Most often when we lose a sale it is simply because we give up too early.  When you hear an objection to your pitch it is important that you don't take offense or get angry.  Just try to figure out what exactly your customer is objecting to.
 
The best way to do this is ask an open ended question.  Here are Blair Singer's rules for handling objections from his Sales Dogs Training School Kit:
 
RULE #1:  NEVER, ever, ever, ever, ever negate the experience or view of the prospect!!!!
 
RULE #2:  Answer each objection with an immediate "thank you" or an acknowledgement of the objector's position or point of view.  If it is a true objection or disagreement, or if it is a true inquiry, first acknowledge the source and then respond briefly with a concise, courteous answer.  Then ask the question, "May I ask why?"  DO NOT answer anything until you ask a question first.
 
RULE #3:  DO NOT ask "trapping" questions to corner or close the prospect.  Instead, ask "Why, How and What specifically" questions.  Make sure you are really concerned and interested in the response.
 
RULE #4:  Always have a succinct, one line response to potential questions prepared.  These responses should be unique to each customer.
 
If you follow these rules you will vastly increase your sales percentages.
 
The following is a common objection and some recommended responses to keep your prospect involved in the sale:
 
OBJECTION -
 
I have a relative in the business who can get the product for me cheaper.  My cousin knows someone who can get it or who gave some good advice about this stuff.  (Uncle Louie Objection)
 
RESPONSES -
 
That's great!  Is it possible to get together with him/her and make sure that we're all on the same page.
 
Excellent!  Perhaps we can give him a call right now and make sure that we're talking about the same thing.
 
For more responses to the Uncle Louie Objection please refer to ourSales Dogs Training School Kit.  The kit includes training on objection handling as well as responses to the top 30 objections that stump unprepared salespeople all over the world.

In Blair Singer's book The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins Singer speaks of three keys that every team needs to aspire to greatness.

They are as follows:

1. Pressure builds great teams in all arenas.  Embrace it and don't run from it.
2. Find constructive ways to release stored emotion so that the evolutionary process can proceed - exercise, sports, discussion, whatever works.
3. Use a code of honor to hold the team together under pressure.  More than ever, if you stick by it in the heat, you will emerge more powerful, with better results and with a sense of incredible pride and accomplishment.

Here is a drill that you can do with your team to help them release stored emotion and bond simultaneously:

Describe moments of high pressure and how they were handled - well or not so well.

How could they have been handled better knowing what you know now?

Make sure that you encourage participation by all and are open to every idea.

 Once you have incorporated the three keys above into an automated system you will be well on your way to massive success.

If you would like to know more about strengthening your team with a code of honor please refer to Singers book The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins.

 
Have you ever found yourself in a situation in which you only had a moment to pitch a product or service that you provide?  Many of us have. 

Imagine that you have struck up a conversation with someone at a coffee shop and you instantly recognize them as your ideal client demographic.

How do you get them interested in your product/service right away?  Do you ramble about your experience?  Spout out a bunch of general facts, numbers, features and benefits?

The answer is no.  The key to generating instant interest is to tap into their WIIFM, or "What's in it for me?"

Everyone wants to improve their life in some way.  Chances are your product/service can help them with that.

If you want to hold someone's attention you have to offer them a reward for listening.  They want to hear how you can help them.  They would love for you to solve all of their problems.

Of course we are talking about offering them the benefits of your product/service here, but you don't want to list benefits.  You need to find this person's particular "hot button" or "x-factor." 

The key to finding this information is simply by asking questions.  Don't chase a prospective client away by talking at them.  Ask them a series of open ended questions until you get them to admit a problem that you can solve.

Then throw out your numbers, facts and testimonials to prove to them that you can deliver.  People love to talk about themselves, especially their problems.  Asking questions invites them into the conversation and allows them to vent, they will be thankful for the opportunity.

Listen to their problems carefully.  Are they lonely, overweight, sick, overworked and stressed?

You should know how your product/service can remedy these problems so you can offer a swift solution.  Take a moment to come up with as many life problems that you can think of.  Now make a list of ways that your product/service can solve them.  It would be highly beneficial to memorize this list.

For more on generating instant interest (including in written adds) please refer to our Automatic Lead Generator Training Kit.

In sales it is a necessity to have strong listening skills.  Especially when it comes to objection handling.

Throughout the course of a sale you should be constantly asking questions to get a better understanding of what your prospective client needs, or wants, from you.

Asking questions is the easy part, however.  Listening is where most people drop the ball in a sale.  You have to let your client finish talking the whole while listening intently with genuine interest.

Make sure your next question or statement is related to what the consumer just said.  Remember it's not enough to just listen, you have to be an empathetic listener as well.

The following are 10 tips to becoming an empathetic listener:

1.  Practice saying, "Take your time, I'm listening." and really mean it.

2.  Set aside your own agenda.

3.  Be available and receptive emotionally as well as through body language.

4.  Try to appreciate the other person's point of view.

5.  Listen without being in a hurry to take over.

6.  Try to imagine yourself in the other's place; feel what the speaker feels.

7.  Help draw out thought and feeling by asking questions.

8.  Have the speaker elaborate for further understanding.

9.  Say, "Let me make sure I understand," and then restate the issue.

10.  Be sensitive to the speaker's feelings.

Being an empathetic listener will help your closing ratios tremendously because the customer will feel you understand their needs and have their best interests in mind.  For more on objection handling please refer to our SalesDogs Training School Kit.

When it comes to hiring staff it is important to remember that the people that you surround yourself with have the ability to bring you up or break you down.  What you should be looking for in a teammate is somebody that will support you and hold you to high standards. 

The ability to question your decisions objectively is a great quality in a staff member, but too much negativity or resistance to conform to your organization's processes is a detriment to your business.

Here are six qualities to look for in current or prospective employees that will indicate whether or not your employee is, or will be, a valuable part of your team.

1.  Energy.  Our motto at SalesPartners is, "Highest energy wins."  Energy is contagious, it makes people gravitate to you.  Are your staff members inquisitive, engaging, positive, always looking to help?

2.  Insatiable Desire to Win.  Are your staff always looking to be the best, or are they just waiting for the day's end to pick up their paycheck?

3.  Willingness to Let A Teammate Win.  Are your star players willing to sit the bench and cheer on another if it's best for the team?

4.  Personal Responsibility.  Are your staff members able to own up their mistakes without blaming others or justifying their actions.

5.  Submission to the Code.  Does your staff member follow, and agree with, the rules?

6.  Unique Talent or Ability.  When you assemble your team make sure that you put them in their proper role.  You want each staff member to be focused on what they do best.

If your team members, or perspective members, don't posses all of these qualities then maybe they are just not a good fit for your company.

If you are having problems with a team member you'd be well advised to meet with them and discuss their goals to assure that everybody is on the same page.

For more information on the six qualities of a great team player please refer to Blair Singer's book The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins.

The skill:  Objection handling.  The process:  Ask an open ended question.  That's it, it's just that simple.  If you use this method instead of walking away from the first "no" that you get you will vastly improve your sales numbers.  

When you approach your customer with a sales proposition the first response is rarely the full truth.  The skill is to be able to move the customer to another level where he or she will provide the real truth.  

Only then does your opportunity to close the sale become real.  Once you have mastered this skill, your results will skyrocket!  You will sell more than you ever have, faster and with much, much less work.  

So, how do you respond to a "no"?  Do you get frustrated and storm away or try to argue your case with the customer?  

Blair Singer says that, "when your emotions are high your intelligence is low."  

When a customer throws an objection your way just remember to stay calm.  Then start by acknowledging the objection and be sympathetic to their problems.  Say something like, "I understand," or "I'm sorry to hear that."  

Then follow the acknowledgement with an open ended question designed to get them to the real reason they said no.  

The following is an example of how to handle a common objection using this method:  

Objection:  

"We have already decided on another supplier."  

Responses:  

"Thank you for letting me know that.  What caused you to make that decision?"  

"I understand.  What was it about the competitor/other option that you liked?"  

"I'm sorry to hear that.  What was it about my product/service that you didn't like?"  

These questions will keep them talking to you.  Remember you want to gather as much information about them as you can.  Keep asking questions, the person asking questions is the one in control of the conversation.  

You want to try and help them solve their problems.  If you can solve their problems at a reasonable price you will make a sale.  

For more on this sales process please contact your local SalesPartner today, or refer to our SalesDogs Training School Kit (featuring flash cards containing preferred responses to the most common objections in sales.)