Objections occur when we present or threaten to present our product or service before each of the ten buyer beliefs are in place. What is nice about understanding the relationship between the objections you get and the buyer beliefs is that you now know which buyer belief to put into place. Set it as a call objective.
1. Need Exists: A need is the gap between the current situation (where the prospect is now) and a more desirable condition (solution). Both components must be recognized or a need does not exist. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "Don't need it." "Already have someone." "Too busy to look now." "Not interested."
2. Responsibility: The prospect has or shares responsibility to fill the need. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "My boss is usually the one to make decisions in this area." "This would have to go through the purchasing department." "I can only make recommendations in this area."
3. Authority: The prospect has or shares authority to fill the need. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "My boss will have to authorize it." "These decisions are made at corporate."
4. Discomfort felt: The effect of the missing benefits delivered by your features are great enough to cause discomfort. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "Don't have time now." "We'll muddle through." "No one is paying attention to this area." "We won't use it."5. Need has priority: The discomfort felt is great enough so that this need gains in priority. Also, the amount of money being lost through inefficiencies impacts this priority (see # 9 below - R.O.I.). Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "Not a priority now." "We're cutting back." "Timing is not right." "Too many things in front of this."
6. Type of solution: Prospect has to believe that your type of solution will be successful in satisfying the need. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: We've never had good results with that type of solution." "I don't think we can get buy-in for that." "Don't want to rock the boat that much." "Your lead times are too long."
7. Capability and Credibility: You, your product,
services, and company have the capability and credibility to satisfy the needs.
Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "We want someone
with more experience in our industry." "How do you know it will do that?" "Never
heard of you." "We tried you before and didn't have good results."
8. Best solution: Your solution to the exclusion
of competing solutions, will best satisfy the needs. The prospect rules out
the competition.
Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "Don't see any
reason to change." "We've got to look at a number of suppliers." "Been doing
business with them for years." "What makes you different." "Too much hassle
to change for too little difference."
9. Return on investment: Your impact on the bottom-line is less expensive than the competitor's. Bottom-line is sum of the price to get and the cost to use. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: Money related objections... "Your price is too high." "Can't afford it." "Too much hassle (subjective costs)."
10. Plan of action: Your plan of action to meet the need will be successful. Objections you get when this buyer belief is missing include: "Can't see how we'd implement it." "Too much risk." "Change is tough to do around here." "We need to think about how we'd implement it." "We need time to adjust to this." "Don't know how to tell my current supplier he's lost the business."
The next step is to simply build a matrix on a sheet of paper. List the buyer beliefs across the top, then list the steps and techniques you use in your sales process along the left hand side of the paper. Place a check mark at the intersection of each of your steps/techniques that is responsible for putting each decision maker belief in place. Note, in many instances it will take more than one action to instill the belief. If you have beliefs that are missing, then you need to augment your sales process by adding or modifying the steps/techniques until all buyer beliefs are handled. Doing so will PREVENT these objections from occurring. All the objections listed above are readily preventable. Objection: "Already have someone."
When? Initial contact.
Probable Cause [Missing Buyer Belief] Prospect does not believe
a need exists.
Objective Establish need.
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