“Sometimes
all it takes is goodwill or little improvisation…”
Adeola Oyeyipo.
Objection handling techniques: Nigeria style.
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.
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.
Adewale Aderibigbe Noah
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