Free Sales and Negotiation Tip

March 15, 2011

Listen Closely for Concerns
Most customers don’t actually use the word objection and we have observed many salespeople miss the fact that their customer had an objection because it was phrased as a concern. This is a very common mistake made on sales calls and easily rectified!

For purposes of being consistent with what actually happens on a sales call, I am going to replace the word objection with concern in this tip. Since your customer is more likely to use this word, you will be more likely to hear it and respond appropriately.

Be Prepared for Why Customers Have Concerns
Concerns are a normal part of any selling process. If you hear a concern, your customer is probably thinking one of the following:

• I don’t know this person
• I don’t like this person.
• I don’t trust this person.
• I don’t see the value yet.
• I don’t agree with what was said.
• This person is not listening to me.
• I don’t like change.
• I don’t need to change.
• I don’t understand and need more information or clarification.

If a concern arises, it is not always a signal that the sales call should end. A concern could mean that the customer feels confident that you will be able to resolve the issue and wants to get involved in the dialogue.

We usually recommend that you be concerned when customers don’t raise any questions or concerns. Customers might not share their concerns if they don’t feel that there is an answer or if they don’t feel comfortable with you. They may think that you, your company or your product are not worth the effort!

Control When You Hear Concerns
When salespeople are not ready for concerns, they don’t always respond in the most professional, customer-focused way. They may even get defensive and focus on protecting themselves in the dialogue. It is in your best interest to check in during your sales call and see if there are any unresolved concerns or questions. Control when you hear the concerns and you will find you are able to resolve them easier and stay in the selling process. Often, concerns surface after you have presented an idea, a solution or a closing statement. When preparing for sales calls, plan to stop the dialogue at different points to see if the customer has questions or concerns. This puts you in control of the process and leads to an overall better dialogue.

If you want to improve how you respond to concerns so you can close more sales, give us a call at (800) 610-8170 or email us at solutions@taylorperformance.com.

I hope this tip helps you in your next sales call.

Regards,
Linda
www.taylorperformance.com

Tags: negotiating training, negotiation skills, negotiations presentation, resolving sales objections, sales training, win win negotiation skills

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