Don’t Take No for an Answer:
How to Handle Common Client Objections
We Help Service Firms Grow
John Doerr
President
Wellesley Hills Group
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010
John Doerr, President, Wellesley Hills Group
John Doerr’s 25-year career in
professional services marketing and
sales, includes experience as CEO
and leader of professional service
firms and consultant to some of the
world’s leading organizations.
Co-author of the book
Professional Services Marketing (Wiley 2009), John
facilitates numerous retreats and strategy sessions for
professional service firms each year, helping them
energize their business development efforts.
John is also Founder of and contributing editor for
RainToday.com. When not speaking or writing about
professional services, John can be found on the
basketball court playing with other aging professionals
in OTH Basketball.
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 2
What We Will Cover Today
Objections – An Overview
Five Steps to Handling Objections
Responding to Different Types of Objections
Preparing for Your Next Conversation
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 3
Objections – A Definition
An objection is an
explicit expression, by a
customer, that a barrier
exists between the
current situation and
what he or she needs to
engage your services.
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 4
Objections: Overview
Your objective:
Overcome the objection and make advances towards gaining
commitment with the following caveats firmly in mind:
– The close begins the relationship
– Objections often have merit
– Many objections take a process, not a quick verbal answer,
to overcome
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 5
Poll Question
What are the most common
objections you encounter?
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 6
Four Types of Objections
No trust – buyer has fear, uncertainty, doubt in the
solution or you
No need – buyer doesn’t see the value of the service
No urgency – value may be appreciated, but not fully
No money
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 7
Poll Question: Objections I Hear
I have too many things on my plate right now
– Trust?
– Need?
– Urgency?
– Money?
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 8
Poll Question: Objections I Hear
I do not have the budget
– Trust?
– Need?
– Urgency?
– Money?
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 9
Five Steps to Handling Objections
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010
Five Step Process for Responding to Objections
Step One: Listen
Step Two: Understand
Step Three: Respond
Step Four: Confirm
Step Five: Continue
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 11
Step One: Listen
Listen fully to the objection
– Don’t interrupt
– Don’t anticipate
– Don’t become defensive
– Do take a deep breath
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 12
Step Two: Understand
Ask permission to completely understand the issue
– Ask questions
– Restate or clarify the objection
– Make sure you get it right
– Uncover the real objection
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 13
The Power of “What Else”
What else is of concern (you are thinking “what else
is standing in the way of our doing business
together”)
What else….
What else…
What else…
When the prospect stops answering…that is the real
objection.
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 14
Step Three: Respond
Choose your response
– Minimize
– Answer immediately
– Propose resolution process
– Do not buy it back
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 15
Step Four: Confirm
Ask whether your answer or
proposed solution will
satisfy the objection
– Test your solution
– Do not be discouraged by
no
– Don’t take yes for an
answer immediately
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 16
Step Five: Continue to Commitment
Continue towards gaining the next commitment step
in your sales process
– Clarifying need (aspirations and afflictions)
– Uncovering impact
– Advocating for your solution
– Advancing the sale toward commitment
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 17
Summary: The Five Step Response to Objections
Listen fully to the objection
Ask permission to completely understand the issue.
Choose your response.
Ask whether your answer or proposed solution will
satisfy the objection.
Continue towards gaining the next commitment step
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 18
Responding to Different Types of
Objections
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010
Responding to Trust and Need Objections
Strong Trust, No Need
High
Action:
Strong Trust, Strong Need
Take Time to Explore
No Objection…
Clarify Expected Results
Move to Commitment
Articulate Value
Trust
No Trust, Strong Need
No Trust, No Need
Action:
Action:
Nurture Relationship and
“Fit”
Low
Move on (usually)
Make Past Results Tangible
Low
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Need
High
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 20
Responding to Money Objections
Response
Clarify your value proposition.
– Best scenario – get client to clarify it for you
Guidelines
Often money is a red herring objection…“If money were no
object…”
Engage the money discussions at the right time
Don’t lower price without altering service levels or
deliverables – being arbitrary creates mistrust.
You may be dealing with the wrong buyer – not high enough
or not the economic decision maker
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 21
The Secret of T G B
Time
Goal
Budget
If money were no object…
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 22
Responding to Urgency Objections
Response
Create urgency.
– Best scenario – get client to re-prioritize themselves
Guidelines
No negative implications of inaction are perceived by client
Other issues are more important right now.
– If they truly are, it’s probably bad timing to gain
commitment.
– If they aren’t, help the client re-prioritize.
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 23
The Big Question: What Won’t Happen?
Ask yourself, “What won’t happen?”
Ask the prospect, “What won’t happen?”
Quantify the results
Demonstrate the results
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 24
Responding to Incumbent Objections
Response
Express your understanding of the situation
Get the prospect to speak about the current relationship
Listen for the places you can add new or more value
Guidelines
No negative comments about the competition
Recognize this may be a long-term prospect
Discover the next buying cycle or buying process
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 25
Preparing Your Next Sales
Conversation
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010
The Unspoken Objection
Not all objections are expressed
Anticipate and raise objections that may be “just under the
surface”
– But carefully balance the benefits of strengthening the
relationship with the risk of complicating the discussion
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 27
The Improv of Objections
Make a list
– Which objections do you
always hear?
– Where might you be
vulnerable?
Prepare your responses
– Practice with a
colleague
– Are you making
excuses or proving your
value?
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 28
Thank You – Questions
John Doerr
President, Wellesley Hills Group
508-626-9991 x203
jdoerr@whillsgroup.com
The Wellesley Hills Group is a
management consulting and marketing
firm focused on helping business to
business services firms to grow. We help:
Build strategy
Improve brand and reputation
Generate and nurture leads
Improve business development success
Increase repeat business
4/13/2015
We Help Service Firms Grow
Wellesley Hills Group ©2010| 29