Handling objections is a complex turning point in the sales process. At this stage, it’s your job to show a buyer the value that your product delivers. If you don’t highlight benefits enough, a lead will lose interest. If you’re too aggressive, you might turn off someone who would’ve otherwise loved your product.
So, how do you make the perfect rebuttal that isn’t too passive or too pushy?
If you want to work on dealing with apprehensive leads, this guide is for you. Read on to learn about objection handling, common sales objections, and how to frame rebuttals for a successful sale.
What Is Objection Handling?
Objection handling is when a lead brings up a concern about products or services and the sales representative addresses this concern so the sale successfully progresses. Common types of objections revolve around pricing, how the product fits the buyer’s needs, and differentiation from competing products. In other cases, objections are simply meant to brush your sales team off.
There’s no magic rebuttal that answers all common sales objections. The focus of objection handling is to persuade the lead and reassure them instead of pressuring them.
A sales team should get a feel for what their lead’s interests and needs are. By understanding their circumstances, you will master successful objection handling!
Why Is Objection Handling Important?
Strong-arming or arguing with a lead may only strengthen their objections. It also undermines the trust and rapport that you’ve built up. By asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and empathizing with buyers, you effectively answer their objections and build greater rapport.
Remember: objections are a part of the sales cycle. Some may be brush-offs meant to dismiss you, but others are legitimate reasons to rebuff your pitch. Learning objection handling will lead to more successful closes and make you a more efficient salesperson.
Objection Handling vs Negotiation
On the surface, objection handling and negotiation seem very similar. However, they have different goals and need different approaches.
In objection handling, you’re still in the selling stage of the sales process. You’re addressing concerns to gently break barriers and work your way towards a successful sale.
In negotiation, there’s already been a successful sale. You’re simply working out the terms so both you and your lead are satisfied.
Negotiations should be entered only when there’s a confirmed sale. Going into negotiation mode when you’re still in the selling stage can make you look pushy and overeager. This may make your lead lose interest and change their mind, so be careful!
Common Reasons For Objections And Example Responses
Wondering how to handle objections while making your pitch? Read this guide to get a list of common objections, the motivations that leads have for making them, and how you can respond.
1. “Not interested.”
This is a common objection you’ll hear during cold calls. If a lead is irritated and senses that this is a sales call, they’ll often say this before you can even get started on your elevator pitch.
An effective strategy for reversing this is to say you understand that it can be annoying to get a call on a busy day. Afterward, ask them to give you a minute to explain the reason for your call.
If their objection comes after the pitch, ask what they find uninteresting. Target that disinterest and turn it around.
2. “Where’d you get my information?”
When a potential customer says this, they’re often just expressing frustration because they don’t know who you are or who asked you to contact them. Salespeople who meet this objection should be honest, then hint at why they should choose your product or service. This could pique the interest of an aggressive or difficult customer.
There are also times when a lead has simply forgotten that they were the one who voluntarily provided the info through an online form. Form rapport with sales prospects by reminding them about what they filled up. Afterward, ask if they had a positive experience with the lead magnet.
3. “Why are you calling me?”
This is a common rebuttal from an aggressive prospect if they don’t want to talk to sales representatives. They may feel annoyed because they feel like their name was plucked out of a random list for sales.
Diffuse their annoyance by saying you’re interested in talking to them because they are part of your target audience in some way. The more specific you can be about how they fit this ideal customer profile, the better. For example, bringing up pain points that previous leads have in common with them will build rapport.
4. “I don’t have time.”
Even if a potential customer has real reasons to be interested in your pitch, you may have caught them at a bad time. They could be busy or listening to your cold calling may simply be lower on their list of priorities for the day.
The rebuttal strategy for this is to say you understand they don’t have time to talk right now, then ask them for a different time when they may be available for your sales pitch. If it appears prioritizing is the issue, hint at your product or service’s benefits to subtly persuade them into making time for you.
5. “Can’t you just send me something?”
This is one of the common sales objections said when a lead doesn’t have time to hear your elevator pitch. Maybe they’re busy, irritated, or even simply pretending to be busy. Whatever the reason, give them an opportunity to learn more and email them your resources.
Ask what they want to learn about your current product, then agree to email information about it to them. Don’t forget to ask a follow-up question to schedule a better time to call back and hear their thoughts about the info.
6. “I’m not the one making purchasing decisions.”
There are sales situations where you call someone who isn’t a decision-maker. They’ll tell you that they can’t personally decide and will have to ask someone else. This is often coupled with a hesitation to bring up your product to a higher-up because they’re afraid of wasting that person’s time.
In this case, your rebuttal strategy should focus on getting to talk to a decision-maker. The rule of thumb here is to ask who can make these decisions, then ask if you can be connected to them. If the person you’re talking to is hesitant, emphasize how this will benefit them and the decision-maker.
7. “I don’t understand the product.”
In this situation, you need to bridge the gap in your prospect’s knowledge and give more explanations. Ask them what they want to know about your type of product. Do they want to know about the overall product, or do they just need more details about a certain feature?
Spend extra time explaining how it works in clear, concise language. Use situations and cases if necessary to make your explanations clearer.
8. “I already have a provider.”
During your sales conversations, prospects may express that they already have something similar from a different provider. However, the provider may actually be addressing a different need from your own product or service. In this case, a sales professional needs to get more information about that other product first.
Avoid immediately countering this real objection. When you have enough information about the other product, give your lead your unique selling points. Give compelling reasons that differentiate your product and make it superior. If there’s confusion about how your product addresses a different need, spending time to explain the difference will help.
9. “I’m not comfortable giving more information.”
Let’s be real: your prospects don’t know you, and they may feel uncomfortable telling you more about themselves. Build rapport with sales prospects by acknowledging their discomfort, then gain their trust by telling them why you are getting this information.
Follow up by bringing up the benefits of your product. If they see that you’re getting their information for a purpose that’s useful to them, they may be more agreeable.
10. “I’m not ready to buy.”
This objection often happens because the lead doesn’t think your product is something they should prioritize. Figure out what your lead is prioritizing and create a sense of urgency about the buying process. This will compel them to move it up their purchase list.
Examples of ways you can do this include framing it as a missed opportunity or as a small cost now that will bring great benefits later.
11. “I don’t have the money right now.”
Think of this as a variation of the type of sales objection above. In many cases, your lead already has the money for a purchase – they’re just allocating it to higher-priority products. Be straightforward and emphasize the benefits of buying sooner rather than later.
However, if the price is really their objection, focus on providing them a more affordable payment plan or cheaper product alternative. This will address their biggest pain point while leading to a successful sale.
12. “I don’t see a need right now.”
This objection is a sign that the prospect isn’t ready to buy a product yet because they haven’t even considered it yet. They may have the money to make the purchase but lack knowledge about your product’s benefits.
In this situation, focus on their pain points and how your product solves them. Draw attention to the added costs of not getting a solution right away, similar to ignoring a cavity or leaky roof. You can also help them visualize the benefits they won’t get if they don’t purchase immediately.
13. “I found another product I like more.”
Chances are, this objection is being raised because your lead has been pitched by other competitors. At this stage, they’re already convinced to go with another product. Don’t lose hope, as this is a clear signal they are ready to make a purchase.
Find out what they like about the competing product and highlight how your product addresses this in a better way. Don’t belittle the competing product – remember, they’re already sold on it, so disparaging it will feel like you’re insulting their decision-making. Focus on highlighting the benefits to their specific needs.
14. “I found a cheaper product.”
To overcome pricing objections like this one, you’ll need to draw on your product’s unique selling points. Explain why your product gives better value for their money.
Drive your product’s superiority home by giving them negative reasons why your competitor may be able to provide their product at a cheaper price. Examples include a lack of useful features, flimsier material, or lack of customer support.
16. “Your product is too expensive.”
This is an objection that is often presented after the prospect finds out your product’s final cost. In this case, they may need to be reminded about how valuable your product’s benefits are. They may also want more proof of quality or results to smooth over their price concerns.
Highlight the benefits that make your product worth the price. This can be made more convincing by relating the story of another customer with the same objection, but who over time was pleased by their purchase.
Additional Objection Handling Techniques
Now that you know how to handle different objections, here are other techniques you can use to help you close the deal. These techniques can be applied to all objections and can make your pitch more convincing.
1. Use Empathy To Validate The Buyer’s Concerns
Let your potential customer know that you understand where their concerns are coming from. This simple statement can reassure them and make them more open to hearing your proposal.
2. Remember To Listen Actively
Build trust by making your lead feel that you’re paying attention to them. Avoid interjections even if they talk at length, ask relevant questions, and restate key points. Make it a habit to note a lead’s interests, needs, fears, and motivations.
3. Give Evidence To Put Them At Ease
Once you’ve pitched enough times, you may notice that leads often give the same objections. Draw on these experiences when talking to the next lead. Tell them how you’ve talked to another lead with the same pain points and how they ended up being happy with your product. Have positive client reviews and case studies ready to convince them further.
4. Follow Up Using Open-Ended Queries
Ask open-ended questions to keep the conversation flowing and gather more information about your lead. In the course of an answer that goes beyond a simple “yes” or “no,” they’ll often give away what their pain points are. Think of this as an opportunity to learn more about their concerns and prevent the pitch from hitting a dead end.
Key Takeaways
Some objections are simply made to dismiss you, while others are rooted in real concerns about your product. Whether these are genuine objections or mere brush-offs, both can still lead to a successful sale with the right rebuttal. If you’re having problems handling a lead’s concerns, try this guide’s tips to break down their barriers during your next pitch.