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Aligning Customer

Objections to the Buying Process

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Fix your sales problem in 5 easy steps –

sounds great, doesn’t it??

Unfortunately, most quick fixes are band-

aids as opposed to real solutions

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One of the biggest problems for sales reps is customer objections.

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One of the biggest problems for sales reps is customer objections.

On the web, you’ll find tons of “easy 5-step solutions”

to this problem.

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In this article, we address an

alternative way to look at objection handling – from

the point of view of the buyer.

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‘A’ Players know that these tools don’t always

work independently.

In fact, these tools become more effective

when you combine them.

As a sales rep, you have a variety of tools in your bag.

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When countering customer

objections, start with knowledge

Do you understand your customer’s wants, needs, and issues?

Have you done your

homework?

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Download this free tool to immediately begin identifying your customer’s objections.

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You must also know where your customer is on the Buyer Process Map.

Every buyer will (knowingly or not)

travel through these buying

stages.

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As you guide them through the Buyer’s Journey, you’re bound

to hit some obstacles.

Oftentimes these obstacles come in the form of objections.

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For example:

Objections from customers early in the journey may mean:

• They’re not yet in the market• They’re not ready to change• They haven’t recognized they

have a problem yet.

Their objections will change depending on their stage in the journey.

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Objections later in the journey can mean there are unresolved areas of risk, such as:

• Budget concerns

• Competitive pressure

• Implementation issues

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No matter where your customer is in the Journey, one fact remains the same…..

The better you understand the customer, the better you’ll be able to respond to these objections.

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Responding to Customer Objections:

A well-prepared sales rep will understand customer objections as

part of the process.

You’ll never get through a deal without facing a few of them.

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A well designed sales process will have a stage specifically for mitigating risk or addressing concerns.

In fact, objections actually mean your customer is advancing

through the Buyer’s Journey.

Being aware of this will make you more welcoming of the

objections.

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The reason most reps continue struggling is a result of formula

objection handling.

The problem with formula objection handling is that it’s

just that – formulaic.

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To avoid this problem, I recommend the construction of an Objection Handling Template

A proper Template will have consideration for the customer.

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The graphic below shows a five phase sales process aligned to the stages in a buyer’s cycle.

As you develop a template, be thinking of the typical stages your buyers go through when purchasing your

product or service.

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Another extremely useful sales rep resource is a repository of objections that you can reference.

It’s important that these objections aren’t “pat” or “canned”.

Create them in a way that they’re specifically customized to your buyer.

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Your collection of objection responses should be broken down into a minimum of 3 categories:

1. Buyer Persona2. Stage of the Buyer’s Journey3. Type of objection – Price, Service,

Need, Product and Source (company or sales rep)

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With these tools, you’ll be well prepared for your next customer objections.

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With these tools, you’ll be well prepared for your next customer objections.

Preparedness yields confidence and composure when responding to customer

objections.

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With these tools, you’ll be well prepared for your next customer objections.

Preparedness yields confidence and composure when responding to customer

objections.

Both can go a long way in guiding a customer through the Buyer’s Journey.

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