Objection handling is one of the biggest hurdles that telemarketers face in both B2B and B2C scenarios. No matter how much a business invests in consumer phone lists or the competence of its consumer phone list brokers, it needs a comprehensive sales strategy to make the most of the available leads. Surprisingly, many businesses overlook the need for training when formulating their growth strategies, and as a result, are unable to realize the true potential of the available opportunities. To help bridge the gap, in this blog post, we try to understand the art of objection handling.
Understanding Objections and How to Handle Them
The Dismissal
Prospect’s response: “Send me the information over email.”
If the prospect asks to send the information before the telemarketer is even able to explain about the product or how it is used, this is a sign of dismissal. When the objection comes in the middle of the conversation, the prospect might have a slight interest in the product. A request to send the information at the end of the call means the prospect may have analyzed that the product is of no use, and the telemarketer needs to find out the reason behind the rejection.
Telemarketer’s response
The telemarketer should ask the prospect if this is a good time to talk before delivering the value proposition. This sort of conversation gives the prospect some time to decide if the product is worth considering and also helps the telemarketer understand the prospect’s response.
The Competitor
Prospect’s response: “I already have your competitor’s product, or we work with them.”
The telemarketer should be smart enough to handle such a response and know the right way to show what is so unique about their product. If a prospect already has a product and does not need a replacement, it is the telemarketer’s duty to explain how a specific product provides more value to the client.
Telemarketer’s response
Make the client believe that the call doesn't target selling the new product, rather just to show how it is different and provides additional value to the business. If possible, present cases of clients who work with both – the telemarketer’s company and the competitor.
The Budget Constraint
Prospect’s response: “We have a budget issue.”
Budget could be the main hurdle in lead qualification. It is difficult to understand if the prospect cannot afford it, has run out of budget for the current year, or might borrow money from somewhere else if the product/service shows ROI.
Telemarketer’s response
The telemarketer needs to assure the prospect that there's no pressure to make a purchase at the moment. It’s important to convince the other person that communication over the call is just an opportunity to share the information and figure out if it is of any use to the prospect. If the sign is positive, schedule a follow-up call.
Last Few Words
Prospecting is probably the hardest part of the sales cycle, and statements such as “send me information”, “I am too busy” etc. disappoint the telemarketer. Identifying common objections and preparing a response in advance often improves the chances of success. If you need to learn more about telemarketing and the right way to do it, do check out our blog post. TelephoneLists.biz can also assist in getting custom B2B and B2C telemarketing lists for your business.
