Objection handling techniques: Nigeria style.

Objection handling techniques: Nigeria style.

“Sometimes all it takes is goodwill or little improvisation…”

                                            Adeola Oyeyipo.

Once in a while prospects say or do things that hinder a smooth closing.  Sales personal are often devastated by objections especially if they have spent a lot of time trying to close the deal.  A few years ago I was in such a position with a prospect, we had agreed on the terms and all the paper work had been completed. 

All I needed to do was to pick the cheque and deliver the products.  Suddenly out of nowhere the unexpected happens and the prospect was visited by an aggrieved customer who had had a bad experience of the product.  According to the aggrieved customer my product was not in demand, it was too expensive and so on.  

As a result the prospect was no longer interested in our negotiations.  As you can imagine I was shocked upon hearing this.  I sprang to action. I understood that in order to handle my prospects objection I must first come with a “clean slate.”  I approached the aggrieved woman and assured her we could put things right.  I offered to resolve any issues and errors and re-stock her. This ordinary, but strategic, deed allowed for an easy passage; I didn’t just handle the prospects objection I also gained the trust of another customer.

According to the experts objections are a call for subtle action.  They say the last thing we should do is panic when faced with them.  Rather, it is how we respond to objections that determine the ability or inability to close a deal.  According to the marketing company Hub Spot, 58% of prospects that object tend to later buy.  Ordinarily objections are a positive because it means the customer has identified issues that have to be resolved before a sale can be closed. Ultimately, the sales person’s task is to manage these objections appropriately.  Let’s highlight a few…

Ø  According to Mr. Adeola Oyeyipo, Marketing Manager of Wemy Industries, ‘You need to understand the major reason why a prospect is objecting and be careful not to argue’. He went further by saying that in Nigeria, and practically all other countries, the major reasons for rejection are not limited to; lack of money, awareness of the product, negative past experience, competition and price.  Acknowledging and even pre-empting these objections is a jump start and will help build the rapport you need to adequately provide answers before the objections surfaces.

Ø  To handle objections successfully it is essential you have expert knowledge about your product.  If you want to be taken seriously you need to be knowledgeable about your customer’s needs.  Price, value for money (real or imagined), the cost of producing the goods, and most importantly the competition are all areas that need forethought.  Crucially, you must possess good listening skills coupled with the ability to think before you speak.

Ø  Direct your answers precisely to what the prospect is asking.  Handle emotional situations with care by treating them as if they are simply a lack of information.

Ø  When your prospect is objecting listen to them carefully. Don’t leap in too soon with your response.  First be certain that you understand clearly what their objections are!

Ø  When disagreeing with a prospect on any point always do so politely and assertively.  You have to find the correct balance because you don’t want to be too overbearing but equally you don’t want to come across as meek.  Be measured, concise and factual in all your assertions.

Ø  Show empathy.  Align yourself with the customer and always talk in layman’s terms.  Put yourself in their shoes and relate to their concerns.  Importantly, place more emphasis on the areas of agreement and underplay the disagreement.  This will show that you and the prospect have more alike than different; ultimately the prospect will then drop their guard.

Handling objections always comes down to having a strategy.  Once you understand the objection, chart a line of action.  Always be positive when talking to the prospect.  Positivity is contagious!  You will be amazed at the results when you put all of these together.

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