IT SOMETIMES SEEMS like prospects speak their own language. You might think it’s positive when your prospect says, “Call me back in a few months.” However, more often, your prospect is actually saying, “You can try, but you’ll be screened by my gatekeeper relentlessly.” Prospects don’t intentionally speak in code, but when they’re anxious about telling you the truth, they will stall. If you want to make progress, you have to dig deep to get to the heart of the objection. After all, you can’t overcome an objection if you’re never given the chance. If your prospect is stalling, there are a few techniques you can try to get to the root of his objection. For example, your prospect might say, “I’m happy with our current provider.” If you want to get around this objection, try saying, “It sounds like you have a long-lasting relationship. Tell me more about what’s working with that relationship.” Next, ask what could be better, opening the door to sell the value of change. Maybe your prospect is saying, “Send me more information.” Instead of sending the information right away, consider saying, “Let’s talk more about your process, so I can make sure I’m sending you the most meaningful information. Based on our discussion today, do you think our products or services could offer a strong value to your organization?” Next, ask who would be involved in the decision-making process, the criteria that will be used, and how the information you’ll send will inform the consideration process. If your prospect answers all of these questions, there’s a good chance that he is getting ready to make a commitment. Prospects often stall by saying, “I need to think it over.” If your prospect needs to think about it, you could say, “That makes perfect sense. This is an important decision that could create significant opportunity for your business. Tell me more about what’s causing your hesitation.” Sometimes prospects defer to others by saying, “I need to talk it over with my boss.” If your prospect is passing the buck, say, “I can certainly understand the desire for a collaborative decision-making process. Tell me more about your boss’s role in this decision. Do you think your boss will see the value here, like you do? What questions will your boss have for me?” Walking through these questions will help your prospect persuade others in the organization, but ideally, your prospect will see that there’s a need for your presence in the meeting. Finally, many prospects will hint at a restrictive budget by saying, “I’ll have to look at the numbers.” If your prospect is overly conscious of budget, consider saying, “I’m hearing some hesitation about the budget. Talk to me about what’s causing your concerns.” You may not have created enough perceived value to warrant the expense. Once you’ve heard out the prospect, begin to build additional value before asking for the sale again. Once your prospect reveals his true objection, always paraphrase what you heard, validate the concern, and overcome it. For example, you could reaffirm your value proposition, showing that the value outweighs your prospect’s concerns. You could also outline the costs associated with not moving forward quickly. Finally, you could adjust your offer to address the prospect’s uncovered need. Keep the lines of conversation open, and you’ll easily break the prospect code.
