Nobody likes to hear the word ‘no’, and that goes double on a sales call. Here are five ways to handle some of the most common objections you’re likely to face on your next sales call.

How to handle objections

1) “I don’t have the money”

This is one of the most common objections, and it can be a tricky one to overcome. The best way is to make sure you’re not just selling a product or service, but helping your customer solve their problem in some way. When it comes to budget or “not having the money right now”, it’s not a money problem, it’s a priorities problem. It means they don’t see the value in what you’re offering. Because let’s be real, if they want it bad enough they’ll figure out how to get the money. People are pretty resourceful when they want something bad enough. So work on increasing the value of your offer, or see where the gap lies within your pitch.

2) “I don’t think it’s what I need.”

If they’re not interested in what you’re offering, then it’s time to re-evaluate your pitch. You need to start selling the benefits of your product/service, instead of just explaining all the features. A lot of people make this mistake because they think that if someone doesn’t understand how something works, or how it can benefit them then they won’t buy it. But that’s not true at all! People don’t care about the technicalities of anything until after they’ve seen its value. People want to know how it’s going to solve a specific problem or change their life in some way.

3) “I need to think about it”

This is one of the most common excuses you’ll hear when you’re trying to close a sale. It’s also one of the worst because it means that they’re not interested in buying from you right now but they might be later on down the line. The problem with this is that if they don’t buy today then they won’t be buying tomorrow either! Whether you like it or not, “I need to think about it” is a smoke screen for their real concerns. So, come right out and ask, “what’s your main concern?” Try to address it head-on. Truth is, people don’t need more information, and the only way they’re going to get more information is by asking you directly. So find out what their real concern is and address that instead.

4) “I need to talk to my partner”

This is another common objection, but it’s not one that you should let slide. You should figure out early in the conversation if they have the ability to make decisions, or if they need partner approval before making a decision.

When someone says “I need to talk to my partner,” what they’re really saying is “I’m not sure about this deal.” So if you hear this phrase come out of your prospect’s mouth then ask them what they need to get more comfortable with the idea. If you find out early enough whether or not they have a partner that will be part of the decision-making process, ask your qualifying questions, then reschedule for a time when you can get both partners on the call to do the pitch.

You shouldn’t try to “solve” objections. Instead, you should try to continue the conversation in a way that leaves the door open for further discussion. The goal is to get a potential client on the sales call. But doing it in a way that maintains your professionalism and credibility will help ensure that subsequent meetings occur, and that once those meetings do occur, they will be positive and productive.

The most important take away from the article: empathy. Focus on building a relationship and it will pay off on sales calls. Even if you can’t solve the person’s problem directly, you can set up the next step on the sales pathway to help reduce their objections. Just like designing a product, designing a solution will come easier once the problem is identified.

If you’re looking to improve your sales within your business or career, the only way you’re going to get there is by acquiring the skills that are going to put you in the best position to win.

At the Sales Pathway, we can help you acquire the skills needed to become a better salesperson. Our programs are designed for both beginners and experts who want to learn more about the art of selling. We have courses on empathy-based selling techniques, cold lead gen & prospecting, high-performance closing techniques and more.

Click the link to improve your sales skills today