[OBJECTIONS] How Your Fears Become Their Fears

A student asked an interesting question during a recent sales training session around handling customer objections.

The question went something like this:

“… what if [customers] just don’t close? I mean, we answer all their questions, send out info on request – then they just disappear.”

DC: “Hmmm, “ I said, “and why do YOU think they don’t buy from you?”

Client: “Well, it’s probably because they’ve already worked with other people and they don’t want to change.”

DC: “A-huh, and what else?”

Client: “Most people probably can’t afford to spend another $4000 on their marketing at the moment.”

DC: “Interesting, and do you agree?”

Client: “Oh, yeah absolutely – I don’t think most people can just FIND $4000 they haven’t planned for. So how do we handle that objection?”

DC: “It seems that it hasn’t happened yet, because it’s not THEIR objections.”

**Light bulb moment**

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve ever learnt in pitching and presenting is that 90% of the objections that ever come up against in a presentation ACTUALLY COME FROM THE SALESPEOPLE THEMSELVES. Another way of saying this is: YOUR objections become YOUR CUSTOMERS’ objections – your FEARS and CONCERNS will become THEIR FEARS and CONCERNS.

Imagine what it would be like if you went to take your drivers licence test but were absolutely convinced that you would fail. What would you focus on? The dash? The mirrors? The uncomfortably silent instructor? And what would your brain start to do as you noticed the notes being taken? Would it start to seize up and panic? Focus more on the invisible mistakes your making? Where would your attention go then? And at some point – you prove yourself right.

It’s the same in a sales presentation (or any frame of influence for that matter). If you go in FOCUSED on objections, fears and concerns THAT HAVEN’T EVEN BUBBLED UP YET, you’ll eventually make them happen, and you’ll find ‘em.

Your brain is an incredibly powerful machine and – without getting all ‘woo-woo’ here – has immense power to create the reality it wishes to see. Learn to harness this power, be mindful of what you FOCUS and notice most of those “smoke-screen” objections just fade away…