Are most objections buying signs?

Would you say that most objections that come up during your presentation are buying signs that basically mean, "I'm interested but not sold on it yet"? -Thomas

I would say objections are something that indicate that they are possibly in a buying state. From there you clarify the objection, pace through mutual agreement, appraise the objection then answer it.

Never answer an objection until you truly understand the objection. Find out the question behind the question! -MrCharisma

That's probably true in most cases.

For handling objections I like this four step sequence: 1.) Acknowledge 2.) Clarify 3.) Answer 4.) Confirm -Gilbert

I agree with both MrCharisma and Gilbert. -Skip Anderson

Yes and when that is the case you'll want to uncover where buy in is missing. Is it; provider, product, priority, price, peers or what? -Frankie

I agree with what has been said here, but I would also like to comment on the other side of objections. It should be said that though objections are a necessary part of the sale, it is also objections that keep the sales person from making the sale. It has been my experience that many underperforming sales people get far more objections than do their top performing counterparts. If alot of strong objections come out of the sale on the back end then many times it is an indicator that the sales person is not doing a good Discovery or is incomplete in their sales presenation. As top sales people finds potential objections in the Discovery and then neutralize them during the presenation.

I agree with all that was said in the previous posts, but I would caution us from viewing objections as only a benfit to the sale as though that can be true it is an incomplete view and could potentially be misleading to those with less experience. -Joeylean

IMO, real objections are a problem but half-baked objections or common questions and concerns are not. -SpeedRacer

SpeedRacer brings up a common misconception regarding objections, which is that many things that are labeled as "objections" are really not, but rather are merely excuses. Yet, I would say that it is the excuses rather than the objections that are far more dangerous to the sale. Excuses take you off track and result in the sales person seeking to answer something that it not really a hinderance to the sale.


The difference between an objection and an excuse is that an objection is a legitimate reason that if overcome will result in a sale. An excuse is a reason that has no bearing on the completion of the sale, it is simply a way for the prospect to say "no." There are some strageties that the successful sales person must use to distinguish between the two, but that is another posting... -Joeylean

What do you mean real or half-baked? -Thomas

Objections can be a buying signal, or they can be a signal the prospect isn't buying. You have to ask more questions to find out which it is.

- Some prospect objections are based upon false information or an incorrect understanding of your product or service. Solution? Educate them.

- Some objections are indications the prospect is not going to buy unless you change something about your product, service, or offer. You may have to change one of those factors to earn the business.

- Some objections are automatic. Customers have learned to state an objection even if they don't really have that objection. Example: "I need to think about it." Solution: Talk it through.

- Some objections are what I call "false objections." These are objections which are not really the issue, but are used to cover up the real issue. For instance, a wife says, "I've got to talk to my husband." I train salespeople to then ask, "Aside from your husband, what do you think about this proposal?" If your prospect then says, "Oh, I think the price is way too high", you know the real objection is price, not the stated objection of needing to talk to the husband. -Skip Anderson

Thanks Skip. If they are buying then their objections are buying signs right because if they weren't interested they'd send you packing right? -Thomas

If a customer wants a red widget and all you have is a blue one, and the customer says "but I want a red one", this is not a buying signal for you, but is a buying signal for the salesperson at another company who can get him a red one.

Not all objections can be overcome. Sometimes they can be (for instance, by providing more information for the prospect or clarifying a misconception), but sometimes an "objection" is an indication that your product, your company, or you, are not right for your prospect ("they sent you packing", as you said). -Skip Anderson

I would have to challenge the idea that there are objections that cannot be overcome. An objection, by definition must be able to be overcome or have the potential to be overcome. If there is something that cannot be overcome then it is a condition and not an objection. A condition is such that cannot be overcome (example: selling shoes to a man with no legs).

However there are times when a condition is given that if there are new information given (ex: selling man with no legs shoes for his son). Therefore conditions are not license to give up on the sale, as they can be turned into an objection many times through either giving new information or changing the terms. The important thing is to identify what is causing the condition and seek to change that so as to turn the condition back to an objection. -Joeylean

Skip great explanation. With objections the client is asking for more information. What we need to find, the condition of the objection. Skips question of " aside from your husband , what do you think about this proposal,find out the condition of why she eneds to speak to the husband.The answer was ,she did not need to speak to her husband.
I do not have the money? How do you mean? You do not have it today? You have to transfer money in your accounts? Will you have it tomorrow,next week ,month etc. Find out the reason or condition.
This is how you determine a real objection and a false objection -rich34232

Skip's statement above is the definitive answer to the question posed--signed, sealed, and delivered.

To go beyond that, and to look for further insight on that topic through conjecture, is tantamount to playing a board game. Clarification, and a deeper understanding of Skip's advice is found in the field, working with real live prospects.

As in that NLP expression I heard, the map is not the territory. -Ace Coldiron

What you need to do is identify the real objections and not the "automated response" objections. 90% of customers have an automated response to certain questions. When I approach a customer on the lot, first objection is "Just looking". Thats an automated objection. So some of these objections are just "automated". Identify the true objections and focus with those, because those are the ones you need to overcome to get the sale. -jrboyd

Does all this mean I just lost lots of potential sales because I hurried off the phone by the smallest objection, because I didn't want to bother people? xerm;

Wow... I really have lots to learn! At least I'm now preparing myself better, and hopefully soon I can launch a perfect "attack" they just have to say yes to ;st

Take care,
*Louise -cleocatra999

Legitimate objections are still a form of communication and shows that the prospect is still interested in either engaging you to see if you provide the necessary solutions, or to just pick your brain for further information.

But, even if they are just spring-boarding off of your information, thinking that they will probably not be buying anything from you, with the proper timing of your trial closes, you can bring them closer to your side, as long as you are still providing the solutions necessary.

You have heard the phrase, "Silence is Golden", but in the presentation mode, the silence from the prospect needs to be chisled away, until they voice their true desires to you.

Conversely, your own silence, awkward as it seems, prompts the prospect into moving forward with his/her next comment. You need to shut up, listen and then acknowledge their concerns.

Repeat as often as required.

Ed -Ed The Roofer

In response to David Hoffeld's earlier post, I have to agree that many objections could be avoided if the sales person covered off on them during the earlier sales process. All sales people tend to know the regular objections they get to their products and could therefore handle these in their presentation. Working in finance I know one of our products has a percieved fee weakness - but also know that it replaces other, higher fees with other banks. So I am training my team to explain that up front. -Moke1310

I'm in agreement with the group here that objections can be a buying sign. I'm in agreement that objections are all a part of the roadmap to a sale. I agree with Skip (I believe) that not all objections can be overcome; after all, there are some that just plain find me objectionable...

I was taught to write out every objection, stall or condition I could think of and respond to them with a tape recorder. I was taught to be sincere. Smile, be Sincere and Take the First Step I have stapled in my briefcase still.

I know this gets tedious, but it's all I know....

Explore through sincere questioning what your client does with his life.

Identify through sincere questioning areas that you can help your client.
(John, now that you're in your forties does or has the possibility of the impact a heart attack or stroke would have concern you? What do you think the financial cost would be to you and your family? I know you have great kids, mine would still want their allowance even if I was in traction... :)

Recommend through sincere questioning solutions.
(John, given that the possibility exists for a critical illness to strike at our age and given the cost you indicated it takes to contribute to your savings, how desirable is it to use your savings and retirement dollars to compensate for a critical illness?

If you knew you were going to have a heart attack or stroke within the next 6 months, and further, if you had a choice of writing a check from your savings or investing the price of a latte, $5.00 a day instead to pay off your mortgage and help with other bills and expenses, which would be the most finanancially advantageous to you in your opinion?

Agree with sincerity. John thank you for letting us serve you. You're now going to have peace of mind knowing that with this decision your kids will still go to the schools you chose for them and your mortgage payment will be eliminated. Isn't that a great feeling?

Hopefully, by asking sincere questions, you'll learn all about your client. You'll understand his needs, goals and desires for his family. Sincere questioning should help uncover how your client does things and spends his money, which in our case, will he be spending his or spending ours. Sincerity, I've come to believe, helps pave the way to a stress free agreement... even if on occasion, it may mean no sale.

Aloha.... -rattus58

I've mentioned this here before, but in my 20+ yrs experience have come to find that most OBJECTIONS are really a buyers OBJECTIVE.

Obviously you must still open-end probe to determine more. But on the surface, I have found that the objection really become the objective of what the prospect is truly trying to accomplish.

Objection: "Contract terms are longer than we can live with."
Objective: Get more flexible terms b/c we don't want to get locked.

Try it, see if it helps you. -MaxReferrals

Having time to think on this subject buying sometimes, interest shown in your proposal products and services are the more likely sign. Followed closely can be changed into an ownership exchange -rich34232