Rebuttals: Do They Help Or Hurt Your Sales?

Noticed a spelling error in my previous post. How do I edit. The edit button isn't showing up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sell4alivn

It is not a matter of forcing anything. It is a matter of asking the correct questions to get the customer to tell you what there need payoff is.

Yes, Sell4alivn, yes!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sell4alivn

Objections and stalls are more common when a sales person pukes their presentation on a prospect without having an understanding of their current situation, existing problems and what the customer feels would resolve their problems.

Correct, again! I couldn't agree with you more, Sell4alivn.

You guys are awesome, this is an excellent topic.

I found that it's hard to have a sale without an objection, an objection is a buying signal. If the customer doesn't object to something that they see or hear, then they aren't seriously contemplating the purchase in the first place.

How you handle the objection is important though, I never pause after I hear the objection, and always restate the objection in my own words and follow up with a soft close.

~James

Hello to you James...

You are absolutely correct.

Objections are a buying signal in the traditional sales model. When the prospect objects... that's when the sale begins. Very stressful.

I look at objections in a different way. Objections are just one tactic that buyers use to discredit your "sales testimony."

In a more modern, more authentic way to sell... you have the opportunity to conduct a sales interview. You get to use this interview to disqualify your prospect as a candidate for your services, rather than the other way around.

I think it's imperative to spend your precious sales time with ready, willing, and able buyers. Be more selective… cherry pick. (Most salespeople slip into quicksand when they try to turn a real no into a yes. Disqualify, disqualify, disqualify.)

When a qualified prospect believes you can solve their problem... she/he will willingly assume the responsibility of convincing you why they want and need your offering...

You really don't get objections.

If you use an interview approach and still do get objections, it's probably because you're telling rather than selling. It's probably because you’re talking when you should be listening.

James, it really does work this way. This approach has helped me eliminate objections... and most of my sales stress.

______________________________
BTW... Here's a quote in response to yours.

"You’ve got enough problems with your non-problem clients. To take on a client that you know is going to be a problem is insanity."
-Ike Krieger

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Hello to you James...

You are absolutely correct.

Objections are a buying signal in the traditional sales model. When the prospect objects... that's when the sale begins. Very stressful.

I look at objections in a different way. Objections are just one tactic that buyers use to discredit your "sales testimony."

In a more modern, more authentic way to sell... you have the opportunity to conduct a sales interview. You get to use this interview to disqualify your prospect as a candidate for your services, rather than the other way around.

I think it's imperative to spend your precious sales time with ready, willing, and able buyers. Be more selective… cherry pick. (Most salespeople slip into quicksand when they try to turn a real no into a yes. Disqualify, disqualify, disqualify.)

When a qualified prospect believes you can solve their problem... she/he will willingly assume the responsibility of convincing you why they want and need your offering...

You really don't get objections.

If you use an interview approach and still do get objections, it's probably because you're telling rather than selling. It's probably because you’re talking when you should be listening.

James, it really does work this way. This approach has helped me eliminate objections... and most of my sales stress.

______________________________
BTW... Here's a quote in response to yours.

"You’ve got enough problems with your non-problem clients. To take on a client that you know is going to be a problem is insanity."
-Ike Krieger

Ike,

I hear what your saying, and you are correct, however It's not a solve all for every sales situation. For instance, I sell New Homes, and ideally I try to get the people into my office as soon as they come in to do my investigation, however sometimes they arent comfortable with that so I have to investigate for desire and ability during my demonstration, so in that situation I come across objections.

But in a perfect world, when I get the customers to come into the office at the introduction and I have time to probe a little and I find out their income, credit, and debt, then when I demonstrate I have more control of the situation and it works more as you describe.

But if I were to kick the non conforming prospects to the curb at the begining I could be eliminating ready willing and able buyers. Even though they didn't want to open up and conform in the beggining, on a big ticket sale item like a new house, sometimes you have to give them some space, and restructure your approach to fit the customer. Whats your thoughts on this?

BTW I like your signature/quote as well

~James

Good morning.

Appreciate the reply.

When using the term disqualify... I'm referring to a process in which you uncover a no that was going to happen anyway.

This is quite different then creating a no by "kicking someone to the curb" if they don't immediately raise their hands and say, "please sell me something."

Since I don't have enough info about your opening, and what you do to enhance relationship at the outset, I wouldn't begin to suggest a change in your approach.

What can be offered from experience: Ask the right questions as part of your initial interview and you can tell relatively soon if the client fits any or all of the ready, willing, and able requirements you've established for yourself.

What are some of the opening questions you have found helpful?

What area in your initial talk with your prospects has produced the "answer reluctance" to which you allude?

Also, when in the process do you have your conversation... before or after the viewing? This wasn't clear from your post.

The placement of your initial conversation inside of your sales "flow chart" plays a major role in the effectiveness of your probe. Timing is everything.

How have you prepared them for your interview?

An NLP concept that's worth remembering is , "the meaning of your communication is the response that you get."

Take care.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Cesario

But if I were to kick the non conforming prospects to the curb at the begining I could be eliminating ready willing and able buyers. Even though they didn't want to open up and conform in the beggining, on a big ticket sale item like a new house, sometimes you have to give them some space, and restructure your approach to fit the customer. Whats your thoughts on this?

I agree, Mr. C. And Real Estate is one of the easier industries in which to pre-qualify prospects since those who will need to finance must literally qualify for it, and there's no sense spending a ton of time with someone until they do. Salespeople doing showroom sales or retail sales or in-home sales don't have that luxury.

Some people take this mantra of selling to only people who are "ready, willing, and able to buy" to the extreme. When someone comes into your retail store or showroom, or they call you out to give them an estimate on siding for their home, you treat them as a prospect and use your probing skills to identify their needs, their budget, and a bunch of other stuff. But if you approached that customer and asked if they were ready to buy today, it would be a recipe for sales disaster!

Guilty.

I do take disqualifying to the extreme, every time. (And you’re right; this conversation doesn't necessarily apply in a full blown retail environment.)

I'm talking about the type of sale in which the salesperson relies on relationship, and the interview process.

The degree of success you achieve with this approach is viewpoint based. Are you communicating as a salesperson first, or a problem solver? When you sell... whose problem are you really trying to solve? (That's really an importnat question)

Your effectiveness with this approach depends on the specific questions you ask, the format of your interview, and the agreements you make.

Also, I think that’s it’s important to avoid getting upset with prospects for not following "rules" we've established, since in most cases we don't tell them what those rules are.

When these agreements are made and are set inside of the spirit of relationship, and your prospect believes your main focus is their problem and not yours... they will follow those agreements... and it does work... nearly every time.

BTW - I always ask a prospect if they're “ready to buy today”, it’s just that the question is asked in a way… and at a time in the sales flowchart when your prospect is most ready to give a "truthful answer." I find this step of the process to be most revealing and profitable.

Look forward to your thoughts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

Guilty.

I do take disqualifying to the extreme, every time. (And you’re right; this conversation doesn't necessarily apply in a full blown retail environment.)

I'm talking about the type of sale in which the salesperson relies on relationship, and the interview process.

Ike, in your opinion, what kind of sale does not rely on a relationship, and does not do an interview process?

In my opinion, the relationship is key (whether it's a long sales cycle or a short one, whether it's B2B or B2C or retail or in-home or account management or new business development).

And in my opinion, so presenting should be done until an interview process (obviously, in some types of sales that process is longer and more involved, and at other times it's more brief, but it has to be there).

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikrieger

I always ask a prospect if they're “ready to buy today”, it’s just that the question is asked in a way… and at a time in the sales flowchart when your prospect is most ready to give a "truthful answer." I find this step of the process to be most revealing and profitable.

Okay, Ike, here's a scenario for you to comment on:

You're one of three window salespeople who have been called out to give a quote on replacement windows for the prospect. This is your only sales appointment for the day. Your typical appointment lasts 90 minutes.

You knock on the door and the customer comes to the door. You introduce yourself, etc.

Other than at closing, when and how do you ask the prospect if they're "ready to buy today?" In your opinion, what is the advantage of asking that question? [My opinion: They've called you out to their home, you should assume they're ready to buy today and try to button up the deal while you're there, and asking if they're ready to buy today should only happen at closing.]

Skip

Ike,

If I may, what is it that you sell? And I too would be interested in knowing what part of the process you ask the "are you ready to buy today" question. In my opinion in a big ticket sale with multiple options, that question shouldn't be asked until you've found the right fit for your particular customer, thats a hard close, and should only be used once you've meet the clients wants and needs.

To answer some of your questions IMO
The warm up/introduction is the most important part of the selling process, you can't sell anyone, anything until they like/trust you as a person during this process I talk about them, try to get them to open up, and try to find something in common with them.

After the warm up, I typically need the following questions answered before I can proceed with a proper demonstration:

What is your current living situation? Do you rent or own? What do you like/dislike about the place that you are living in currently? How many family members will be sharing your new house with you? What is your time frame for moving? How long have you been in the market?

if the client answers the above then I try to show them their "buying power" basically their DTI or debt to income ratio then I can be assured that I am only demonstrating the homes that fit their wants, needs and income based on the information that they provide to me. Ideally at this point I would like to pull credit, but most people wont allow that until they've found the perfect home, typically the ones that do allow it can't buy anyways.

The home market is tough right now, but I sold three homes this week, but that doesn't happen every week.

Please share your thoughts.

~James

Rebuttals: Do They Help Or Hurt Your Sales?

Persuasion and Influence Forum