This is one of those things that unless someone points it out to you… you might not even realize you are doing it. How do salespeople shoot themselves in the foot by helping prospects create objections?
One: By using a greeting that allows or even encourages a stall. “Can I help you?” will naturally result in the stall: “I’m just looking” almost all of the time so why do some salespeople continue to say that or something like it? Think about your greeting. What are all of the natural answers to the greeting? If some of them will stall the process, then think of a better one.
Two: Waiting to see if the client is serious before you put on your “A” game. While you’re waiting to see if they are serious or are going to waste your time, they are looking at you to decide if you will be a friendly, helpful, professional that they want to buy from. If they don’t get a good feeling from you right away then suddenly they are “just shopping”, “not buying today”, “don’t have much time” etc…
Three: Pausing at natural breakpoints where objections surface instead of leading through the transition. With experience we learn where in the sales process objections naturally come up. Without realizing it, we may pause and cringe at those moments waiting for the objection. The prospect may be nervous and nervous people are uncomfortable with silence. They fill the silence with an objection and it becomes your self-fulfilling prophesy. Don’t pause when you come to these transitions. Here is where your leadership is needed to get to the next step in the purchase process.
Four: Allowing ourselves to become untrained. Nobody buys on their first visit? Don’t think that! Assume that everyone is buying today – many will but maybe not from a salesperson who believes they aren’t ready to say yes.
Five: Bringing price up before product. Paying too much is one of the biggest fears clients have. It’s one of the reasons they lead with price as part of their “buying plan”. If they already have a tendency to get into price discussions too early then why would we encourage it by bring price up too early ourselves? Transition to a detailed discussion of their needs. Put price where it belongs – after product!
Six: Using a cheesy front seat close at the end of the demo drive when the momentum is most fragile. Keep your trial close questions on the demo drive focussed around their needs and how they see the product and features fitting those needs. Once back from the demo drive, suggest you have something to show them about the dealership that will be important to them. Build Added Value with the parts and service walk then back to your desk to review the information and answer any questions on the vehicle they drove. This transition back inside provides low-stress leadership and gets over that tense moment after the demo when they expect you will ask them to buy.
These are just six of the common ways salespeople help prospects create objections. Avoiding these traps will help more of your prospects become clients. Being successful in sales is hard enough without creating our own objections – so don’t!
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