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Inspiration

Building business one objection at a time

t would be terrific if sales calls all proceeded with- that you're listening, and gives you time to formulate
out a hitch, building rapport and momentum until your rebuttal. It also helps you discover the real
a congenial, lucrative close. However, that is more objection. When you hear an objection that doesn't
I fantasy than reality. Almost every sales call is pep- make sense, rephrasing it can force the prospect to
pered with objections. The way a merchant level salesper- clarify.
son handles these can lead to a thriving business; it can • Make certain you hear every objection. Trust your
also result in an enterprise that is gasping for life. intuition. If you feel there is something holding the
prospect back, there probably is. Don't avoid that
Jeff Fortney agreed in "The secrets to overcoming unspoken objection. Ask what it is; otherwise, it will
objections," The Green Sheet, Aug. 13, 2012, issue 12:08:01. stand in the way of the sale.
"No matter what your technique or how you sell, the
time will come when merchants will raise objections to • Show your prospects that you understand their
your pitches," he wrote. "All training courses recognize objections, and more importantly, their position.
that how you handle objections may make the difference If you can demonstrate that you can understand
between success and failure." their perspective, you will increase their trust in
you and the credibility of your service. If you don't
How do you view objections? Do you see them as obstacles understand an objection, ask the prospect why
to overcome or as selling opportunities? he has a particular objection. If he can't state why
he feels a certain way, the objection doesn't really
In Good Selling! SM: The Basics, Paul H. Green said an objection exist. If he can explain his feelings, you are better
is better than a no because it provides an opportunity for equipped to dismiss it and close the sale.
dialogue. "Another great thing about objections is that the
same ones come up over and over," he added. "That means Fortney also offered an initialism used by a number of
you have ample opportunity to prepare." sales trainers: LREA. It emphasizes the following active
listening skills:
Preparation for common objections is integral to the sales • Listening with full attention
process. "Nothing defeats an inexperienced salesperson
faster than an unexpected objection," Steli Efti wrote • Repeating the objection
in a Close.io blog post. "Most salespeople invest hours • Exlploring the merchant's reasoning
perfecting their pitch without a second thought to what • Answering to address the prospect's real concerns
comes afterwards. But even a perfect pitch can be ruined
by poor objection handling." This approach can build the kind of trust that fosters long-
term business relationships. So next time you encounter
Green offered a solution he named with the initialism an objection, remember this advice from Green: "It doesn't
ARMS for anticipate, rephrase, make certain and show. have to be a battlefield out there. Just be prepared."
Here's how he explained ARMS:
• Anticipate objections. Anticipating gives you
time to prepare answers before you meet with the
prospect.
• Rephrase objections. Rephrasing verifies that you
understand the objection, lets your prospect know
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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