Objections - Book Summary

Why should I care? Transforming rejection into approval

The realm of sales is diverse and ever-evolving; different products, markets and audiences necessitate different strategies for success. Yet, there is a unifying challenge for every salesperson on the planet - the daunting ordeal of confronting and navigating objections. People consistently saying no is an obstacle that every sales expert must tackle, no matter their business domain.

This is where our journey begins. We'll dive into a treasure trove of wisdom derived from the fields of psychology and sales consulting, relying heavily on Jeb Blount's extensive career knowledge. You'll gain the tools needed to handle objections proficiently throughout the entire sales process — from the individual too busy to chat, to the near-customer who needs more time for contemplation. You will become adept at flipping the persistent "no" into a gleeful "yes". We'll unravel the thought process of your potential clients during interactions, unveiling the secrets to persuading even the most stubborn prospects to progress through the sales funnel.

During our explorative journey, you will uncover

— the central hindrance blocking your sales career advancement,

— the significance of boldly requesting what you desire, and

— the strategic response when a prospect tosses you an unexpected obstacle.

Engaging in disputes with potential buyers only breeds discontent.

If you've worked in sales, you've likely savored the exhilarating journey of guiding a prospective customer over time, presenting the merits of your product or service, and ironing out any concerns along the sales trajectory. Regrettably, you might have also had the sting of this scenario: just at the crucial juncture, instead of sealing the deal, that prospect requests more time for deliberation.

Scenarios like this can be immensely exasperating. You're unable to secure the sale, and you're left hanging with a nebulous reason that inadequately articulates your prospect's last-minute hesitation.

As a sales professional, your aim is for potential customers to be candid and precise about their apprehensions. If they disclose their issues, you can address them effectively and proceed toward the sale.

But if this is not the case, and you find yourself stuck in this demanding predicament, pause, take a deep breath, ponder your next move, and strive to grasp why your potential customer is wavering.

Firstly, understand that your prospect's perspective differs greatly from yours. They've probably encountered aggressive salespeople in the past who argued, attempted to prove them wrong, and pressured them into a purchase. Bearing these experiences in mind, the only defense they have is to keep their reasons nebulous enough to prevent you from dissecting them and initiating a dispute.

This mistrust has developed due to the widespread notion amongst salespeople that one "should never accept no for an answer". While this dogged mindset is beneficial, many salespeople misapply it by quarreling with skeptical prospects until they capitulate and buy.

However, clashing with your potential clients is overwhelmingly counterproductive. Psychological research suggests that the more people are told they're wrong, the more they dig their heels in to assert they're right. This is termed psychological reactance, and studies indicate this reaction persists even when people are faced with robust evidence contradicting their beliefs. Therefore, the more you convince your prospect that their skepticism is unwarranted, the more they'll insist it isn't.

Thankfully, there's a superior approach; one that enables you to address your prospect's worries without degenerating into conflict. We'll delve into that in the ensuing segments.

Pivot initial rejections into productive encounters by understanding your prospective customer and developing an authentic script.

The first stride towards a successful sale is frequently the most unnerving — initiating an unanticipated call or visit. Initial reactions are generally negative, with many potential customers bluntly stating they're too busy and curtly cutting off the conversation. So, how can you morph these first 'no’s' or prospecting objections, into significant dialogues that could potentially culminate in a sale?

Firstly, resist the temptation to become flustered by the multitude of 'no’s' you'll encounter when making cold calls or visits. Sales teams frequently confess to the author that they encounter a seemingly endless variety of reasons for people's initial reluctance to engage. However, this is seldom the case.

In reality, when these teams painstakingly dissect the reasons provided by prospects for their disinterest, they discover many of these excuses are repetitions of the same concerns, simply phrased differently. For instance, when a potential customer claims "I'm content," it often translates to "your competitor is fulfilling our needs adequately."

The truth is, the reasons a prospect declines your advances are limited in number. Furthermore, every industry has its unique set of common prospecting objections — 80 percent of which can be traced back to the same three to five core reasons for declining.

Equipped with this insight, you can predict and prepare for the most common objections before even initiating that call. The most effective way to do this is to draft responses in advance. So, for example, if one of the prevalent objections in your industry is "we're satisfied with our existing provider," or something along those lines, you are already primed with a response.

In crafting your responses and your script overall, steer clear of hackneyed sales phrases. Instead, aim to gently unsettle your prospect's expectations. If they mention being pleased with their current provider, don't resort to a trite line like "you'd be even happier with us!" Instead, try a response such as "if you're already satisfied, then you certainly shouldn't switch to my company. But I can provide a quote for comparison." By subtly subverting prospects’ expectations in this way, you also disrupt their usual patterns of behavior. As a result, rather than giving you another instinctive 'no', they're more likely to engage and extend the conversation.

Misleading objections can destabilize your sales discussion unless you manage them adeptly.

Interacting with a prospective customer involves more than preparation — you also need to steer the conversation in a direction conducive to your objectives. Let's consider the example of Derek, a salesperson who arranged a meeting with the author to demonstrate his company’s software. However, before Derek could commence his demonstration, the author posed a seemingly harmless question: "How much would this software cost? It appears it might be too pricey for me."

Within moments, the meeting descended into chaos. Derek found himself grappling with a misleading objection and was at a loss for how to respond effectively.

A misleading or red herring objection is a question or comment from your potential customer that diverts your attention from your objectives, causing you to lose focus. These objections could range from direct confrontations like "Why does your company have such a poor reputation?" to statements such as "I’m also engaging with your competitors."

In the aforementioned meeting, Derek's goal was to impress the author with a compelling demonstration. However, in an attempt to address the author’s red herring objection, he shifted his focus to pricing. Because he was compelled to discuss costs sooner than planned, and completely out of context, Derek rapidly began sounding uncertain and defensive, leading to the author asking more detailed questions about the price.

To circumvent falling into Derek’s trap, deploy the time-tested strategy of Pausing, Acknowledging, Ignoring and Saving — abbreviated as PAIS, to handle misleading objections. Let's examine how the meeting might have unfolded differently if Derek had applied PAIS.

Firstly, when the author raised the issue of pricing, Derek would have paused to gather his thoughts instead of hastily responding incorrectly. Next, he would have recognized the author’s objection, simply acknowledging it by saying "I hear you" and taking a note. Then, he would have tactfully sidestepped it and distracted the author — perhaps by asking an unrelated question before proceeding with the demo. While this might seem perilous, many misleading objections are never mentioned again by the prospect once they've been recognized.

However, if Derek felt this was a significant objection that needed to be addressed, instead of completely ignoring it, he could have set it aside to discuss later in the sales process, revisiting it after he had already won the author over with the merits of his product or service.

Failing to agree on future action plans during a sales interaction hinders your advancement.

When the author interacts with a struggling salesperson and inquires about their line-up of prospective customers, he often encounters comments like: "The prospect seemed genuinely interested. When she finds the time, she's going to contact me regarding future steps." While this might appear promising, remarks of this nature exasperate the author. The reason? They indicate the salesperson’s inability to secure micro-commitments from their prospects. A micro-commitment is a small yet crucial future action to which a salesperson and their prospect mutually consent before concluding their conversation.

For instance, during the closing stages of your initial sales call, you might persuade the prospect to agree to show you around her company's facilities. Securing such micro-commitments is vital, as your prospect is likely to forget about your conversation as soon as it ends. Thus, you can't rely on her to re-establish contact with you in the future. Instead, you should agree on a specific follow-up action that both parties will undertake once the conversation concludes, along with a set date for a follow-up discussion to review these actions.

Micro-commitment objections arise when your prospect refuses to consent to your suggested next step. These types of objections typically occur because the prospect fails to appreciate the value of agreeing to your proposition. She might argue, for example, that she’s provided all the necessary information for you to prepare a quote, and therefore sees no reason to give you a tour of her company’s premises.

To counter micro-commitment objections, you need to demonstrate the value of your proposal to your prospect. You could, for example, argue that a tour of the facilities would provide a deeper understanding of how her company operates, enabling you to customize a quote that caters to the specific needs of her organization.

Finally, after you’ve successfully addressed your prospect's objection by elucidating the value of the micro-commitment, don't neglect to revisit the request. Conclude your explanation by reiterating, "So, can we confirm the facilities tour for next Wednesday at 2pm?" If you fail to do this, and your prospect departs the conversation with a vague pledge to let you know when you can conduct the tour, you’ll find yourself in the same predicament as those unfortunate salespeople who merely wait for their prospects to contact them about future steps!

Overcoming purchasing objections is a smooth journey with a well-defined five-step process.

Once you've effectively navigated through the sales process with your prospect, basing it on the collective micro-commitments made, the concluding step is the decisive commitment: your prospect agreeing to invest in your offering. The final stage couldn’t be more critical — for both you and your buyer. Therefore, when confronted with eleventh-hour purchasing objections, ensure they are addressed correctly.

Thankfully, there's a foolproof five-step strategy you can depend on to tackle such late-stage objections.

For instance, let's say your prospect, poised to sign your contract, suddenly mentions he needs to discuss it with his boss first. Resist the urge to instantly tackle his objection. Instead, show empathy towards it. You could say something like, “Absolutely, it's crucial that everyone involved in this decision is on the same page.” This approach reassures him that you understand his concerns and requirements.

After showing understanding, the subsequent step involves clarifying his buying objection.

Frequently, a prospect will raise an objection that doesn’t genuinely mirror their issue, so ensure you're addressing the correct concern. You might respond with, "Apart from consulting with your boss, is there anything else causing hesitation?" This open-ended question might lead your prospect to express a completely different and more significant concern. Perhaps he’s just uncovered some unforeseen costs associated with leaving his current provider.

Once you've discerned his actual concern, you can address it by minimizing his objection. Refocusing the conversation on the difficulties and challenges he’ll face if he doesn’t proceed with the deal today can effectively minimize his doubt. If you're aware he's working against a strict delivery deadline, for instance, you could mention, "I understand you need to have this operational by April 1st. If we don’t finalize today, I'm worried it might impose additional burdens on your team." Once you’ve diminished his concerns, it's time to propose the deal again.

However, there are some buying objections that can't be surmounted, irrespective of your efforts. During such instances, your most viable option is to fall back on a backup plan, whereby you alter your objective. Instead of closing the deal immediately, strive to secure agreement on a lesser commitment, like a trial period for your product. This offers you an opportunity to revisit the deal later.

The silent villain hampering sales success: The fear of rejection.

The primary obstacle that impedes salespeople from unlocking their full potential may not be what you anticipate. It isn't about mastering the persuasive phrases that clinch the deal, nor is it the ability to deftly handle complicated objections. Rather, the substantial problem plaguing many sales professionals is simply their reluctance to ask for what they desire.

At its core, sales is primarily about making requests — typically, asking for a prospect's time, information, or financial investment. For instance, when you first initiate a cold call with a potential customer, you're seeking her time and interest.

Regrettably, even though successful sales rely on the confident and repetitive act of asking for what you want, many salespeople are too apprehensive to do so. Instead of directly stating their desires, they subtly hint at their needs, hoping that the prospective buyer will voluntarily offer them. Instead of explicitly requesting to schedule that meeting on a specific date and time, for example, a hesitant salesperson might utter passive phrases like "so, I'm available if you'd like to meet," and later wonder why prospects seldom wish to arrange meetings with him.

What lies at the core of this inability to ask for things? The fear of rejection.

When we candidly ask for what we want, we risk the prospect responding with a "no". We lack any assurance about her reply and expose ourselves to potential rejection. This risk, uncertainty, and exposure evokes a profound sense of vulnerability — an emotion that we, as humans, naturally strive to evade.

However, to excel as a salesperson, you must be willing to embrace both vulnerability and rejection — not just once, but potentially hundreds of times in a single day. The author, for instance, remembers a time when he decided to invest in a new software for his company, persuaded by a salesman who gave him a compelling demonstration. When the salesman asked if he wanted to purchase the product post-demo, the author responded with an unequivocal yes. However, to secure the author's agreement to watch the demonstration, the salesman had contacted him over seventy times within the past five months! Moreover, on the three previous occasions that they had conversed, the author had rebuffed his proposals. This scenario underscores a crucial lesson: to earn a "yes," you must not be deterred by the prospect of hearing a "no."

Tackling rejection is essential to hit the bullseye.

No matter how proficient a salesperson you are, grappling with objections and tackling rejection will always be integral to your role. But when you're swamped by an avalanche of "nos," it's essential to remember that you're not alone; many of the world's most accomplished individuals faced considerable rejection before they finally received their long-awaited "yes."

Consider the case of Stephen, a struggling writer whose short stories and novels were repeatedly rejected for publication, tallying up to hundreds of rejections. He found himself penniless, married, with two children to support, all while residing in a cramped trailer. However, in 1973, everything changed when his wife arrived at his school carrying a telegram. It was from a publisher expressing their interest in publishing his novel, "Carrie."

As you might have deduced, that man is none other than Stephen King, presently recognized as one of the wealthiest and most successful authors globally.

If you're still seeking inspiration, direct your attention to Harland Sanders, an entrepreneur who called his car his home as he journeyed across the United States during the late 1950s, searching for restaurants to franchise his unique fried chicken recipe. Nowadays, Harland Sanders is widely recognized as Colonel Sanders, the emblematic figure behind the fast-food giant, Kentucky Fried Chicken. His tale clearly illustrates that enduring the word "no" doesn't always spell doom. Indeed, he received this rejection over a thousand times while on the road!

What these remarkable success stories teach us is that both in life and sales, once you conquer your fear of rejection and brace yourself for an imminent "no," substantial rewards are within your reach.

Regrettably, when confronted with rejection and objections, many individuals are intimidated to the point of giving up. Consequently, they settle for average lives, always speculating about the life they could have led if only they'd had the guts to weather the storm of "nos" to eventually clinch a significant deal.

To steer clear of this fate, you cannot allow rejection or objections to hinder your progress. Just like Colonel Sanders and Stephen King, you need to leverage rejections as a fuel for your journey forward, employing them as a motivation to enhance your performance next time. Regardless of the naysayers who may discourage you, suggesting that you're not cut out for this and should concede defeat and move on, don't entertain them. Persist in your efforts, keep accumulating the "nos," and continue your pursuit for those elusive "yeses."

A roundup of insights

Here's what to take away from this discussion:

Attempting to coerce a hesitant prospect into making a purchase can often seem like the obvious approach. Regrettably, this confrontational tactic only serves to alienate them further. Instead, you can deftly navigate buyer's objections by foreseeing them, nudging your prospect to agree to minor commitments at every phase of your sales process, and subtly downplaying their apprehensions. Bear in mind that even the most prosperous individuals face rejection en route to success. So, don't lose heart if you can't transform every "no" into a "yes". The most crucial thing is to never cease striving!