The document provides advice on dealing with objections from prospects during sales conversations. It notes that 90% of objections are based on nonsense as prospects often object in order to end the conversation quickly since they don't see value in it. The natural reaction of asking why they object often backfires by strengthening their objection. Instead, salespeople should ignore the objection and ask open-ended, smart questions related to the prospect's business to prove expertise and steer the conversation productively. Examples show ignoring objections about budget or supplier satisfaction by asking how currency fluctuations impact the business. Preparing multiple such questions helps address follow-up objections and keep the discussion moving forward.

1. Sales advice 2: Dealing with objections
Before I go into depth please realize:
90% of all objections are based on nonsense!
Let’s start with a simple introduction, something you might experience often in daily life:
If someone in your environment, let’s say a colleague, says: “Today I feel so bad…” then your natural
reaction will be: “Oh really, what a pity… what’s wrong with you?!”
…“Well I have headache, I am coughing all day, heavy pain in my chest and also I slept terrible last
night…”
Because you ask your colleague to explain what’s wrong, your colleague in the end will definitely feel
even worse by over and over confirming why she or he feels bad today. So you show ‘interest’ but
actually you make someone feeling worse – as the person will increasingly believe in her own
‘objection’ not to be able to work today’.
In sales the natural reaction would be the same, as these three examples below will confirm:
1. A prospect who tells you: “No, sorry I really don’t have enough budget for that.”
The natural reaction is: “Why you don’t have enough budget?”
2. Prospect: “No, I don’t want to meet you, I already have another supplier and I am very
satisfied with them.
Natural reaction: “Why are you so satisfied with your current supplier?”
3. Prospect: “No, I really don’t have time for this; it’s not relevant to me at all, meeting will be a
waste of time for both of us!”
Natural reaction: Not relevant for you at all, why? How do you know it’s not relevant??”
Be aware: your natural reaction will always lead you in the wrong direction and will result in the
opposite of what you want, as their answer will probably be something such as this:
1. “… I don’t have any budget left because all budgets are already fixed and agreed for the rest
of the year and I know my boss is never going to show any interest to your offer!!”
(There you go… is this what you want to hear?!)
2. “… I am very satisfied with my current supplier. I was their first customer ever and my
relationship has been very close for the past 20 years!”
(There you go again: if you are in the shoes of the sales rep you will almost start thinking a
sales is really not possible…)
3. “…It’s not relevant to meet as we do already have everything in place and we are not looking
for any changes at the moment!”
(Again: your natural reaction leads into nothing…)

2. So your natural reaction will make your prospect even explain why they don’t want to do business
with you, why they don’t have time to meet. In other words: You make them believe even stronger
in their own objections (even though the objections are nonsense)!
But now how to deal with it, if showing interest is not correct?!
Well, we know several levels of listening. In general the ‘worst’ level of listening is IGNORE.
That’s my advice: IGNORE!
You need to ignore the 90% of the objections as they are based on nothing, so talking more about
nothing actually creates something: a stronger objection!
The reason that 90% of the objections are nonsense is because you are not on an equal level with
your prospect. They don’t think the conversation is valuable for them and therefore just want to
stop the conversation. They create an objection hoping you will give up and not push any harder.
So be prepared! You need to become equal in the conversation to avoid
these objections. If they feel that the conversation is valuable, they will not keep on telling
you their objections.
The only smart way of ignoring the objections is asking relevant open questions. This requires
preparation (or experience). SMART questions are related to their business, their market trends,
their actual situation or whatever you know about the prospect or based on similar experience.
Two examples:
“… I don’t have any budget left because all budgets are already fixed and agreed for the rest of the
year…”
Your reaction (ignore): “Last weeks I have been talking to two of your main competitors. They both
are currently considering the investments as they are aware that it’s a very actual matter. Due the
current currency fluctuation they need to use this solution to stay competitive”…. How does the
currency fluctuation impacts your business?”
“… I am very satisfied with my current supplier. I was their first customer ever and my relationship
has been very close for the past 20 years!”
Your reaction (ignore): “Recently I had a meeting with your neighbour company called ‘X’. They had
a home supplier for many years as well. Due the recent currency fluctuation their margin was gone.
That’s why they had to switch supplier. How does the current currency value impacts your business?”
By asking these smart and open questions you prove to be an expert and challenge your contact
person to start talking and drive him in the right direction. Sometimes they will not right away react
the way you want and come with another nonsense objection. That’s why you need to be prepared
and have at least 3 relevant smart questions. You need to BE READY TO IGNORE!