You could be the most energetic person on the phones, get someone to disclose information they wouldn’t believe they are giving to a cold caller, find the perfect fit for someone, and still not make a sale.
If someone doesn't already have your product, that means they have an objection. Your job is to uncover, address, isolate, and overcome the objection to get to the end goal-the sale.
It’s important to remember you are working together to find a fit. The second the prospect thinks you are selling them and will say anything to get them to buy, you’ve lost them. Trust is everything in selling a product that people don’t NEED to have but WANT to have.
There are a few keys to garnering this trust:
1. You need to uncover the objection.
After you have recommended the product and asked for the sale, you get hit with a big old "no." You've gone through the entire sales process, and it's the only thing standing in between you and that final deal.
It’s your job to uncover what their real objection is. I say real because often buyers are too scared to tell you the real reason they won't buy because, quite frankly, they aren't comfortable with it. Being able to tell a real objection from a faux objection comes with time and experience, but a few indicators of a faux objection is “I need to think about it, I need to talk to fill in the blank.” If you are asking for the sale, they should have already thought about it and discussed it with all decision-makers.
Some easy questions to uncover “what is holding you back from finalizing today?”
-"On a scale of 1 to 10, how interested are you in something like this with one being not interested and ten being I'm ready to do this right now?"
-If they are anything other than a 10, what could we do to help get you to a 10?
The best sales in the world are the ones that start with a "no" and end with a "yes"
2. Acknowledge the issue.
Try not to just bully your way past the objection or ignore it.
When people tell you what's concerning them, listen. This is where I utilize the feel/felt/found method. “I completely appreciate where you’re coming from and why you feel that way. A lot of my current Members in the past felt that way before they came aboard too, but what they found after utilizing XYZ benefit is that they can alleviate that issue.”
After we acknowledge the problem, we want to isolate the objection.
Is this the only thing holding them back from buying? Or was it just the first and most pressing of several concerns they have? If there’s only one objection, we’re in a good spot. “So just to confirm, (objection) is the only thing holding you back from going ahead with this?”
Sometimes people don't want to list all their objections but have underlying concerns that may not immediately surface, so dig deep with info gathering and uncovering.
Jared (on the right) at the Stanley Cup Playoffs
3. The fun part, overcoming their objection.
This is done by asking the prospect questions that should lead you to where you want to be. This part needs to be the most confident in handling your objections, and you need to remember that you are arriving at solutions together.
-What if I told you that ….
-Have you ever thought about it this way?
-What if we were able to help solve that by…?
Take it from someone who started their career selling the worst team in NBA history (2016 Sixers and the NJ Devils the last four years); it isn't easy, but it's possible.
The bottom line is there are only a few main objections to the product we're selling. Price/value, schedule, amount of games, team performance, and COVID are the main objections I run into.
Because there are so few, inquire amongst teammates and leaders a find a few good ways to respond and follow up, find good questions to ask, and then study them. Soon enough, it'll be a habit to respond in a certain way that works best for your style.
The best sales in the world are the ones that start with a "no" and end with a "yes". Good luck!
Jared
Jared is currently the Manager of Premium Partnerships at Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, a Sports and Entertainment Company responsible for operating the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. His primary focus is on ticket sales, premium hospitality, and B2B sales. Jared is a mentor here in theClubhouse, and you can schedule a call to meet with him here.