– Best scenario – get client to clarify it for you
GuidelinesOften money is a red herring objection…“If money were no object…”
Engage the money discussions at the right time
Don’t lower price without altering service levels or deliverables – being arbitrary creates mistrust.
You may be dealing with the wrong buyer – not high enough or not the economic decision maker
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The Secret of T G B
Time
Goal
Budget
If money were no object…
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Responding to Urgency Objections
ResponseCreate urgency.
– Best scenario – get client to re-prioritize themselves
GuidelinesNo negative implications of inaction are perceived by client
Other issues are more important right now.
– If they truly are, it’s probably bad timing to gain commitment.
– If they aren’t, help the client re-prioritize.
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The Big Question: What Won’t Happen?
Ask yourself, “What won’t happen?”
Ask the prospect, “What won’t happen?”
Quantify the results
Demonstrate the results
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Responding to Incumbent Objections
ResponseExpress your understanding of the situation
Get the prospect to speak about the current relationship
Listen for the places you can add new or more value
GuidelinesNo negative comments about the competition
Recognize this may be a long-term prospect
Discover the next buying cycle or buying process
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Preparing Your Next Sales Conversation
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The Unspoken Objection
Not all objections are expressed
Anticipate and raise objections that may be “just under the surface”
– But carefully balance the benefits of strengthening the relationship with the risk of complicating the discussion
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The Improv of Objections
Make a list
– Which objections do you always hear?
– Where might you be vulnerable?
Prepare your responses
– Practice with a colleague
– Are you making excuses or proving your value?
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Thank You – Questions
John DoerrPresident, Wellesley Hills Group508-626-9991 [email protected]
The Wellesley Hills Group is a management consulting and marketing firm focused on helping business to business services firms to grow. We help:
Build strategy Improve brand and reputation Generate and nurture leads Improve business development success Increase repeat business