In almost every sales call, the client may have an objection. This is a normal part of the sales process. It may be a true objection, but often, it may be a misconception the client has about your product or company. Part of a salesperson's job is to clarify what the true objection is and provide information to address the objection. Just because a client presents an objection, it does not mean that they will not make the purchase. Properly handling the objection is a great opportunity for the salesperson to strengthen the relationship with the customer. In this unit, we will see how to understand the nature of a sales objection, how overcoming objections can strengthen a relationship, and when and why prospects raise objections.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
Simply put, objections are any obstacle your customers put in the way of choosing your product to solve their problem. They signal your prospect's level of interest and alert you to what actions must be taken to close the sale.
In this section, we will learn the definition of a sales objection and how that can lead to an opportunity. Remember that an objection is an opportunity to build a better relationship. Sometimes an objection is just an opportunity to provide more information or dispel a misconception the customer has about your product or company. Complete the exercises at the end of the section.
In this section, we will learn different types of objections, from objections about the actual product, as well as objections to the price of the product. Sometimes, customers will say they are satisfied with their current product and do not need to try a new one. This statement is still an objection to a potential new opportunity. Consider the way we can frame objections into opportunities.
This section will teach you six strategies for addressing common objections. Complete exercise 6 to practice these strategies.
Once a salesperson handles an objection, they can move on in the sales process toward the close.
Note what can be done to handle objections on a sales call. This presentation provides examples specific to selling cars, but it offers good sales advice regardless of what product or service you may represent.
Acknowledging the objection of your customer is the first step in the process. In this step, you will communicate back to your customer that you understand their concern. In the probing step, you will learn about asking probing questions to clarify to your customer that you understand their concern so you can best address it. In the answer step, you will learn about providing a relevant answer to the customer's concern and provide evidence that their concern is not a real problem. Finally, in the confirm and transition step, you will learn how to check back with our customers to confirm that we have answered their questions or concerns. If the concern was not answered, we would need to go back and probe to clarify what the objection was, provide a new response, and then clarify again before moving on in the sales process.
This review video is an excellent way to review what you've learned so far and is presented by one of the professors who created the course.
Watch this as you work through the unit and prepare to take the final exam.
You can also download the presentation slides so you can make notes.
We also recommend that you review this Study Guide before taking the Unit 6 Assessment.
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.