Do you use rebuttals to change minds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossMan

The skilled salesperson will help alleviate the buyer's concerns before, during, and after the presentation.

In my experience the customer is an active participant in the sales call which can include asking questions before, during, and after the presentation.

I improved to the point that with my customers, it's now or never (with the sole exception of Best Buy - posted elsewhere). I find rebuttals to, overall, hinder.

On your first point, since we're on the subject of rebuttals, I have a question for you after a story. When I worked at Best Buy doing tv demos, when I wasn't busy I was expected to help out customers (usually giving directions to other departments).

A lady came up to me saying she needed a tv stand. So we went over to the tv stand section. While we were walking she explained she needed a high one because when she put her feet up on the bed, her legs blocked her view of the screen.

When we got there, we found a stand she liked a lot (it even swiveled), but there was a problem. It was made of wood and she
needed metallic because her bedroom furniture was metallic. We
tried another section with no luck and with Best Buy, what you see is what you get because there is no "back room" furniture.

So what to do? Many reps would say come back or go to another
store. Before you rack your brains out, let me say that I have customer service experience and I do come up with solutions.
The solution: I suggested to the customer to buy the stand and spray paint it metallic.

She was delighted with my suggestion (and kept calling me a "...great salesman" when she learned I wasn't employed at the store) so I turned her over to a Best Buy associate to complete the purchase.

My question Bossman is do you feel that my suggestion is a rebuttal because without it, a sale would have been lost or do you feel that the sale was made when she said she wanted to get the stand and my suggestion is simply part of a presentation (unrehearsed mind you) which helped to close out the deal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

My question Bossman is do you feel that my suggestion is a rebuttal because without it, a sale would have been lost or do you feel that the sale was made when she said she wanted to get the stand and my suggestion is simply part of a presentation (unrehearsed mind you) which helped to close out the deal?

For sake of discussion let's come to agreement on terminology. A rebuttal, evidence that attempts to explain, counteract, or disprove facts, can be a response but not all responses are rebuttals.

Your suggestion was a response, not a rebuttal, to resistance, an objection, about the product, wood instead of metallic. I don't view responses to resistance as "simply part of a presentation".

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossMan

For sake of discussion let's come to agreement on terminology. A rebuttal, evidence that attempts to explain, counteract, or disprove facts, can be a response but not all responses are rebuttals.

Your suggestion was a response, not a rebuttal, to resistance, an objection, about the product, wood instead of metallic. I don't view responses to resistance as "simply part of a presentation".

My definition of a rebuttal is any statement(s) that attempt to change a prospect's mind to say yes regardless how factual the prospect's statements may be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

My definition of a rebuttal is any statement(s) that attempt to change a prospect's mind to say yes regardless how factual the prospect's statements may be.

Do you view your suggestion to the customer she buy the stand anyway and spray paint it metallic as what you call a "rebuttal"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Do you view your suggestion to the customer she buy the stand anyway and spray paint it metallic as what you call a "rebuttal"?

She never said she didn't want it so there was no mind to change (but I anticipated the objection before she stated it as she made clear her needs, otherwise I'd say it's pretty obvious she wouldn't have bought a non-metallic stand).

When a prospect clearly states a flat out no under any circumstances, then give up the chase (some sales reps have yet to learn).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

She never said she didn't want it so there was no mind to change (but I anticipated the objection before she stated it as she made clear her needs, otherwise I'd say it's pretty obvious she wouldn't have bought a non-metallic stand).

What would you have done if she had said she didn't want it because it was non-metallic?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

What would you have done if she had said she didn't want it because it was non-metallic?

Would have checked to see whether another Best Buy in the area carried it (keep in mind I didn't actually work for Best Buy so I'm limited as to what I can do). Would also have requested a rain check (as she liked the price too) so if a metallic stand did come in, she could come back to pick it up at that price or better (no other options come to mind).

What would you have done?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

Would have checked to see whether another Best Buy in the area carried it (keep in mind I didn't actually work for Best Buy so I'm limited as to what I can do). Would also have requested a rain check (as she liked the price too) so if a metallic stand did come in, she could come back to pick it up at that price or better (no other options come to mind).

And when those options had been exhausted what would you have done? Would you have made the suggestion to paint the piece?

Wonderboy,

What you can't seem to get is that ANY response to an objection is a rebuttal. The objection is what you are rebutting!

If you can't respond to objections because it might is some way "violate" the customer then you will never sell anything. I'm extremely dubious of any so-called system that says I'm not supposed to respond to objections.

Come to that, I'm pretty dubious of sales "systems" in the first place. Sales is as much art as science and systems are too inflexible to work consistantly.

Pat

Quote:

Originally Posted by toolguy_35

Wonderboy,

What you can't seem to get is that ANY response to an objection is a rebuttal. The objection is what you are rebutting!

If you can't respond to objections because it might is some way "violate" the customer then you will never sell anything. I'm extremely dubious of any so-called system that says I'm not supposed to respond to objections.

Come to that, I'm pretty dubious of sales "systems" in the first place. Sales is as much art as science and systems are too inflexible to work consistantly.

Pat

I gave you my definition of a rebuttal along with examples which doesn't correspond with your first paragraph.

Your next two paragraphs don't correspond with my experience (and others too).

Do you use rebuttals to change minds?

Persuasion and Influence Forum