In the profession of telemarketing, telephone objections are part of the day-to-day hurdles many professionals have to deal with. However, certain things you can do will make handling objections much easier and reduce the likelihood of you losing a sale. The key to objection handling is to remember that you are dealing with people, and your sales call with them is still just a conversation.
Practising empathy and understanding during sales phone calls is the key to handling objections from customers and prospective business partners. In this post, we’ll take a look at some tips and tricks you can use to handle telephone objections and build your career in telemarketing.
Listen and practise empathy
Some telemarketers and phone sales operators don’t even realise when customers have objected to their offerings. Many telemarketers don’t practise the art of listening to their customers. If your prospect presents you with an objection, you can reframe it in a way that could work in your favour.
For example, if a prospect expresses concern over the price of a product or service, then it’s something that you, as the telemarketer, can pick up on. Saying something like, “I understand your concerns over the price; we do, however, believe that our pricing is in line with our competitors”. This will give them the reassurance that you have listened to them and understand where they are coming from.
Build trust with the decision maker
When it comes to telemarketing, the first impression is one of the most important aspects of the phone call. Many prospects get deterred when they hear generic sales phone call greetings. Even something like asking, “How are you today” is too disingenuous. You have to have the ability to build some rapport with the person on the other end of the phone.
The key to doing this is to sound friendly but also confident. It’s important to keep in mind that the purpose of the phone call is to gain someone else’s trust. Do some homework on your prospects before calling them to find out how your product or service can help them. This will help you to build rapport with them from the beginning.
Try to understand what is behind the objection
Prospects that present you with an objection often have underlying reasons that they want to either cut the call short or not take on your product or service. Either piece of information could be valuable to you either in the current phone call or assist you with calls in the future. Some objections come from a personal place rather than a professional one, and good telemarketers can use empathetic techniques to turn the call around.
Telemarketers can ask the decision-maker questions surrounding their objection to better understand their circumstances. They may be objecting to your offerings for a number of reasons, but if you can try to learn more from their objections, it not only helps you build more of an understanding about them as a potential client, but the fact that you take the time to gain a deeper understanding about their situation also builds trust.
Address the prospect’s issue head on
After finding out further information as to why a prospect would object, you will have a better understanding of the reasons behind their objection. From here, you can address the prospect’s problems head-on in a collaborative manner. When you extend your prospect the opportunity to solve their problem with you, it helps you understand more about their needs and gives you the chance to show what your organisation can do for them. Once a prospect gives you an objection, make sure you address their objections directly without beating around the bush.
Don’t be too quick to defend
When you hear an objection, it may seem instinctual to defend your organisation or product straight away. However, you should try to avoid doing this at all costs, as some prospects will be further put off by these kinds of interactions. Instead, take the time to think about theta the prospect has just said and reply with a well-thought-out response. In this scenario, you should express understanding about the prospect’s concerns and try to ease them into a solution you may be able to provide. Don’t be forceful; simply use this opportunity to learn more about the prospect’s needs.
Don’t try to do a hard sell to salvage the call
Another mistake that telemarketing representatives often make is to try and persuade a prospect at the end of a phone call with a hard sell. If the prospect has already expressed disinterest in your offerings, the last thing they want to hear are more reasons as to why they should take on the product or service you have on offer. Hard selling as a means of salvaging a failed phone call can also lead to overpromising, which is dangerous territory to be in when you’re trying to build long-term business relationships.
Use handling techniques
There are several objection-handling techniques you can use when dealing with prospects who are resistant to what you are offering. One of the best and most effective techniques is turning their objection into a question to ask them back. For example, if a prospect says that the product or service “does not meet the requirements of their company”, try to ask them what their specific requirements are. This will give you more of a chance to explain how you are, in fact, able to help them and give you more understanding of the needs of the organisation.
Know how to ask the right questions
Asking the right questions during a telemarketing phone call is the best way to build the foundations of a good business relationship with your prospect. The more a prospect feels as though they can speak and be heard, the more likely they are to respond to your offerings positively. This also helps when handling objections from prospects. When you know how to ask the right questions to put their concerns at ease, it builds levels of trust and opens the door for a more collaborative approach to finding your prospect a suitable solution.
