Objections are a sign that the prospect is interested, not the reverse. Very often raising objections are opportunities to get nearer to closing the sale. Yet many business owners don’t see it this way. They’re uncertain how to respond to the objection, so they come across unsure or end up giving away too much. Sadly, due to lack of preparation, they end up losing the business.

When an objection is raised, it’s not necessarily a stop sign. Prospects may just be saying they’re not convinced yet and they want more information before making a buying decision. By uncovering the real objection, you can then determine how to overcome it and prepare your response.

The most common objections used are:

* “I’m happy with my current vendor.”
* “I want to think about it.”
* “I never make quick decisions.”
* “Call me in several months.”
* “Your price is too high.”

These common objections may sound familiar but often are a disguise for the truth. Many times the prospect will not tell you the true objection for fear of hurting your feelings. When prospects use one of the objections listed above, what they really means is:

* “I don’t have the money.”
* “I think I can get a better deal elsewhere.”
* “I want to shop around.”
* “I don’t think I need your product.”
* “I have something else in mind.”
* “I don’t like, trust or have confidence in your product.”
* “I’m not impressed with your presentation.”
* “I think your price is too high.”

Here are 6 steps to uncover and overcome the REAL objections:

1. Listen carefully to the objection.
Do you feel it is a valid objection or perhaps might be covering up the real objection? Try to find out by using this phrase: “Do you really mean…?” or “Usually when a client tells me that, my experience has shown me they may have a concern about the price. Is that true for you?”
2. Get the prospect to commit to the objection.
Reword the objection as a question. Example: “In other words, if price weren’t an issue, would you be interested in working with me?” This gets the prospect to answer you directly and commit to the objection, so that you can begin to overcome it.
3. Determine whether it is the only stumbling block.
Ask the prospect if the reason they’ve given is the only reason they’re not doing business with you. Example: “If I could resolve this issue, are there any other issues standing in the way of our doing business?”
4. Clarify the objection.
When prospects say, “I think your price is too high,” it’s a vague statement. What does “too high” really mean? Is it a $100 too high or $1,000 too high? Clarify the objection by asking, “What do you mean when you say ‘too high?’” How they answer the question will tell you exactly what they mean. Now you know where they stand and how to respond to the objection.
5. Answer the objection to resolve the issue and get agreement.
Use everything you have in your sales toolbox to answer the prospect’s objection. Show different cost options, prove benefits, present comparison charts, show testimonials, product knowledge, and believe in yourself.
6. Ask a closing question that confirms the sale.
Make a non-pressuring statement that leads to the close. Example: “If I could…, would you be ready to go forward?” Or “If I check with my office and it’s a go, I’m assuming we have a deal. Is that right?” Using “if” when responding to an objection is a magical word. It takes the pressure off the prospect because you’re not asking them to commit.

Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of the Inner Game of Sales™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com

am I lost
do I need to be found

will anyone
find me

I’m someone
after all
I exist in time and space
maybe I’m just not where I need to be
right now
I’m so confused
I may never figure it out

just how do you go about

finding someone

who doesn’t want to

be

© 2010 Peggy Carter

We all have stories from the past we fondly remember. There are memories we want to keep forever and enjoy sharing with others.

A favorite story of mine happened when I was about five years old. Whenever we would have friends and relatives over for dinner, my parents would let me stay up late and sing my favorite songs to them. So there I was standing in the middle of the living room singing my little heart out. I adored the attention, applause and hugs they gave me. This is a story I can still remember so clearly. I think it’s one of the reasons I love speaking to groups.

Then there are the unpleasant stories we carry around with us that we’re unwilling to let go of. An event happens that negatively impacts our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. We hold onto these stories for so long, we believe they’re true. These stories keep us from appreciating what we have in the present because we believe it will happen again. So we stop taking risks for fear that what happened in the past will happen again. It affects how we communicate, relate to others, and even stops us from going after all the things we really want.

I can remember a story I held onto for many years. I grew up in a family of five brothers and sisters. I was the youngest one in the family. I remember having dinner on Sundays and my oldest brother would say, “Keep quiet, eat your dinner, nobody is interested in what you have to say.” I adored my brother, so I believed what he said was the truth. Nobody was really interested in what a little girl had to say. So I stopped speaking up and if I did say something, I spoke very quickly or I’d say what I thought you wanted to hear.

Through the years, not speaking up had a huge impact on my life. I was afraid to say what I thought and ask for what I wanted. In fact, I’d say what I thought you wanted to hear. If someone did something that upset me, I wouldn’t say anything. I would withdraw and be silent. I had no voice.

I was committed to breaking through this barrier. I thought about what my brother said. He had said what he said and nothing more. I had added all the meaning to it. Having this insight was a huge breakthrough for me. I was free again. I had found my voice. I was no longer a five-year old little girl without a voice. I had something to say that mattered.

From that point on, my life changed forever. I left a job I had been at for 10 years, where I did not express myself, and went to work for a training company. There I was trained to lead workshops and help people learn to speak up. I had found my voice and was now fulfilling my dream!

Is there a story that’s been holding you back?

Remember this–Successful people create each day newly. They never allow past events to stop them. And it makes perfect sense. Whatever has happened in the past is over. Just because it may have been a disappointing experience does not mean it will happen again.

When you believe it will happen again, you are sending a message to your subconscious that “I believe I will fail again.” You are giving power to something that happened in the past. And, what you believe will happen, will happen.

People that know they are responsible for creating their own successes will learn from past experiences, make the changes, and get into action.

What do successful people all have in common?

* They left the past in the past.
* They’ve created their lives newly.
* Giving up is not in their vocabulary.
* They live their lives from three words…Yes, I can!
* They’ve had to overcome struggles and adversity throughout their lives but it’s only made them stronger.
* They have a HUGE life purpose.
* They are focused, intentional, and committed.
* They believe in themselves and their purpose.
* They see life as a place where anything is possible rather than impossible.

When you let go of the past, you’re then free to create anything you want. It’s as if you have a clean canvas and from the clean canvas you can paint your life newly. You’re no longer held back by something that happened long ago and is over.

Eckhart Tolle writes in his book, A New Earth, “…nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now. We can learn to break the habit of accumulating and perpetuating old emotions regardless of whether something happened yesterday or thirty years ago. We can learn not to keep situations or events alive in our minds but to return our attention continuously to the present.”

The past can only stop you if you choose to allow it to stop you. The past event has nothing to do with who you are in the present. What happened in the past, is over. We only have right now. And, right now, you get to say how you want your life to go.

So, what can you do to let go of the past? You can focus on NOW! What is it that you want to have in your life right now? All we have right now is this moment. Be present to your life right now–this moment. We don’t know what’s in the future. When you create what you want in your life now, you’re creating a new future.

Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of the Inner Game of Sales™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

Do you believe in yourself? The best way to answer this question is to look at where your life is right now. Do you have all the things you really want in your life? Are you satisfied with what you’ve accomplished? Do you believe your wishes/dreams will come true?

We may want to believe we can have anything we want, yet something gets in the way of that happening. And that “something” can be limiting thoughts. Those nasty little thoughts sneak in and keep us from feeling good about who we are.

It’s not unusual after you take on something big in your life, like starting your own business or doing something you’ve never done before, to have all your doubts and fears come up. Some familiar thoughts you may have are, “Can I do this?” “What if I fail?” “Am I good enough?”

I can remember when I decided I wanted to take my business to the next level; I was so excited. I knew it was time to play a bigger game but then those nasty thoughts started to creep in. There was always this little voice in my head saying, “You don’t have what it takes. You’re not smart enough. What if you fail?” I knew if things were going to change, it was up to me to make those changes. I then took the steps to shifting my thinking forever.

Here are 5 steps I created to help you to believe you can:

1. Love yourself for who you are. Before you can let love in, you must first learn to love who you are. We are all whole and complete just as we are. We all came into this world as magnificent human beings fully expressed. Sadly, many people walk around feeling there is something wrong with them and with the world. And, they’re never satisfied with what they have or who they are. They never appreciate what they’ve accomplished because they’re always thinking “what’s next?”

The good news is nothing’s wrong, there’s nothing to fix, there is no where to get to because you’re already there. There is nothing you need to do to make yourself better because you’re perfect just as you are.

2. Trust. So often, we walk through life with an expectation that things “should be” a certain way. And, when that doesn’t happen, we’re upset, frustrated, and angry. We then make ourselves and others wrong. We start walking around complaining and blaming others.

There were many times when I was frustrated about my business. I had limiting thoughts like, “Why don’t I have more clients? I’m never going to make the money I want to make.”

I then took on practicing a new way of thinking. I consciously changed my thoughts and focused on trusting it would turn out. And each morning, I would think of what I wanted in my life and business and say, “I trust it will come to me.” When I did that, the door of abundance opened up and new opportunities flowed in.

3. Appreciate your accomplishments. If you want to attract more abundance into your life, slow down and allow yourself to be present to your accomplishments. When we take the time to do this, we’re opening up a space of more of the same to come to us.

Think about it this way. If you spend most of your time thinking about what you don’t have, what do you think you’ll attract the most? That’s right! You attract that which you focus on the most. Most times we rush through life thinking about the next thing rather than appreciating what have right now.

When you take the time to appreciate your accomplishments, you are allowing yourself to bask in the victory of what you have achieved.

4. Be Grateful. Quite often, people dwell on what they don’t have and complain why they don’t have what they want. And the more they do that, the more they perpetuate the same. Remember, like attracts like. They focus on the future and that some day they’ll have more money or more clients.

It’s just as important to your happiness to take time to be grateful for the things you have right now and have already accomplished. When you do that, you’re immersing yourself in the positive energetic forces of life that are around you. And, what you focus your attention on most is what comes to you. The more you are grateful for, the more you open yourself up to attracting more of the same.

Here’s a brief statement taken from Joe Vitale’s book, The Attractor Factor. “Feel thankful for your l ife, your lungs, your home, it doesn’t matter. Once you feel grateful, you are in an energy that can create miracles.”

5. Choices. You are where you are because of choices you made. The choices we make in our lives help to make us who we are today. If you don’t like what you have, you can change it. When you decided to start your business that was a choice you made.

Each day we have thousands and thousands of thoughts. We may not think we can choose our thoughts but that’s because we think we have no say in how we think. However, the truth is, if we don’t like the thoughts we have, we can change them and choose more positive thoughts.

Every day you get to choose how the day is going to go. So why not make it a great one! It’s a conscious choice you make to believe in yourself and you can start today.

This article is reprinted with the kind permission of the author.

Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

The antiquated view of selling is that an “all or nothing” approach is the only sure pathway to success. The salesperson determines which products or services are most likely to generate a high rate of closed sales in his or her territory, and a hard-sell “features and benefits” script is built around those products and services. The salesperson becomes determined to handle objections, wear down resistance, and close the sale.

A hard sell never works in a tough economy. A prospect faced with the tired “What are the consequences of your not buying today” question might very well respond with “I’ll still have my money.”

Two rules hold fast and true in any economy, weak or strong.

The first rule is that when a prospect verbalizes a need or desire, the sale has already been made. The experienced salesperson recognizes this, and calmly works with the prospect as they seek reassurance that they have made the right decision, that the need or desire is valid and necessary, and that the salesperson can be trusted to provide it. The novice salesperson does not, and sticks closely to their prepared script, and more often than not, fails to close the sale.

The second rule is that no salesperson, whether they are seasoned or just beginning, can advance the sales cycle toward closure until a prospect’s need or desire has been identified and articulated by the prospect. There is no “features and benefits” slideshow presentation in the world that can change this truism.

The professional salesperson has greater success with more initial contacts via the first rule for one simple reason: They do their homework. Their research uncovers prospects with a predisposition to the benefits offered by their products and services. While this research does not offer a 100% guarantee of success with all prospects, it greatly increases the potential for success. The salesperson makes initial contact a professional with a basic understanding of their prospect’s needs. They avoid the jarring, self-defeating “cold call” approach.

Once the need or desire has been expressed by the prospect, the salesperson comes to a fork in the road. If the prospect is successful and is not feeling the pressure of a tough economy, they can follow the straight path and work toward their most desired, most profitable sale. If the prospect is facing financial challenges or simply not willing to spend, they can “Head East or Head West.”

The “Head East” approach is adopted by inexperienced salespeople who lack the necessary skills and confidence to calmly work through the entire sales cycle on a client-by-client basis, rather than a rigid adherence to a script. When cost becomes a factor, they see cost as an objection, and attempt to counter that objection with a number of ill-conceived responses. They might offer a deep discount, which cuts directly into their bottom line profits. They might offer a volume discount, which results in a larger immediate sale but creates a closed sale based on a lower profit margin, which is a sign of compromise, not success. A salesperson can never give more in terms of product or service or accept less in terms of compensation and consider their efforts to be successful.

The “Head East” salesperson will also attempt to assign value to low-or-no-cost “incentives” such as giveaway items, white papers, extended warranties and other products or services which do not represent a significant cost to the salesperson but also, by default, fail to impress the prospect. A full-price ticket cannot be padded with low-value items. The prospect will ultimately return to the bottom line price and will weigh the so-called “extra” value of these items. They will then question the value of the main product or service, seeing the “add-ons” as a desperate move on the part of the salesperson.

The “Head West” approach is adopted by experienced, professional salespeople. Once a need or desire has been articulated by the prospect, and it is clear that the salesperson’s product would help fill the need or meet the desire, the salesperson moves into “How can we make this happen?” mode.

As an example, a professional Website developed for an organization might cost $3500. This Website might include photographs of all staff members in the organization with brief biographies, relevant video which illustrates the core values of the organization, a detailed overview of the organization’s history, and any number of interactive elements. The prospect’s initial reaction might be that they like the proposal but can’t afford the $3500.

If the salesperson has reasonably quoted this project at $3500, a discount would represent full value for a less than fair price. If the organization reviews the proposal and feels that it represents an Internet marketing presence they would like to ultimately have, but cannot afford today, a much better approach would be to determine what they can afford, make it happen today, and adopt a phased approach toward “growing them into” where they would ultimately like to be in six months, a year, or longer.

This objective could be met with a group photo of the staff today, to be replaced with individual photos in a year. Video could be moved to the second or third phase of the project. The salesperson would then work with the prospect to identify the most urgent need in the present moment, and would offer solutions to meet that need. The Website would rise to meet the level of the prospect’s current need and budget, rather than lowering the price of the full-featured Website to win the favor of a prospect who cannot afford it.

Salespeople who adopt the “Head West” approach retain the respect of their customers for two key reasons. First, they don’t back down from the full value of what they offer, and thereby avoid creating suspicion or skepticism in the minds of their customers regarding that value. Second, they exhibit a willingness to build a long-term relationship with their customers by exploring every avenue toward meeting their needs today.

The “Head West” approach is not a compromise. It is a lower ticket immediate sale, but the price on the ticket is at full value. It greatly increases the chances of the customer engaging in future sales. It is a formula for success. Customers always appreciate flexibility and a willingness to work within their own unique arena of challenges and opportunities.

The ability to employ fast and agile thinking is what separates the professional salesperson from the beginner. When you meet with prospects who are feeling the pinch of a down economy, try the “Head West” approach and watch your sales increase dramatically.

Well, the first of the year is here.

The people who use “after the first of the year” as an excuse for not taking action will, more often than not, fins some new excuse now that the first of the year has arrived. More often than not, it will be “I need to see how I do on my taxes”…as we approach April 1st, that particular dodge will become much more prevalent.

Your job, as a professional salesperson, is to recognize when prospects are being less than honest and direct with you. It is OK to come right out and challenge their excuses. It is OK to give them permission to not do business you. Remember…when a prospect balks at telling you they are not interested in what you are offering, they are not doing it to spare your feelings. They are doing it to avoid conflict or confrontation. They are thinking about themselves. They are always thinking about themselves. As soon as you give them permission to say “not interested,” you have freed yourself up to seek out the prospects who are interested.

“There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried. Not for nothing one face, one character, one fact, makes much impression on him, and another none. This sculpture in the memory is not without preestablished harmony. The eye was placed where one ray should fall, that it might testify of that particular ray. We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents. It may be safely trusted as proportionate and of good issues, so it be faithfully imparted, but God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise, shall give him no peace. It is a deliverance which does not deliver. In the attempt his genius deserts him; no muse befriends; no invention, no hope.

Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age, betraying their perception that the absolutely trustworthy was seated at their heart, working through their hands, predominating in all their being. And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not minors and invalids in a protected corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but guides, redeemers, and benefactors, obeying the Almighty effort, and advancing on Chaos and the Dark.”

“I’m confused. I’ve had great meetings with the right people in the organization. They said that our product looks terrific…but that was 8 months ago. I’ve continued to call…followed-up by email…still no decision. I know that the competitor hasn’t gotten the business. If they love the product, why aren’t they buying?”

Every sales person can relate to this story. Chances are your pipeline is loaded with these kinds of situations. A tremendous amount of sales time has been spent; the company has invested thousands of dollars in pursuit of this “done deal” prospect, and still, there is no revenue in sight.

Meeting after meeting with your sales manager includes the continued mantra of “where’s the deal?” Then comes the inquisition…”Did you tell them this? Did you tell them that? Did you show them the latest…?” The answer to all of those is, “Yes!” Still, there is no sale.

Now the excuses start…”I’ve called and emailed them, but they haven’t responded. You have to understand…this is a senior-level decision-maker. They are busy, that’s why they haven’t gotten back to me. They have a full plate!”

First, there is some bad news to share about full plate syndrome. This issue has reached epidemic proportions in the sales profession. Decision-maker after decision-maker has come down with this dreaded affliction.

Sales pipelines everywhere have come to a screeching halt as decision-makers fall to this syndrome at record levels. It’s very difficult to identify those who have contracted this syndrome. They meet with sales people and are very friendly. They even give the appearance that the sale is imminent.

Don’t fret! The government has been researching this issue and a solution has been found. As a matter of fact, the White House addressed the full plate syndrome issue late last night at a press conference.

“We are acutely aware of the issues associated with full plate syndrome and recognize the tremendous impact on the sales profession. This matter has been investigated fully and it is with great excitement that we announce a remedy for this syndrome. This remedy will once and for all eradicate full plate syndrome from sales.

“Effective immediately, all decision-making business professionals are being issued a second plate. Thus, the issue of the decision-maker not returning calls to sales people due to their having a full plate has been eliminated. We expect this remedy to open-up sales pipelines everywhere.”

One of the easiest things for sales people to do when they don’t get a return call from their prospect is to explain it away as full plate syndrome. Perhaps, your prospect has a full plate, but the items on their plate can always change if you present the right solution.

Consider this…Just before you go to bed, you check your Blackberry one last time, and it’s a good thing you did. There is an email from the CEO of your company. She wants to meet with you tomorrow at 9:30am to discuss tripling your salary. You read it five times to make sure you read it correctly. In an instant, you reply, “I’ll be there!” In doing so, you didn’t even check your schedule you knew already was booked solid.

After all, who wouldn’t you be at a meeting with their CEO to discuss tripling their income? Whatever is in the 9:30am time slot is being moved because you are going to that meeting and getting that three-fold income jolt. Nothing is going to get in the way of that meeting.

That said, why would you accept this meeting knowing that you already had a full day planned? The answer is obvious! Making more money is high on your priority list. When the call comes for that opportunity, all else goes by the wayside. The CEO has a solution that is aligned with your top priorities.

The same concept holds true in working with your prospects.

If the solution you are presenting to a prospect is aligned with the primary area where they are challenged, full plate syndrome does not afflict your sale. The sale moves readily through the process. If not, the deal languishes in the pipeline. Similar to the old Roach Motel, the deal goes into the pipeline, but it never comes out. No return calls.

If you are in a simple-sales environment (one decision-maker), the process to align the solution with the focal area of the buyer is not overly difficult to do. However, in a complex sales environment (multi-person decision), it can be daunting. Different buying players (those who influence a sales decision) have different priorities.

While cost reduction for the CFO may be a front of mind priority, the plant manager may be focused on quality improvement, and the CIO may be focused on ease of integration. The key is to align the solution for each of the buying players congruent with their priorities. While the product is the same, the positioning with each of the buying players is different.

The question to ask yourself is why should your solution be a priority for each of the heavily influential buying players? Better stated, “Why should they do this now?” Before you can answer that question, some homework is needed to find out where each of these buying players are focused. For example, if the CFO is a heavily influential decision-maker, research CFOs to find out their front of mind issues. With that knowledge, you can ask yourself, “How does my solution solve this primary issue for the CFO?”

The same process is conducted for each of the identified strong buying players. Here is the kicker…If you can’t identify how your product solves the front-of-mind problems for the heavily influential buying players, you will find the sale languishes in the pipeline, forever. Forever is an overstatement. It will stay in the pipeline until your competitor presents a solution that is aligned with their priorities and they will get the business.

Not sure how to align what you sell with your buyer’s priorities, send me an email requesting my buying players worksheet which will help you gather your thoughts.

This article is reprinted with the kind permission of its author.

Lee B. Salz is a sales management strategist who specializes in helping companies build scalable, high-performance sales organizations through hiring the right sales people, on-boarding them effectively and efficiently, and aligning their sales activity with business objectives using his sales architecture® methodology. He is the President of Sales Architects, the C.E.O. of Business Expert Webinars and author of “Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager.” Lee is a columnist and member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Look for Lee’s new book in 2010 titled, “The Sales Marriage” where he shares the secrets to identifying, hiring, and on-boarding the right sales people. He is a results-driven sales management consultant and a passionate, dynamic speaker. Lee can be reached at lsalz@SalesArchitects.net or 763.416.4321.