Tag Archives: objections

Sales , , , Leave a comment

Talking Your Way into the Sale

by

Selling is an inescapable part of life and plays a significant role in your personal and professional sectors. Selling is a foundational life skill and your mastery of it can be a game-changer. When you’d like to get your hands on something that you value, it’s often necessary to sell a decision-maker and persuade him/her to agree that you deserve what you want—the acceptance of your proposal, approval of your promotion, or maybe just agreeing to have Italian food for dinner tonight instead of Mexican. But if the decision-maker declines to give you the green-light, you are left with two choices:

1.) Give up and walk away, perhaps to wait for a favorable outcome that might emerge in the future.

2.) Develop a strategy that might persuade the decision-maker to approve your request. Presenting the right information to the right person can open doors.

Because you are a savvy Freelancer, I am confident that you will not accept no for an answer. Your DNA tells you to climb through a window when the door shuts in your face. Achieving success usually requires a strategy, a road map and a script designed to overcome obstacles and objections. Those of you whose livelihood involves boots-on-the-ground selling must devise a proactive sales strategy, one that is finely attuned to the prospect’s needs, goals, competitive landscape, anticipated objections and budget availability.

In this era of economic uncertainty, prospects are inclined to scrutinize every dollar spent. Selling is more than ever an uphill climb that entails a delicate balance of relationship-building, negotiation and communication skills. Here are five steps you can take to help you persuade prospective clients to spend money when budgets are tight:

1. Stakeholder perspective

Because the most successful sales pitch is personalized and addresses the unique needs and concerns of those who will hear and discuss it, ask your prospect if you might schedule a 10 minute conversation with one or more of the project stakeholders in advance of submitting a proposal and/or having a meeting. At the very least, ask your prospect to supply background info that provides context.

You would be wise to learn, for example, what the stakeholders hope will be the expected impact on the prospect’s organization when the chosen solution is implemented? You would also be wise to ask how the stakeholders define success and, on the other hand, find out what worries them?

Your purpose is to get an indication of the perhaps unexpressed expectations that stakeholders have for the project. Once you figure out what’s going on behind the scenes , you’ll incorporate that information into your written proposal and talking points for the meeting.

2. Articulate benefits

Again, what do the stakeholders really want to see happen when the chosen solution is implemented? Is your solution expected to improve the company’s competitive position, create excellent PR and significantly enhance brand awareness and reputation? Or is your solution expected to position the company for growth or expansion?

Your proposal and sales pitch should clearly describe your solution, detail how it will achieve the prospect’s goal or resolve the problem and how it will also satisfy stakeholder expectations and concerns. Provide examples of tangible and intangible benefits that your solution will deliver and what the results will mean in terms of ROI.

The idea is to make it as easy as possible for your prospect, the stakeholders and the final decision-maker to agree that your solution is the ideal choice. When spending money is an issue, focusing your proposal and sales pitch talking points on the value your solution delivers and the return on investment derived is the best strategy.

3. “Now is the ideal time”

When persuading others to take action, it is wise to create a sense of urgency. The background info that you learn in pre-meeting talks with stakeholders and your prospect will help you to communicate the cost of lost opportunity if the stakeholders and decision-maker fail to step up and approve the necessary funding for the project. Remind the stakeholders that enabling the project to move forward with your proposed solution will not only ensure that the problem will be resolved or the goal achieved, but the organization will reap substantial benefits as well.

Consider how you can persuasively describe how delaying a decision or under-funding a credible solution will be more costly in the long term. How can you demonstrate to your prospect and the stakeholders that they can’t afford to not take advantage of your solution?

4. Anticipate objections

Again, your off-the-record talk with the prospect, along with conversations you have with stakeholders before you submit a proposal and/or sit down for a meeting, will likely give you insights into any objections that lurk. In fact, you should directly ask if anyone opposes the project and what causes that hesitation.

You can take on matters that concern the naysayers in your proposal and in your talking points for the meeting, but it’s wise to be prepared for anyone who is not convinced by initial attempts to quell objections. I recommend the “feel, felt, found” technique, which shows empathy as you present a rebuttal:

  • I understand how you could feel that the solution proposed might not be entirely effective for this aspect of the problem/ goal.
  • Others have also felt that the solution proposed might not perform well in such challenging circumstances.
  • However, those who were initially reluctant, once they became aware of the documented efficacy of this solution, gained the confidence to move forward and found that the desired outcome was achieved.

5. Propose a logical next step

Once the objections have been settled and removed or, if there were none, once the benefits have been accepted by the stakeholders as likely to occur, move to conclude your meeting with a suggestion of next steps. Honestly, you want to get out of the room before someone gets the bright idea to raise a red herring issue that undoes your deal. Your purpose is to help the decision-maker and stakeholders see themselves successfully implementing your solution.

Ti that end, you might confirm the project timetable and ask when your proposed solution will be implemented (and note that your organization can adhere to the prospect’s preferred schedule). You might also ask if, since the stakeholders agree that your solution will be effective, s/he who has the authority to sign the contract would like to do so now, or on a date in the near future? Preparing a hard copy contract for your (we hope!) soon-to-be client to review and sign is another way to politely and firmly steer the decision-maker and stakeholders toward confirming that they’ll choose you.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (1933-2021) and American actress Jean Seberg (1938-1979) in Breathless (France, 1960). Directed by Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022)

Sales , , Leave a comment

Freelancers Gotta Sell

by

Selling is an important function in every industry however for some, the very thought of selling is intimidating and they shy away from it. Nevertheless, every business owner and Freelance consultant will benefit from becoming a competent sales professionals in tandem with their primary area of expertise because—-you went into business to sell your products and services! No matter what you pay an employee, s/he will never be a more passionate and knowledgeable sales person than the company founder or owner.

Selling can be learned like any other skill and just about everyone who tries will learn to become a competent and reasonably confident seller. Read on to get an easy-to-follow recipe that will result in successful sales for you.

Selling is asking questions

For sure, you need to get your prospective buyer talking because unless s/he approaches you directly, and even if that happens, you need to confirm that your product or service is the right solution for the problem and that the prospect intends to buy from you and soon. To do that, you must learn to ask a series purposeful questions. Primarily, your questions must make the prospective buyer feel comfortable telling you about his/ her need or problem and specify the desired outcome or objective that ideally will be achieved.

Successful sales professionals have discovered that open-ended questions are perhaps the most useful sales tool because they are conversation-starters that get the prospect talking about him/herself and what brought him/her to you. Good questions allow you to launch the sales process. They allow the prospective buyer to reveal the objective or outcome that s/he wants to achieve, the purpose of it all. You can come to understand the prospective buyer’s priorities, concerns, timetable and budget. You might also learn about unsuccessful trials with competitive products or services.

Selling is listening

The most important fact to understand about selling is that it’s not about you, the aspiring seller. The act of selling centers on the potential buyer, the prospective customer. Unless the buyer is extremely motivated, has an urgent need for a solution ASAP, you’ll need to persuade the prospective buyer that your product or service will fulfill his/her needs and should be purchased now (or in the near term).

In order to understand the problems and need of a prospective buyer, the aspiring seller (you, Freelancer friend) must listen carefully to the answers to the questions you’ve asked. This can only be done by spending the majority of the conversation listening rather than talking.

Expert salespeople are nearly always very good listeners. Experience has taught them that in order to sell, they must first understand the prospective buyer and personalize their sales pitch to align with the prospective buyer’s needs, objective, priorities, timeline and budget.

Recognizing window shoppers

These are people who are not serious about buying anything in the immediate future, if ever. They may be amusing and great to talk to, but they are not your friend. They are time-wasters and they cost you money by siphoning off your valuable time and energy to engage in a sales process that they will not complete.

These false prospects merely want to see what’s available, how it works and what it costs. They may not yet know what they need, if they need it, or what they can afford. They may have lots of questions and they may not be shy about taking up your valuable time to discuss a product or service that they will not buy anytime soon and if they do buy, they probably will not buy from you,

So how do you handle these people? You ask the right questions during your sales conversation. As you ask questions, be certain that one or two are designed to reveal if the prospective buyer needs/wants the product or service now, or sometime down the road. Asking direct, rather than open-ended, questions to discover when the product or service is needed is appropriate and an essential component of a successful sale. You must confirm the prospect’s motive and understand the urgency.

Uncovering and resolving objections

If a prospective buyer who appears to have a need to buy starts displaying pushback, this could signal that s/he is worried about whether the product or service is a good fit for his/ her needs. If a direct or speculative objection is made by your prospective buyer (“I heard this stuff doesn’t really work.”), I recommend you use a tactic that my colleagues in the sales department invented years ago. We called it Feel, Felt, Found.

  • I agree that there are some who’ve heard about our service but haven’t tried it themselves but they might feel that way.
  • Some of my best customers once felt the same way as you do now. They had doubts and questions.
  • But when they focused on the benefits they knew they could receive from the service, they found that what concerned them would not happen as long as they used the service according to our guidelines.

Confirmation and close

Once you’ve addressed the objection(s), confirm that the prospective buyer has dropped all doubts and now trusts your product or service (“Do you feel comfortable about using the service now, or do you need more information or maybe a demo, so you can see it in action?”). You cannot move forward with the sale until and unless you’ve resolved any objections and reassured your prospective buyer that your product or service is safe and effective. Once you’ve done that you’re able to either continue the sale, or invite the prospective buyer to fish or cut bait—-do the deal or look elsewhere.

Find the courage to ask for the sale! Get there by helping the prospective buyer envision the process by —tah- dah!—asking a few more questions as the sale draws to a successful close:

“Would you like to have the concierge service option, to make your life easier?”

“Do you like the blue or do you prefer the green?”

“Is the 20th of the month a good delivery date for your team, or will the 18th be more convenient?”

“Would you like to put this on a credit or debit card now, or do you prefer to write a check?”

“If you’ll be kind enough to sign in this line, we can seal the deal.”

After sale service

Avoid one-and-done syndrome and lay the groundwork for repeat business by extending customer service beyond the sale. Support the buyer who has now become your customer by answering questions or resolving problems that may occur after the sale. You want to take steps to make doing business with you a rewarding and pleasant experience. You want to be referred to your new customer’s friends and family. You want glowing online reviews and testimonials. You can use every sale to enhance your reputation and build your brand.  

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Annie Sahlin, photographer. Courtesy Palace of the Governors Photo Archives. Hopi Artist Elsie Talahytewa at the Santa Fe Indian Market in Santa Fe, NM, 1991 

Sales , , 2 Comments

When “No” Is the Best Answer

by

“No” can be the starting point of the biggest sale of your career. Experienced and successful sales professionals know that “No” should not be confused with “Never”. “No” can mean that this is not the time to ask for the sale. “No” can mean that you are talking to the wrong person. After doing some homework to verify who can impact the sale and give the green light (that could involve more than one person), you may ask to speak with the real decision-maker, who will advocate for you and also re-allocate the budget if necessary, and you will strike it rich.

Rejection is a part of life and it is most certainly part of sales and entrepreneurship. Rejection is a challenge. In Mandarin Chinese, the same character represents crisis and opportunity. Resilient people — and I know that you are resilient, or you would not be a Freelance consultant — use a crisis to:

  • Re-examine the proposed value-added of your product or service
  • Reevaluate the competitive landscape
  • Refine your sales pitch
  • Re-engineer yourself to become more competitive
  • Re-approach that rejecting client and others as well
“No” can make us improve ourselves and become more relevant to prospective clients, now armed with a better message and better value proposition, or perhaps even an upgraded or more specifically tailored service or product. Try these tactics the next time rejection rattles you:
Listen
While it is a natural response to counter prospect objections, one would be advised to listen well. Is that prospect doing you the enormous favor of telling you how to re-shape, re-position or at least better describe your product or service?  Try to curb the reflexive defensiveness that every human has and listen with an open mind. What weaknesses are being pointed out to you?
Objections are not always rooted in misunderstanding or hostility. Learning the ways in which your product or service does not measure up is the most valuable information that can be presented to you.  After giving your perspective on the merits of the offering in question,  honor the client’s perspective as you do yourself  a favor and ask more questions about the preferred outcomes and what changes would perhaps be helpful.
Analyze
The negative feedback that you receive is just one person’s opinion or the report of a single experience.  Nevertheless, listen and do your best to be objective about what has been revealed to you. Some or all of the negative report may be accurate.  Separate the probably relevant aspects from what may be unreasonable or unfixable. Here begins your list of action items.
Adjust
After you’ve heard the complaints, thank your prospect for his/her candor. Hearing the truth is always a good thing, even when it hurts. On the spot, think of improvements or adjustments that can be made quickly and inexpensively (If it appears that might be possible). Has the prospect made suggestions that you can incorporate?
Reassess
After you’ve reviewed what transpired a couple of times, you may decide that revisions need to be made in your services or products; business model; operations process; sales distribution; quality control; or marketing message. Before institution any permanent changes, do speak with other clients and assess their experiences when doing business with you. Are you hearing similar complaints,  or wish-list type of suggestions that clients had not previously revealed to you?
If common themes emerge, then changes are definitely in order. Draw up a list of recommended upgrades or alterations so that you can take the full measure of what needs to change. Which changes be made quickly? Which can be expected to have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction or billable hours?  Create a budget and time-table and then prioritize the tasks and if budget allows, perform first those that will have the greatest potential for positive impact.
Freelance consultants, entrepreneurs and sales professionals will face rejection for the entirety of our careers. In order to withstand the ongoing assault,  we must believe in ourselves, in our abilities and in our products and services. Yet over-confidence is not useful and is not a true indicator of resilience.  The ability to hear and accept occasionally painful truths and the courage to re-vamp, re-group, move on and succeed are the attributes that distinguish the winners among us.
Thanks for reading,
Kim
Sales , , 3 Comments

Transform No Into Yes

by

Here is the scenario: Percolating in your brain is an idea for an interesting initiative that you are certain will work well in the organization of a good and steady client.  You figure that you may be able to sell them on it and create a paying project for yourself.  You speak with a couple of people and identify the decision-maker and key influencers.  You vet your idea through an influencer,  who supports it and gives you the green light to approach the primary decision-maker.  You make the appointment.

Over coffee,  you make your pitch.  The decision-maker is pleasant,   yet starts backing away from your concept,  even though you’ve verified its usefulness via your influencer.  How do you get to the heart of your client’s objections,  successfully overcome them,  save the sale and get paid?

The late,  great sales guru Zig Ziglar,  motivational speaker and author of several sales training books,  once said that every sale has five obstacles: no need,  no money,  no hurry,  no desire and no trust.  The Freelance consultant as salesperson’s  job is to uncover and overcome whatever mix of these objections and persuade the client that the proposal is worthwhile and will make the client look good to superiors and peers.

Realize that  “no” does not always mean  “no”.   Sometimes clients say no when there is limited time and energy available to evaluate what has been proposed.  The need may be relevant,  but other matters take precedence and your proposal is not perceived as urgent.  As a result,  the decision-maker is not inclined to address the issue in the near future and it is easier to decline.

Alternatively,  you may not deliver a sales pitch that inspires either desire or trust (confidence).  Homework may have been done to confirm the need and identify key players,  but it is still necessary to communicate a narrative that will convince the decision-maker to take that leap of faith and put him/herself on the line for your proposal.

Budget constriction is another frequent objection,  regardless of the state of the economy.  When conferring with your influencer,  it is always important to find out if  there is available budget to support your proposal and also gauge what will motivate your decision-maker to petition for funding.

When selling,  it is necessary to present the details that the client needs and wants to make the decision,  no more and no less.    It is important not to give too much information,  or you could confuse the client or open up a can of worms that will turn on you.  Neither can one be vague.  Give all relevant information and express it clearly and concisely.  Describe the benefits that you expect will be important to the client and paint a picture of what’s in it for him/her.

Steve Strauss,  business attorney and columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine and USA Today newspaper,  recommends that you  diplomatically let the client know that you know your proposal is a good one for the organization because you’ve taken the time to verify its usefulness.  Don’t immediately fold your tent if the client hesitates or declines.

Instead,  ask if there is any additional information you can provide,  or some other accommodation you can make to allow him/her to feel  comfortable with approving the deal.   Show the client that  you are prepared to confront and resolve questions and doubts.  You might save the sale and even if you don’t,  you may be able to position yourself to successfully get another proposal approved when timing and funding are on your side.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Sales , , Leave a comment

More Smart Responses to Common Objections

by

You’re a smart,  ambitious Freelance cookie and you’ve set up appointments this Summer with prospective clients who could award contracts that will pay you in fourth quarter and perhaps beyond.  You’ve thanked the saints for finally allowing you to sit down with a much sought-after prospect and the last thing you need is an objection slithering into your Garden of Eden,  ready to poison the victory.  Here are more smart approaches to common categories of objections that will help you put them to rest and start building a lucrative client list.

I.    Too Small

Your prospective client may be impressed with your insights and proposed solutions,  yet fear that your consultancy lacks the capacity to successfully execute complex projects.  There is a fear that the job you’re discussing is too big for your plate.  To counter,  reassure your prospect by emphasizing that his/her needs and priorities will always receive prompt and meticulous attention because all aspects of the project will be personally overseen by the principal—you.  Stress that you are always immediately responsive and able to elegantly customize all required services.  Furthermore,  should more hands be needed,  you have a carefully curated group of associates to call upon to handle specific tasks,  when necessary.

II.   No Money

Especially when looking to perform consulting services at not-for-profit organizations,  remember that meager budgets are an issue and the problem will continue to bedevil NFPs for the foreseeable future.  I’ve been burned by NFPs who’ve invited me in to discuss projects for which  (unknown to me)  there is no extant budget.  Getting reliable information about the financial reality may be difficult; even executive directors and board chairs can be evasive and coy about money.  They are not afraid to waste your time.

The game most often will be played by a small organization that has fingers crossed about receiving grant money.  However,  the hoped-for grant may not arrive and the client could disappear on you.  Protect yourself by trying to encourage transparency by breaking the project down into smaller bites.  Start by asking the NFP prospect what he/she would like to achieve and clarify what your role will be.  Diplomatically inquire as to whether a budget has been established for the project.

Next,  ask for project needs to be prioritized:  the  “must-do”,  the  “would be helpful” and “this too, if we can afford”.  In your written proposal,  package and price your services in ascending tiers,  thus scaling the project in accordance to client priorities and budget.  Clearly emphasize the ROI of the project and how it is an investment in furthering organization objectives and its future.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Sales , , 2 Comments

Smart Responses to Common Objections

by

The savvy Freelancer knows to make hay while the Summer sun shines and contract assignments dwindle.  Registering for a conference that will expand your knowledge and your network is one way to make good use of your time.  Setting up meetings with potential clients that you’ve perhaps been pursuing since last November is another good use of your time.  Despite vacations,  I’ll bet they’re more available to meet you for lunch or coffee in July and August.  Summer is the time for Freelancers to sow relationship seeds that will be harvested as billable hours come Autumn.

Along the way,  we will unfortunately have an objection tossed onto our path by a skeptical prospect.  All may appear to be rosy until it’s time to schedule the appointment—and then your prospect balks.  “What is it that we’re supposed to talk about?”  “I’m not sure if we’ll have any of your kind of projects on the immediate horizon.”  Or maybe the stumbling block won’t get thrown at you until the face to face is on.  Whenever it happens,  your potential client will be in grave danger of fading away and  you’ll need effective CPR to save your budding relationship.

Fortunately,  client objections tend to fall into predictable broad categories.  To formulate a credible response,  you must first recognize the real question that underlies the objection— that would be the category it falls into.  There are only a handful of objection categories that Freelancers will most often encounter.  Take a look at these two:

I.     No trust

Your prospective client doesn’t trust you and questions your experience and abilities,  or might be somewhat cool toward you, because you are an unknown quantity.  The remedy is to obtain an endorsement from someone who is known and respected by your prospect.  If you sense that you are being held at arm’s length and rapport is not being established,  name a client  (or organization)  for whom you’ve worked,  one who could be familiar to the prospect.  If possible,  strengthen your hand by attending a gathering  (social or professional)  that the prospect is known to attend.  Proceed to let your prospect witness you interacting as a peer with colleagues and friends he/she knows and admires.   Your prospect will feel much more comfortable with you,  the ice will melt and you’ll soon be invited into the office to talk turkey.

II.     No need

Sometimes a prospect just wants to blow a Freelancer off,  so we’re told that there is no need for our services  (even though we know that’s not the truth!).  Other times we hear this objection because the prospective client doesn’t know us or have reason to trust us,  so he/she will fudge the truth and claim to have no use for what we’re selling.  Keep talking and don’t be shut down by this one if you know there is a need for your brand of expertise.  This client must be convinced of the value and ROI of what you bring.  If you’ve worked with clients who would be familiar to this prospect,  drop the name and briefly describe the successful outcome of your project.

Talk about the revenue stream that was created or the money that was saved or the market share gained.  Then ask a pertinent question in an area you suspect may be of interest and where your knowledge and expertise shine.  “What about _____ keeps you awake at night?”  “How do you and your team get your arms around…?”  Get this client to open up and talk about what’s really going on and you may find yourself in a conversation about how you might be able to help them out.

More on this topic next week.   Thanks for reading,

Kim

Sales , , , Leave a comment

Finesse Tough Questions Like a Pro

by

An important ingredient in the recipe for success in life and business is the ability to effectively resolve objections.  Nothing takes the wind out of your sails faster than getting blindsided by a thorny question about your intentions,  abilities,  products or services.

The silver-tongued devils among us,  being natural planners (OK, schemers),  always anticipate and prepare for the likely push-back that their caper of the moment might receive.  But because they take a few minutes to consider how the other side might react to their idea,  perfectly pitched and expertly crafted answers land like rose petals,  as they have their way again and again.

You’ve gotta  admire those folks.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,  so let’s bestow a silver-tongued compliment and borrow a  few of their tricks,  so we can have our way with a few clients.

Identify the questions and objections that are most likely to be raised.

Organize what you’ve identified into basic  categories.  Your objective is to simplify the process by reducing the amount of preparation you must do and give clarity and focus to your responses.  You will feel more relaxed and in control because it will be easier to remember what to say.

Formulate and rehearse simple,  succinct and rational answers for each category.  Your answers should make sense separately or collectively and nothing can contradict.  In some cases,  your response may not precisely answer the question/objection,  but it must appear to do so (listen to politicians).  Think of one-size-fits-all answers for each category you’ve identified.  Ideally,  you will create a cohesive and convincing narrative that can add additional support to whatever it is you’re trying to advance or sell.

Listen carefully to questions and find the  “trigger”  word that reveals the heart of what  you must convincingly address.  Repeat the question,  to ensure that you’ve understood it and to give yourself time to reach into the right  “bucket”  and pull out a well-designed and rehearsed answer.

Project confidence as you look the questioner in the eye and respond with authority (but never defensiveness).  Jury consultants say that much of witness credibility involves body language.  Jurors apparently trust those who give good eye contact,  have good posture and do not fidget and squirm.

Respect the questioner by showing empathy for his/her viewpoint.  When I worked in sales,  I learned the  “feel,  felt,  found”  method and it goes like this: 

I understand how you might feel this way…

Occasionally,  others have also felt this way when initially evaluating…

Here’s what I’ve (or those who’ve successfully used this product) found…

As every silver-tongued devil knows,  questions or objections will eventually arise.  It’s not all bad,  actually.  The opposite of love is not hate,  but indifference.  If your client has an objection to some aspect of your concept or product,  it signals that he/she has paid attention to what you’ve said and is thinking about how your offering compares to what is being done now and if it could better meet the organizations’ needs.  The quality of your response will go a long way in either building or breaking the client’s trust in your brand.

Thanks for reading,

Kim