The Formula for Responding to Prospect Objections

Responding to objections is one of the hardest things to do - so I plan on making good use of sales trainer Wendy Weiss' formula for responding! What about you?

Many, many sales representatives, business owners and/or entrepreneurs start their sales cycle with an appointment. That appointment is frequently face-to-face or it could be an appointment to show a web-based demo. Most of these sales representatives, business owners and/or entrepreneurs are, of course, using the telephone to attempt to schedule those first appointments.

There are many roadblocks along the way to gaining agreement for a first appointment. Many struggle to even get their prospect on the telephone. Once they do, however, there is another major roadblock: The roadblock of prospect objections. Unfortunately far too many prospectors shoot themselves in the foot when trying to handle these prospect objections.

Objections are not necessarily, "no." Objections can help you gain insight into what is going on with your prospect, they can help you jump start a conversation and most importantly, if handled well, they can actually help you schedule the appointment.

Here is The Formula for Responding to Prospect Objections:

1. Agree with your prospect.
Find a way to agree with your prospect, even if it's only to say, "I understand..." You will get nowhere arguing with your prospect. When you agree with your prospect you actually put yourself on your prospect's side.

Too many prospectors actually create push back from their prospects with the word, "but." They hear a prospect objection, for example, "I already have a vendor" and they say, "but..." and give a reason why their product/services are better. This puts you in the position of arguing with your prospect. This is not an argument you will win.

2. Reframe the objection.
The word, "reframe," means "to help the prospect think about the objection differently." If you can get the prospect to look at the objection in a different way you have a much better chance of being able to schedule your appointment. A reframe for the objection, "I already have a vendor," might be, "You never know what might happen in the future and right now, I'd simply like to introduce myself." In this reframe, you are not asking to replace the prospect's current vendor (although that might certainly be your ultimate goal!) You are asking the prospect to think of you as a future resource.

3. Ask for the meeting
After agreeing with your prospect and reframing the objection you must ask for the appointment again. Too many prospectors make the mistake of waiting for the prospect to say, "Ok, that's a good idea." The chances of that happening are minimal. Take the power and ask again for what you want.

Use this Formula to handle your prospect objections and you will find your path to that first appointment to be much easier and far more successful.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com