Objections are par for the course on any sales call. It is how you handle objections that makes a sales call successful and leads the prospect to the next step in your sales pipeline. Nine times out of ten, the lead is using objections because he or she does not understand how your offering is different from the other sales calls received this week. These five ways to respond to objections during a sales call can help.

Clarify the Reasons Behind the Objections

Many of the most common objections, e.g., “I’m not interested,” do not give you any insight into why your lead wants to end the sales call prematurely. Respond to these sales call objections by allowing the prospect to clarify his or her stance. “Out of curiosity, are you not interested in improving X, or is there something I could have said differently that would interest you?”

Change the Conversation Dynamic

Since many sales call objections involve the lead retreating, many sales people are stymied on how to move the conversation forward. Changing the conversation dynamic by acknowledging the lead’s position while gently continuing the conversation is a good way to overcome this problem.

• Give the lead options for explanation so that you can ask follow up questions and set a follow up meeting.
• Respond to an objection with empathy. “I heard about your merger; I actually specialize in helping companies like yours improve X in these situations.”
• Lead forward. For example, “I understand. If there were a more convenient time would you be interested to know.?”

Don’t Let Timing of a Sales Call Close the Door

Prospects often use “This is not a good time” as one of their go-to objections. Clarify the reasons behind this objection so that you can build value and lead the sales call forward. Use a response that gives the prospect the ability to step back, such as, “If you knew you could improve your productivity in X area by the end of this month, would 2 PM on Thursday be a better time?”

Use Price as an Opportunity to Build Value

Price is one of the most, if not the most, common objections you hear on a sales call, especially if your prospect introduces the subject first. Even if you have done a great job at building value, the bottom line price can still be a concern for your prospect. Help your prospect allay those concerns with responses like:

• “You’re right, it is an expenditure. But let’s step back and look at how it will lead to returns.”
• “If this increased your revenue by X, don’t you agree it would be worth the investment?”
• “True, but what if you assigned a dollar value to what this will do to help you meet your goals?”

Handle Late Stage Rejections with Tact – While Still Moving Forward

Objections based occur at all stages of the sales call, whether it is the first or fifth time you have been in touch with a prospect. These objections can be delicate to handle because sometimes the objection does not even come across as a rejection. However, these can be delaying tactics that stall the momentum of a deal:

• We need more time to think about this.
• I need to take this higher in order to move forward on a decision.
• Send me some information; we’ll be in touch.

You can overcome any of these objections, and many similar objections, by understanding that these statements are usually made when there are other concerns, such as fear of change or concerns on price. The best way to handle this is to be direct. Ask a question like, “I understand. Since we’re on the subject, is there anything else that concerns you about this purchase?” If you have good rapport with your prospect, he or she will disclose the underlying objections and give you an immediate opportunity to allay those fears and move forward.