How to Overcome the Common Sales Objections In today’s episode, I chat with Pamela Bruner about the common sales objections owners and salespeople encounter when dealing with prospective clients. How to change the perception of sales. Sales get a bad rap. People think of salespeople as being sleazy, or that the whole process is manipulation which leads to common sales objections. This bad perception is a challenge, but definitely something that can be changed. Talk to the prospective client as if you’re partners. You’re not selling, you’re providing a service. Changing the conversation is how you’ll do away with the negative image of sales. How to put the client at ease. Don’t go in thinking “I have to get this sale no matter what.” That’s how you end up with bad clients. Not to mention, you’re not really going to be listening to their needs or to see if they’re the right fit for your agency if it’s just about the sale. Let’s face it, people are uncomfortable in the sales process. They’re nervous. And when you’re presenting to a prospect, they’re suspicious about you trying to sell them something. Sometimes they’re too nervous to speak up about what they want. You need to understand all of this. By knowing the subtext of what they’re going through and the source of their fears, you can combat the hesitations and create a better conversation. What are the magic questions to ask to get the answers you need? According to Pamela, asking questions is the magic tool of sales. Here are some gems for your toolbox: What is important to you? Name the #1 result you want to have? What is the cost to you to be in the position you’re in now? How do you feel about where you are now? What frustrations are you experiencing? Remember, the meeting isn’t about you... It’s about the prospective client wanting what you offer. And you won’t know if you offer what they want unless you listen. Plus, people love to be heard. Giving potential clients a chance to share how they feel and what they need makes them feel good and builds a sense of security. Use the Three I's to find out what the client needs. Ask about their issue, the impact it’s having on their business, and how important it is to them to solve the problem. What if the client doesn’t know the answers? If the prospect doesn’t know how to do what you’re telling them to do, that’s great! They can hire you to do it. You’re their expert. If the client doesn’t know the answers to questions that you need in order to move forward, you may need to get the right person in the room. Ask the prospective client who can help answer those unknowns. But if they don’t know the answers to questions or seem uninterested in finding them you need to take that as a red flag. Clients like that can quickly become nightmares. How to avoid sticker shock. Surely you’ve heard, “You cost how much? I could get it elsewhere five time cheaper!” You need to start out your conversations to avoid sticker shock. It will still come up but you can try to head off some of the brunt. Be very clear on what it will cost and why. Explaining the quality of your solution will help the prospect understand your pricing. To really drive the value home, ask them where their revenues are now versus where they would be if the problem was solved. It’s almost always a significant amount which are common sales objections. Meaning it would cost them more not to solve the problem than it would to hire you. “But I don’t have enough time or money to do it.” Chances are you’ve probably heard this one from potential clients too. Help them understand by breaking down how much time and money they’ll get out of what they put in. People find time (and money) for what is important to them. Demonstrate to the client that it's important and they'll find a way to make it work. AGENCY MASTERMIND for agency owners that want to GROW PROFITS It can be very isolating running your own agency. Wouldn’t you like to join a community of other agency owners that wi