Translating into Needs

When you re frame a client's objection you are changing the tone of what they said

Objections from customers are barriers to progress, whereas needs are aspirational, so it follows that turning objections into needs makes them easier to discuss and resolve. These examples illustrate how objections, in fact, mask needs:

• A client complains about the high complexity of your proposal: what he may need is a clearer explanation pitched at his own level.
• A client recounts a bad experience of a purchase similar to the one you are proposing: what she may need is reassurance that it won't happen again.
• A client laments the difficulty of changing heir in-house systems: he may need to understand that you can help to facilitate the process.

You can re frame almost any objection into an invitational question that asks how something can be done as opposed to why it can't. An objection like "my manager will never go for this" becomes "It appears to me that there's a need to establish a rock-solid business case for this purchase."

When you re frame a client's objection you are changing the tone of what they said, and you should avoid putting words into their mouth--note the use of "it appears to me" in the example above.

ACTION POINT: Don't worry if the way you re frame the objection is off target. Ask the customer to correct you and keep trying until you get it right.

Reframing Objections

the next step of the selling process is re framing the objections as needs.

By this time, you have heard the customer's objections to your proposal. Most--but not all --objections that you will hear from clients are really disguised, unfulfilled needs. So the next step of the selling process is re framing the objections as needs.

Re framing is not restricted to selling situations. A multi billion dollar company was in the process of selecting a new CEO: during the interviews, one of the leading candidates was challenged by the chairman. The candidate had a reputation for risk taking, and the chairman expressed his worries about his judgment in financial decisions. The candidate's re frame went something like this: "My impression is that you're concerned about my reputation for trying new things and need to feel comfortable that when it comes to financial decisions I will demonstrate the fiduciary responsibility that the job demands. Is that correct?" He gave a great response and two days later he got the job.

ACTION POINT: Re framing is the art of turning a negative into a positive, changing the apparently unresolvable into the possible.

Self Control - Discipline

It takes discipline, strong, self-imposed mental willpower to overcome lack of control.

How quickly we lose control when daily diversions cloud our vision and keep us from seeing the right path to follow. How much independent, no-nonsense, controlled mental input goes into your day on average? Our lack of mental self-control will let the wrong things control our lives.

It takes discipline, strong, self-imposed mental willpower to overcome lack of control. Sometimes it takes seeing enough poor results to want change. Sometimes it takes reaching the bottom before we want up.

• A man without self-control is as defenseless as a cit with broken down walls. (Proverbs 25:28)

ACTION POINT: Exercise your mental willpower.

Encouraging the Customer to Open Up

Let your customer know that you appreciate their insights...

Building rapport with your customer starts with getting them to open up to you. The following actions can help begin that process.

• Be Positive - Let your customer know that you appreciate their insights by interspersing your your questions with appreciative phrases such as: "Thank you" and "That's very helpful."
• Be Direct - Clearly signal your intentions using phrases such as: "I'd like to ask another question or tow in order to..." to make the climate more conducive to problem solving.
• Introduce your questions - Give reasons for why you need the information to help to diffuse suspicion and put the customer at ease. If your customer raises the objection that your solution is complicated, respond with: "Yes, it is complex --but it's also very manageable. Can we discuss this further...?"
• Mirror the Client - If the client becomes obstructive and puts you on the wrong foot, try mirroring his or her objections. For example, counter "Your suggestion is ridiculous" with "Why do you think this seems ridiculous?" Do this in a nonjudgmental way that conveys your real curiosity about the answer.

Be silent - Sometimes, and especially when a client reacts in an inappropriately strong manner, being silent is the best option. Silence can defuse the situation and give the client time to realize that his or her behavior is not contributing to a resolution.

ACTION POINT: Learn the techniques above to help your customers to open up to you.

Crossing The Line

...trust your instincts and build on them with experience, you'll be right a lot more than you'll be wrong.

Almost any positive behavior can become a negative one when used in excess. It's great to be curious until you become nosy. You should be assertive, but not aggressive. By all means be pleasant; but say away from obsequious. Be empathetic and customer focused, but don't appear patronizing.

Take a position, but don't become dogmatic. And, of course, be tenacious, just don't get stubborn. These distinctions become particularly important when resolving conflict, but if you trust your instincts and build on them with experience, you'll be right a lot more than you'll be wrong.

ACTION POINT: Strike a balance when resolving conflict.

Being Sensitive

Like so much of what impacts the sales process, it's how you do it that matters most.

When you deal with the client's objections, don't forget that you are in conflict resolution mode and sensitivity on your part is not only desirable but critical. The questioning process must not seem like an interrogation -- it needs to be a comfortable experience for the customer so he or she will explain their concerns and continue their dialogue. Like so much of what impacts the sales process, it's how you do it that matters most.

Of course, there are times when you should agree with what the customer is saying, but without closing off the conversation. For example, if your product is more expensive than the competition's and you are unable to shift on price, your reply could be: "Yes, it is expensive, but I hope you think it's worth discussing its cost in respect of what it can do for you."

ACTION POINT: Be sensitive and genuine as you deal with objections from your clients.

Questioning The Client

Keep these questions crisp, open-ended, and void of content, so that you don't "lead the witness."

The customer's stated objections are often just the tip of the iceberg. They may not be expressing all their concerns, or may be masking their true objections. To get to the bottom of their concerns, you need to start asking questions. Keep these questions crisp, open-ended, and void of content, so that you don't "lead the witness."

For example, if a client voices a general objection, don't ask, "Is it the price?" This will succeed only in making them suspicious of price -- you have given them another reason not buy! Instead, try something like: "Could you be more specific?" This will encourage the customer to elaborate without giving them new reasons to object. Similar customer phrasings include:

• "Would you please elaborate?"
• "Can you say a little more about that?"
• "How come?"
• "I'm not sure I understand. Could you clarify?"

ACTION POINT: Don't go too far in expressing your desire to work with a prospect--it can work against you.

Ability to Use Time and Assets Effectively

Great leaders make wise decisions concerning time and money.

Time and assets are both limited in supply. You can only use them once. Invested properly they return gain. Used unwisely they reap nothing. We can tell a lot about a person by how effectively they use their time and money. Great leaders make wise decisions concerning time and money.

ACTION POINT: Know the value of your time and money.

Acknowledging Objections

Aim to paraphrase their objection, without being patronizing.

A good technique for acknowledging objections is to reflect the customer's own language in your response. Aim to paraphrase their objection, without being patronizing. For example, if they bring up the objection that your product is far too expensive, you could reply. "I recognize that expense is a big concern for you."

Below are some examples of the types of phrases you can use to acknowledge objections:

• "I can see why..."
• "I appreciate that investing in our system may seem daunting..."
• "That's a fair question..."
• "I think I understand why you might feel that way based on what you've heard so far..."
• "I appreciate your candor..."
• "I guess I wasn't as clear as I wanted to be..."

ACTION POINT: Empathize with your customer's objections and then address them to overcome them.

Collecting the Data

Posing the right questions helps you collect the critical data you need to understand and deal with the customer's objection.

The first two steps in the objection resolution process are acknowledging the client's objections and asking them to elaborate on their concerns. Posing the right questions helps you collect the critical data you need to understand and deal with the customer's objection.

Your goal at this point is to encourage your customer to open up about their objections. To begin this process, you should acknowledge their concerns: this doesn't mean agreeing with their objections (which would suggest a lack of conviction on your part) or implying that you disagree (which would set the scene for confrontation). Instead, simply recognize their right to object, demonstrate empathy, and show that you are amenable to discussing the situation. They will see that you are wiling and hopefully able, to solve the problem.

ACTION POINT: Encourage your customers to open up about their objections.

Justifying Decisions

You can learn about your client's attitude by reviewing how you react when you make a significant purchase.

People's desire to resolve the cognitive dissonance that accompanies buying decisions is illuminated by an observation from the advertising industry. A person is more likely to read an ad for a major purchase--such as an automobile--after they have bought the product than before the purchase. Reading the ad reinforces the correctness of the decision made in the buyer's mind.

You can learn about your client's attitude by reviewing how you react when you make a significant purchase.

• What reasons do I come up with to delay or prevent a buying decision?
• How much is my behavior shaped by the salesperson?
• Do I object because it helps me feel more confident about my purchase?
• Do I object because I want to test the salesperson?
• How do I react to an aggressive sell?

ACTION POINT: Examine your own buying habits to better understand your clients.

Linear Objection Resolution

Resolving objections is a linear process,

When you encounter resistance, start by acknowledging what the customer has said without responding to it with offense or defense. next, ask questions to learn the totality of the objection. Make sure that you have heard and understood the entire issue. Review your understanding with the customer of what is troubling them. Sometimes, you will simply paraphrase the objection to clarify it; at other times, you will have to re frame the objection and transform it into a need that you can address. Next, address the concern as effectively as you can in order to resolve it. If the customer accepts your response, determine if there are other concerns. If there are, repeat the process. If there are none, close the sale.

Resolving objections is a linear process, similar in many ways to the needs-driven selling model as a whole. As with any other linear process, you don't have to use every step to succeed, but having a well-defined process to which to refer will help you deal with what most people find the hardest component of the sales process.

ACTION POINT: Think of yourself as a facilitator when you resolve objections. It's your job to lead the way as you navigate towards resolution.

Article 6.2.4 Lead a Balance Life

Take time to live a balanced life.

There is time for everything. We need spiritual time, family time, time to work, leisure time, time to rest, and time alone for self improvement. Take time to maintain sound physical and mental health. Take time to live a balanced life. Without it we cannot succeed.

• There is a right time for everything... everything is appropriate in its own time... there is nothing better for a man than to be happy and to enjoy himself as long as he can; and second, that he should eat drink and enjoy the fruits of his labors, for these are gifts of God. (Ecclesiastes 3)

ACTION POINT: Avoid extremes and savor your moments. Balance in all things.

Approaching Conflict

Put another way, if you don't discover all the needs, you risk being blindsided later by an objection.

Dealing with customers' objections is less daunting when you stick to a process derived from proven conflict-management techniques. This helps you focus on the objective, maintain your professionalism, and curbs your tendency to react too quickly.

Before introducing the objection-resolution model, there are two assumptions that you need to accept, Firstly, many, if not most, objections are unfulfilled needs. Needs are motivational in nature and when you don't meet them to the customer's satisfaction, they usually appear later as objections. Put another way, if you don't discover all the needs, you risk being blindsided later by an objection.

The second assumption -- which may seem counter intuitive -- is that most objections indicate interest at some level. Indifference and apathy are the reactions you want to see least in response to your recommendations. When the client complains about something, at least they care about the outcome. Taking the customer's objection as a good sign will encourage you to work to resolve it. It's a healthy way to approach conflict.

ACTION POINT: You don't have to accept these assumptions at face value, but work with them and decide later whether or not you agree.

Reacting to Resistance

None of these is constructive, and none is likely to help you close the deal.

Most salespeople react in one of three ways when faced with objections -- becoming defensive, aggressive, or simply giving up. None of these is constructive, and none is likely to help you close the deal. To keep from falling into one of these traps, do what you do best -- problem solve with the customer.

The three types of resistance indicate the following:

Becoming aggressive - This suggests that you must convince the customer you're right -- and by implication they are wrong. This doesn't encourage discussion.

Getting defensive - this sends out the message that the process is more about you than the client.

Becoming passive - Giving up is the worst of all. for all you know there may be considerable interest.

ACTION POINT: When faced with objections work hard to avoid the three common responses.

Making Buying Decisions

So why do buyers object when they're ready to buy?

Most people object to a selling proposal even thought they are interested in buying. it's human nature. The lesson to learn is that not all objections are as bad as they first appear, and most can be resolved.

So why do buyers object when they're ready to buy? Most are simply looking for reassurance from the salesperson; they want to feel like they are making good, thoughtful, reasonable decisions, and they don't want to think that they are being hasty or foolish. They know that they will start questioning themselves soon after they make the purchase.

You may have heard some of the terms associated with this phenomenon, such as buyer's remorse and cognitive dissonance, the feeling of tension that arises when you keep two conflicting thoughts in mind simultaneously. When you make a decision to buy, especially when spending a slot of money, you may experience a sense of disequilibrium. Part of you feels good about the purchase, but part isn't so sure.

It's not a comfortable feeling. Professional buyers are also subject to these feelings, so to protect themselves and feel like they are doing the right thing, they object--even when they may be ready to buy.

ACTION POINT: Get comfortable with the uncomfortable feeling of objections.

Resolving Objections and Closing the Sale

...when you start to encounter objections form the client, the role can feel a lot more like selling.

Resolving objections is often the most challenging part of the sales process -- it can be uncomfortable and unpredictable. But understanding the situation and practicing your responses will help you perform well when you encounter resistance.

Up to this point in the needs-driven selling model, your role has bee that of facilitator and adviser. Now, when you start to encounter objections form the client, the role can feel a lot more like selling. However, there's no reason to freeze and miss the opportunity.

ACTION POINT: Understand that clients will object during the selling process.

Article 6.2.3 Diligence is Wise

Form the habit of organization for a clear mind.

The unwise man sees being diligent as hard work and not worth the effort. The wise man smiles because he knows better.

• The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4)
• Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. (Proverbs 12:24)

Be diligent to acquire organizational skills. The skilled worker is always organized allowing him to accomplish more. Diligent effort is the vehicle to organization. Effort to clean up after yourself and put things in their place. Form the habit of organization for a clear mind. An unorganized person wastes more time than he can afford.

ACTION POINT: Organize your self and your work.

Asking Open Questions

Your questions should not be manipulative, but should be straightforward

You will get better feedback if you ask the right questions. It’s hard to rebound from a blunt “No” so use open-ended questions to elicit responses from the customer that you can work with.

Your questions should not be manipulative, but should be straightforward; slippery sales patter like “Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?” may antagonize the customer, so frame questions in a way that maintains the high level of dialogue that got you to this point.

Examples are:

• “What do you think about our recommendation?”
• “I’ve been talking for a while; now I’d love to hear from you.”
• “I would appreciate some feedback.”
• “So, what are your thoughts?”
• “How does that sound?”
• “Any questions?”

ACTION POINT: Use open, straightforward questions that demonstrate respect to your customer.

Welcoming Objections

With the objection out in the open, you have a chance to work with the customer to resolve it.

When you ask for feedback, the response you get is usually an objection; you should accept now that people almost always object even when they are convinced they want to buy. There are complex reasons for this, and techniques for resolving objections will be explored in the next chapter. But for now, you should welcome the objection. If you had not given an opportunity for the objection to surface, it would have still existed in the customer’s mind, and you would never have closed the deal. With the objection out in the open, you have a chance to work with the customer to resolve it.

You can ask for feedback at any time in your presentation. It’s best to wait until you are finished so you don’t get derailed, but if you suspect that the customer has a strong concern, ask for feedback earlier.

ACTION POINT: Welcome objections as indicators the customer is listening and has legitimate concerns.

Asking for Feedback

if you don’t ask, you don’t learn.

You have delivered your presentation. Your customers nodded enthusiastically throughout, so your recommendations must have been right on track. Or so you think. The only way to be sure and to move to the next stage of the selling process is to ask your client for feedback. It’s time to hear from them.

Even seasoned salespeople will hesitate before asking the customer to respond to their recommendations. A lot of time went into getting to this point and the fear of rejection can be paralyzing. No matter how many times yourself that it’s not you that’s being rejected but your product or idea, it’s hard not to take it personally. But don’t make the mistake of delivering your recommendation and then saying...nothing, and just waiting to her from the customer. If you don’t ask, you don’t learn. Even if the answer may not be what you were hoping for, ask the question and move on.

ACTION POINT: Always ask.

Adding Value

Be humble when you offer the idea and give credit to others whenever you can

The idea you offer up doesn’t have to be related to business and it doesn’t need to be related to business and it doesn’t need to be Earth-shattering; however, it must add value --don’t present an idea just for the sake of doing so. Your customer doesn’t know that you’re about to offer an uncompensated idea, so before starting, get their permission. Let them know you have been thinking about their situation and that you have an idea for them.

Ask if they think it’s appropriate for you to present it. Most customers will be intrigued. Next, express what you think their need is, present the idea, and explain its specific benefits. Be humble when you offer the idea and give credit to others whenever you can; there’s nothing to be gained by trying to make the customer think that you’re smarter than they are.

ACTION POINT: Use courtesy and humility when presenting uncompensated ideas.