To a true salesperson, objections are opportunities. You shouldn’t ask for someone’s business unless you have done everything possible to understand and handle what objections they may have. This should be done before they tell you; or even better, before they even know they have an objection! How do you do this? ASK THEM QUESTIONS!

During every conversation, at every part of the Sales Cycle, you must have a documented script and process that can qualify and identify information a salesperson can use.

Examples of some qualifying questions to include:

1. What is the reason you are looking to upgrade/change?
2. Have you already received other estimates or bids?
3. What is yourtime frame for getting this work done?
4. Will both decisionmakers be present for your apt?
5. What has your experience been in the past?
6. What is most important to you when looking for a contractor??
7. Are you the homeowner/ only decision maker?

There’s no point selling something your prospect doesn’t want. Whether it’s a feature, solution, upgrade or product it doesn’t matter unless they care. Without asking questions and LISTENING to the answers, there is no platform to build a pitch around. If you have them in a conversation, you have their attention. KEEP IT

Every salesperson can describe features, most can demonstrate benefits; however, the BEST salespeople identify a customer’s problem while building rapport. They will then offer them a solution which will benefit the customer based on your company’s service or product.

Avoiding your prospective customer’s fear of buying is simple. Write out every reason you can think of that one of your prospects could possibly object to your service and follow our objection process below to write out a response to squash it.

Test the script with role play, if you can’t close a co-worker than revise your writing or products/services until you can. If you don’t know why they should use your service neither will they!

The Objection Process- Relate, Identify, Isolate, Handle, Close

• Truly RELATE with customers so they believe you understand them.
• Reiterate or clarify their objection to IDENTIFY what they said.
• Get their confirmation you both understand their true objection to ISOLATE it.
• HANDLE their objection.
• Ask for their business and CLOSE.

An example of how this would work:

• RELATE- “I completely understand (your objection), I am often the same way myself”
• IDENTIFY- “Just to make sure I understand, you’re saying that (objection) is the only thing holding you back?
• ISOLATE- “If (Objection) wasn’t a factor would you be comfortable giving me your business?”
• HANDLE- “Let’s find a (solution) that you’re comfortable with. I will lay out all the options there are to (overcome
  objection) and to show exactly how (your problem will be overcome).”
• CLOSE- “Which (Solution) do you think will be the best one for you? We can get started this week or next, which is better for
  you?”

Follow our blog for our next post with the Most common objections and our scripts to handle them

Earn more per project by seeing possibilities that the homeowner can’t. I recently went through a home renovation that included two complete bathroom makeovers and a partial kitchen remodel.  During the interview and bid process, I related to the contractor my specific needs and design plan. He suggested a few minor changes that would be more suitable and cost-effective, but other than that, he simply did what I asked him to do.

My friend, however, who is also the realtor who sold me the house, made a smart suggestion to seal a hallway closet that abutted the bathroom and use that space for bathroom shelving. This made perfect sense because (a) there were too many doors in the hallway, making the space look smaller and (b) I desperately lacked storage in the bathroom.

Why didn’t my contractor come up with the brilliant idea? Perhaps it’s what we call tunnel vision. You go into the project by first listening to what the customer wants, you tell them whether or not it’s doable and then you create their vision. But if you looked around, you might get ideas that will greatly enhance the space and make it more functional for the homeowner. (more…)