1. Kenseal University Sales Playbook e.Learning Center Sales Person Support & Reinforcement Module 5: Handling Objections, Opinions, Perceptions and Beliefs For this Module you will needthe appropriate workbook pages and about 30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Note: Competency, not just completion, is Kenseal’s goal. These presentations can be paused, at any point, to give you time to review or note information. The worksheet is a guide. It is expected that you will be responsible for material other than that on the Worksheet.
2. Handling the Prospect’s Perceptions & Opinions “An objection from a customer can and should be overcome by the closer. There should be no excuse for not overcoming a legitimate, honest objection from the customer. This is the closer’s job: to provide answers, get an agreement, and conquer (close).” Anon.
7. Handling the Prospect’s Perceptions & Opinions “If you’ve never seen a ghost, you may believe that there is no such thing as a ghost. If you’ve never seen a UFO you may believe that there is not such thing as a UFO. I’ve never heard an objection therefore I believe that there is no such thing as an objection. I’d like you to believe that, too!” David KurlanBaseline Selling
8. Handling the Prospect’s Perceptions & Opinions “These are just messages the prospect is sending you to help you understand what you have to do to close the sale!” Rush Burkhardt The Sales Force Toolbox
13. Why do prospects create these “messages”? People do not want to be sold…
14. Why do prospects create these “messages”? People do not want to be sold… anything!
15. Why do prospects create these “messages”? The prospect might want to buy time!
16. Why do prospects create these “messages”? The prospect may want to get (aka steal) more information
17. Why do prospects create these “messages”? Buyers, of all descriptions, have been trained to use these negative messages to slow the sales process and set-up future negotiation!
18. Why do prospects create these “messages”? If the prospect is not able to make the decision, he will attempt to stall the process!
25. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Listen carefully to the entire statement or question asked by your prospect.
26. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Questionto clarify your prospect’s comment.
27. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Questions you might ask regarding your prospects statement: “Interesting. Why do you think so?” “OK…Why are you asking me to do that?” “That’s a common question but everyone asks for a different reason. What’s your reason for asking?” “I understand. Will that be a problem?” “That’s what everyone says at first. Will you be able to get over it?” “Of course you can. So why haven’t you done that?” “That’s right. So why are we still talking?”
28. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Think about the reason the prospect is giving you that piece of information.
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30. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Replyto attempt to uncover any gaps in their belief. P: “We’ve been using ABC company for years, and can’t see a reason to change.” SP: “I understand, and appreciate your loyalty! Is there anything your current supplier could do better?One problem we’ve heard from others is that of timelydelivery. Does your supplier get your supplies to you, When you need them?”
31. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Replyto attempt to uncover any gaps in their belief. P: “We’ve been using ABC company for years, and can’t see a reason to change.” SP: “I understand, and appreciate your loyalty! Is there anything your current supplier could do better?One problem we’ve heard from others is that of timelydelivery. Does your supplier get your supplies to you, When you need them?” P: “Well, now that you mention it, they have reduced their staff and sometimes they don’t get those things to me when I need them.
32. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Agreementwith your counterpart that if you can resolve the concern that has created his belief, you and he will agree to move forward.
33. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Agreewith your counterpart that if you can resolve the concern that has created his belief, you and he will agree to move forward. “Don’t do anything for your prospect unless you know what will happen as a result.”
34. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Agreewith your counterpart that if you can resolve the concern that has created his belief, you and he will agree to move forward. SP: “Assume, for a minute, that I can make you feel comfortable about timely deliveries, should we move forward?”
35. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects Other concernsmight exist and if they do, you should find out about them now. SP: “Before we move forward, are there any other concerns you have that we should discuss?”
36. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects The Dealbreakermight exist. If it does, address that, at this time too! P: “We have dealt with Kenseal before, and it wasn’t a pretty experience! We had a lot of problems with billing!” SP: “That sounds pretty bad! It might be, that you would rather not speak with me any longer. Is it over?”
37. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects The Dealbreakermight exist. If it does, address that, at this time too! P: “We have dealt with Kenseal before, and it wasn’t a pretty experience! We had a lot of problems with billing!” SP: “That sounds pretty bad! It might be, that you would rather not speak with me any longer. Is it over?” P: “Well, I wouldn’t say that, but you’d haveto show me that your bookkeeping is better, now!”
38. Dealing with Perspectives and Opinions Expressed by Prospects The Dealbreakermight exist. If it does, address that, at this time too! P: “We have dealt with Kenseal before, and it wasn’t a pretty experience! We had a lot of problems with billing!” SP: “That sounds pretty bad! It might be, that you would rather not speak with me any longer. Is it over?” P: “Well, I wouldn’t say that, but you’d haveto show me that your invoicing is better, now!” SP: “If I can make you comfortable with our new system of invoicing, can we move forward?”
39. Handling the Prospect’s Perceptions & Opinions “These are just messages the prospect is sending you to help you understand what you have to do to close the sale!” Rush Burkhardt The Sales Force Toolbox
This is Kenseal University e.Learning Center Sales Person Support & Reinforcement Module 5: Handling Objections, Opinions, Perceptions and BeliefsFor this module you will need the appropriate workbook pages and about 30 minutes of uninterrupted time.
“An objection from a customer can and should be overcome by the closer. There should be no excuse for not overcoming a legitimate, honest objection from the customer. This is the closer’s job: to provide answers, get an agreement, and conquer (close).”Anon.
There is a solidly perpetuated theory in almost all sales methodologies, that, at some point in the interaction between the sales person and his prospect, the prospect will present the sales person with an objection or two regarding the product, service or company being sold. These “messages” delivered by the prospect, sound like: We’ve been using ABC company for years, and can’t see a reason to change. Our owners have frozen spending in all areas of our company. We had a bad experience with your company. Just send me your literature.They are really just messages the prospect is sending you to help you sell them!
“The sales person can’t handle objections! Only the prospect can handle objections!”David H. SandlerThe Sandler Selling System
“If you’ve never seen a ghost, you may believe that there is no such thing as a ghost. If you’ve never seen a UFO you may believe that there is not such thing as a UFO. I’ve never heard an objection therefore I believe that there is no such thing as an objection. I’d like you to believe that, too!” David KurlanBaseline Selling
“These are just messages the prospect is sending you to help you understand what you have to do to close the sale!”Rush BurkhardtThe Sales Force Toolbox/The Kenseal Playbook
Whether you believe in the term “objections” or not, we usually hear resistance on the part of our prospects. Each of these statements, and all other “objections” express an opinion or perspective that the prospect has observed! They indicate an area of his belief system. To move the sales process forward, it is necessary to examine this belief system, and that can be done by following a simple series of steps.
There are many reasons why the prospect delivers a message to the sales person that seems like resistance!
We know that people, while they might have needs, don’t want to be sold…
anything!Even if they know they need something, our understanding of the Buyer-Seller Psychology (stated in KU.IT2 the psychology of the sale) reminds us that they do not want to be influenced by the sales person so the prospect puts-up a Roadblock to keep the SP from “selling” him anything! The prospect does what he can to Deflect or Divert the sales person!If he is too threatened, the prospect may actually want to get rid of the sales person
The prospect may want to Buy Time.It may be that the sales person caught the prospect at a point where he wasn’t ready to solve his problems, and he might not know that it’s OK to say that…so he fabricates some kind of message to get the sales person off his back!The caution here is that if the prospect is given too much information, the time he buys might be used to shop the sales person with the competition!
The prospect may want to get (aka steal) more information. On one hand, he may want reassurance that the product or services will perform as promised. On the other hand, he may want to collect information that will allow him to challenge his current supplier or shop you with your competition!
Buyers, of all descriptions, have been trained to use these negative messages to slow the sales process and set-up future negotiation!Because of the general perceptions that the sales person is going to try to do something to the buyer that he doesn’t want done, the buyer learns many defense mechanisms that will slow the process, allow the buyer to take control, or set the scene for a win-lose negotiation!
If the person in the buying position, is not able to make the decision, he may attempt to stall the process!The prospect may lack the authority to make the buying decision but covers up this fact by delivering several negative messages. The decision making “image” reflects power and control, and many prospects want to maintain that image and do so by disguising their lack of decision power with smokescreens like: I’ll need to think-it-over! Or We’re not quite ready to start now! Or I don’t know if we’re budgeted for that purchase!An important part of dealing with the message, whatever the reason it’s delivered, is to attempt to understand why the prospect is sending the message!
When You Hear One of These “Messages” Don’t…Panic! Make excuses! Rationalize! Explain! Defend! Or Whine!Those messages are only the “views” of the prospect; only the prospect can deal with them!
To Deal with the “Messages” Prospects Deliver…Listen…Ask Questions…Think…Reply…Agree
Listen carefully to the entire statement or question asked by your prospect. Don’t feel defensive. Don’t feel a need to explain or rationalize! Often a hasty reply adds strength to their opinion. Listen because often it is at this time, that they tell you something that will help to close the sale!
Ask whatever questions needed to clarify your prospect’s comment.
Questions you might ask regarding your prospects statement: (Pause the module, as needed , to copy these questions in your workbook.)“Interesting. Why do you think so?”“OK…Why are you asking me to do that?”“That’s a common question but everyone asks for a different reason. What’s your reason for asking?”“I understand. Will that be a problem?”“That’s what everyone says at first. Will you be able to get over it?”“Of course you can. So why haven’t you done that?”“That’s right. So why are we still talking?”Remember: These are messages your prospect has delivered to you! They are his opinions and his mind can be changed.
After asking your questions and listening to the answers given by your prospect, Think about the reason the prospect is giving you that piece of information.
“We’ve been using ABC company for years, and can’t see a reason to change.”It could be a statement designed to get rid of you, or it could be setting you up for negotiating price…or it could just be information that the prospect feels you need to have to emphasize his position. In this case, he may be saying “you’re going to have to come up with a pretty good reason to get me to use Kenseal.”
At this point it’s necessary to have some reaction to their message! Replyto attempt to uncover any gaps in their belief.
“We’ve been using ABC company for years, and can’t see a reason to change.”It’s best to reply with a neutral and nurturing parent statement to prepare your question to them, and make it easier for them to answer.SP: “I understand, and appreciate your loyalty! Now the question:Is there anything your current supplier could do better?One problem we’ve heard from others regards timely delivery. Does your supplier get your supplies to you, when you need them?”
An answer like this:““Well, now that you mention it, they have reduced their staff and sometimes they don’t get things to me when I need them.The prospect might not be as forthcoming if he feels you’re trying to “sell” something at that point! Be sure what you “sell” is your interest and concern for what he’s told you!
Now, attempt to reach Agreementwith your counterpart that if you can resolve the concern that has created his belief, you and he will move forward.
“Don’t do anything for your prospectunless you know what will happen as a result.”
Use a conditional agreement with the prospect. Be sure, if you spend the time and energy and give him the information he needs to adjust his beliefs, he will meet your expectations by continuing the process!
Just because you have dealt with that component of his belief systems and figured-out which message he was delivering you, make sure you determine if Other concernsmight exist. If they do, you should find out about them now.SP: “Before we move forward, are there any other concerns you have that we should discuss?”
Sometimes their belief is so strong, and of such broad impact, that you might need to go directly after it, to either reduce the negativity or determine that there is no way to get past their belief and go for the “NO”. One thing for sure…if they won’t go to NO, there is a route to continue the discussion, and perhaps, get to a YES!
This is a prospect who has left the door open. Now the sales person might be able to set an agreement like:
“If I can make you comfortable with ournew system of invoicing, can we move forward?”
What you’ve been taught, in the past, were objections , are “just messages the prospect is sending you to help you understand what you have to do to close the sale!”Simply the reflections of his belief systemsThe sounds those messages will make may still sound like “objections” to you . That type of negative framework is hard to overcome. Just do your best to reframe what you hear, and use the formula (Listen…Ask Questions…Think…Reply…Agree) before you assume that the message delivered must be refuted immediately!
Review and digest your notes. At a time when you feel confident of your material, enter the Kenseal e.library, select Competency Tests and the test for Sales Person Module 5. Complete the test and Submit your answers. Your results will be available for you shortly after you’ve submitted your completed test!Assuming competency in Module 5 you may move to another module which will give you more tools to enhance your sales professionalism!If you have questions be sure to consult with your SM immediately.
