Objectives for

HANDLING OBJECTIONS
• Define resistance (Ch9, Q # 1)
• Distinguish between active & passive resistance. (Ch9,Q#2)
• Differentiate between objections, questions & excuses
(Ch9,Q#3).

• Define 6 (not 4) types of objections (Ch9 Q # 4).

• Describe a 4 step objection handling process
• Explain the feel, felt, found technique (Ch9,Q#5).
• Determine if an objection is irrational(Ch9,Q#6).
• List & explain techniques for handling objections
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 BAD OBJECTION
• The only bad objection is the one
_______________________
• There are only 4-5 objections which
will account for
_______________________
• The experienced sales person will at
least be prepared for
_______________________
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 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
• A) UNDERSTANDING OBJECTIONS
– Selling points are designed to convince and create (or discover)
demand for your product/service
– But prospects sometimes do not
• _________________________________________
• _________________________________________
_________________________________________________
________________________________________________
And thus raise questions and objections during your
presentation
Recall, we want to secure agreement from the customer that
specific benefits to them are recognized as we are
________________________________________
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 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
• Objections are valuable because they
indicate:
– You have the customer’s
__________________
– They are thinking about
______________________________
– The more important barriers
______________________________________
– The salesperson should therefore genuinely
___________________________ !!!!!!!!!!!
by using questions and feedback on each
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challenged selling point. 4
 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
Objections are (Ch9 Q # 1):
_______________________________________
not to accept your point or buy your product
Often presented as a negative reaction

• There are some common causes of objections . . .

– _______________________
Constantly check for agreement (handle o’s as you go).
– ____________________________________________
– ____________________________________________
Legitimate concerns or reasons the point you have made
is negative for them
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 Objections when selling to a group
of buyers
– _________________________ & get a sense of whether
_____________________ the concern
– Throw it __________________________
e.g.-Objection = people in our department won’t attend such a
training session
Response = Rephrase then say, “does anyone else have that
same problem with your department? You know the co.
climate better than I. How do you deal with such this issue?”
(gets ideas and gives time to think)
– Any response should be directed to
_________________________________________________
___________________________________
– Make sure that ________________ are satisfied with the
answer

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11-6
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 Questions
• Sometimes the prospect doesn’t have enough
information and will ask a question
• A question may be resistance but it isn’t an
______________________
• Questions indicate that the customer is
____________________
• It is just what the salesperson wants.
• When information is lacking . . .
____________________

Chapter 8 7
 Excuses
Based on something other than the performance of the
product or your business. a smoke screen for
something ________________________________
WHY?
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________
4. _________________________________
5. _________________________________

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 Excuse Giveaways
• Something unexpected…it
__________________________
• It is impossible to handle …
“I need to think about it or look
around.”
• _______________________
_______________________
Return to probing & perhaps take
the blame
…________________________
_________________
Specific example coming up …. 9
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 Active Resistance

• Active resistance is outward, ___________________to

accept a point you have made
• It is the easiest type of resistance to with which to deal.
Passive Resistance
• The prospect never actually states the objection ... and so
it is very difficult to deal with it
• Passive resistance is _______________________
• It sneaks up on you until suddenly you realize that
something is going on

Chapter 8 10
 Passive Resistance
• Becomes evident when the prospect
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
• yet somehow, it seems impossible to
__________________________

Chapter 8 11
 Sign’s of an Irrational Objection
(Ch9,Q#6)
• __________________________
“me thinks she doth protest too much!”
• __________________________
A secret concern - $, loyalty, ignorance
• __________________________
Try to refocus
• __________________________
Something else is wrong so let them talk it out
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 HANDLING OBJECTIONS

• B) STRATEGY for HANDLING OBJECTIONS

– Try to keep emotions

________________________
________________________
-Show the capacity for participating in
the feelings or ideas of another

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 Handle Objections When
________________________
If you postpone . . . you may
_______________________
or cause a
_________________________
prospect may become
________________________
• Occasionally you may have to postpone but be sure you
come back to it. Postpone if …
• ______________________________________
• __________________________________

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 Remember the example showing
the value Brad provides to his customers.

Brad, Cargill Ag-Horizons

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
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 Avoid Arguments
• Avoid arguments at all costs . . .
No matter how strong
. . . or how
______________________________
________________________________________
Even if you win . . . you
_____________
– Instead control your emotions, don’t tell, just
_______________________
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 • _______________________________

David Gress •
•
_______________________________
_______________________________
• _______________________________
_______________________________
• _______________________________

Audio Video clips funded by the

Barnhart Fund for Excellence

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 Help Prospect “Save Face”
 Give the prospect a way to “save face”
• _________________________________________
• “I’m sorry, I didn’t cover that part very well. . .”

• _____________________________________
• “A lot of people feel that way until they learn . . .”

• _________________________________

• “I understand your feeling. These situations get pretty complex . . .

--------- Others have FELT …- They have FOUND…

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 Feel, Felt, Found Technique
(Ch9,Q#5)

“You guys talk a good line, but when it comes to actually working your program, it was
so confusing last year we just gave up and sold what our customers asked for first.”
(Downey p. 344)
• I understand how you
_________________
• I know other dealers
_______________________________________
• However, we listened and dealers have
_______________________________________
For relationship as well as I & S buyers.

Dominance, Influence, Steady & Compliance

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 Avoid Using The Word “But”
Try to avoid the word “but” in handling objections

– “But” tends to
negate anything you have just said
– “Yes, I agree, but . . .” really says . . .
» ______________________________

– The word “But” tends to make people defensive

– Instead . . . Use the word ____________________

• “Yes, I agree, _________________________
there might be another way to think about it.”
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___________________________________
Answer Common Objections In Advance
Anticipate common objections and deal with them
_______________________

– Do not actually state the objection but build a

_________________________

– General Example . . .
• Anticipated objection -- Reputation of poor equip.
– Build a selling point around your new line using
________________________________________________
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 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
Three steps in handling objectives:
– 1) _______________________________
make sure you understand what they are saying. How it is
said is as important as what is said.
– 2) _______________________________
restate the objection back to the customer using less
pointed words. Restating also is good communication.
– 3)________________________________
continues the dialogue, de-fuses the anger & clarifies
objection.
– 4) ________________________________
always address the objection.

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 __________________________
a. My obstetric patients will never need that service.
Direct denial: That’s not really true. In fact, here is a study showing that 73% of
obstetric patients have the condition…
Indirect denial: I can see why you might think that. Historically few obstetric
patients have exhibited such symptoms. But here is a study that shows that
73%..
b. I heard that the paint used in manufacturing your unit can cause cancer.
Direct denial: I’m sorry, but that’s simply not accurate. We’ve done studies…
Indirect denial: Many paints can cause cancer, I know. But surprisingly, this
paint does not . . .
c. I can buy this cheaper online.
Direct denial: No, it’s not offered online anywhere.
Indirect denial: While it’s true that things bought on line are often cheaper, the
fact is that this is not offered online at all.

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 HANDLING OBJECTIONS
• TRANSLATING OBJECTIONS to SELLING POINTS
– Objections are often
___________________________________
who is genuinely looking for answers you may have
• “I am just not in a position to spend that kind of money right now”
– Use customer cues to
___________________________________
onto those areas revealed to be important to the client
• You may need to
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
– Don’t come back with a response
_____________________________
Take your time.
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 Bob, Western
New York Agway Gene,
Diamond Walnut
Ag Products

Developed by Purdue University

Complaints have positive aspects

Complaints are inevitable
____________________________________
____________________________
____________________________(end)
___________________________
9/14/2019 25
 Sales Objection 1: Stall/Deferred Decision: "I
Need To Think It Over"

• Resists
_______________________________
• Wants to slow down and be thorough
• The risk is she/he will begin to
________________________
• The greater chance prospect will turn to
________________________
• Your best response is
________________________
the prospect think it over

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 Sales Objection 1: Stall/Deferred Decision:
"I Need To Think It Over"
Customer: I need to give this some thought before I decide.
Salesperson: That makes a lot of sense. Your advertising is
important and you want to make sure the decision you
reach is good for your business. What factors are you
going to consider as part of your decision?
• Get the prospect to _____________________________

• Two things are likely to happen

1. They will realize there is

They will raise new questions that

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 Sales Objection 2: I'll Have To Take A Look At The
Numbers
or I can’t afford it
Customer: Well, I'll have to take a look at the numbers and
get back to you.
Salesperson: Definitely. The numbers have to work for you.
After all, this is a business decision and you have to make
sure it is cost-justified.
Customer: That's the way I always try to do it.
Salesperson: Mr. Wilson, I have a lot of experience helping
businesses analyze advertising costs and paybacks, and I
would be happy to help you with your analysis. The best
place to start is usually with

How much would you estimate the average new customer

would spend with your business over the next year?

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 Sales Objection 2: I'll Have To Take A
Look At The Numbers or I can’t afford it

• Little clarification is needed

You don’t want the prospect to

• Offer to help
• Before the prospect can say yes or no,

• If the answers is a number, you are beginning to help him

with the analysis.
• If he doesn’t want your help still - move to

• Adds a limit on how long the prospect will think about it

and helps prevent him from forgetting about it altogether.

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 I Cannot Afford It!

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 Sales Objection 3: I'm Not Interested

• This is a standard brush-off objection used by

many decision makers. It will come up most often
on cold calls. It simply means they

• When you hear this objection, your first response

should be

Because …
if you believe the customer doesn’t need your
product, you should not be selling it to them

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 Sales Objection 3: I'm Not Interested

• Customer: I'm not interested.

• Salesperson: Oh, really? Why not?
• Customer: I looked into a similar thing from one
of your competitors a while back and determined
it wasn't right for our business.
• Salesperson: Do you recall why

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 Sales Objection 3: I'm Not Interested

• At this point you have no idea who the competitor was,

what exactly they were offering, whether they presented it
competently, or what the prospect did not like about it.
However, you succeeded in getting your prospect to start
talking to you. Now you are in a position to

• When a prospect says he is not interested, it will usually

take you several questions to get to the bottom of his
concern. Then you can

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 Sales Objection 4: It's Not Appropriate For My
Business

• Maybe true and maybe not. Most likely, the prospect just doesn't know

• Customer: I think it would be insulting for my customers to go to the movies

to relax and then have to look at my advertising.
• Salesperson: I'm glad to hear you say that, because I agree completely. That's
why I would suggest a very special type of slide campaign for you.
• Customer: Such as what?
• Salesperson: I know that your company does a great deal of public service
work in the community. What you might want to consider is a public service
announcement slide that asks people to contribute or become active with one
of those organizations. The slide would have that message, a photo of the
people who are being helped, plus your logo to add credibility to the appeal.

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 Sales Objection 4: It's Not Appropriate For My Business

• Since the objection needed little clarification, the

salesperson did not respond with a question.
• Instead, he turned the negative into a positive by

• Then he paused in his response, causing the prospect to ask

"Such as what?“
• Always use pauses like this to keep your prospect involved
in the conversation.

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 Sales Objection 5: I Think I Will Go With Your
Competitor

• Customer: I like the idea, but I think I will go with your

competitor, Large-Screen Entertainment.
• Salesperson: What is it about Large Screen that appeals to
you?
• This sales rep knows that it won't work to knock the
competition, so she asks the customer to

• Once she knows the customer's perception of the

competitor's advantages, she will now how to frame her
response.

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 Sales Objection 6: What If You Go Out Of
Business?
• Customer: I have heard about fly-by-night operators in this business. What
happens if you go out of business or you don't deliver my slides to the
theater?
• Salesperson: That's extremely unlikely to happen. We are a national
company with customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. But it is a fair
question. You need to know that your advertising dollars are not wasted.
Since we, like any other company you buy from, can't prove conclusively that
we will be in business in the future, what could we do to make you
comfortable that you won't lose your money if you go with us?
• Customer: Well, I suppose it really isn't that likely that you will go out of
business. I mostly wanted to hear how you responded. And I can pay for this
on a quarterly basis, right?
• Salesperson: Absolutely, so your financial risk is always minimal.

• By forcing the prospect to assess the maximum downside risk, this

salesperson made the prospect realize that his objection was

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 Types Of Objections
(summary)
1. I need it, but not now or I need to think it over

2. I cannot afford it or I need to look at the numbers

3. I’m not interested; I don’t want it

4. I don’t need your product –it doesn’t work for me

5. I’m going with a competitor

6. What if you aren’t here?

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 When to Quit?
• The customer may have either revealed or
unrevealed

• When you realize you

• Accept it gracefully.
– Thank the customer and leave.
• If you’ve been honest and sensitive to their
needs, you’ll have another chance at a later
time
9/14/2019 39
 Know When To Quit
There is no single answer for how persistent to be, other
than

Not pushing
Pushing too
hard enough
hard can easily

Chapter 8 40