If you’ve worked in sales for any length of time, you’ve probably faced at least a few objections from prospects and customers. Objections don’t always have to be a hard no. In fact, when a prospect gives a reason, they’re presenting you with an opportunity to clarify or reiterate the value proposition and address their specific concerns. But objection handling is truly an art, and you have to make the most of these moments when they present themselves. Usually you only have a brief opportunity to communicate and clarify before the call or meeting comes to a close.

Here are a few common objections and some thoughts on how to address them:

We already work with [competitor or similar product].

It’s so important to understand why you’re unique—to understand why what you offer is unlike anything else—and be able to explain it in clear terms. We’re all busy people, and something made your prospect think of an existing vendor or software. This is your chance to change their mindset and explain why they need the specific value only you can provide. Make it clear you don’t want to send their current tools or process into upheaval, but you would like to take time to explain the value. 

But does your product do a specific thing or have a certain feature?

More than an objection, this can feel like an obstacle to qualifying or setting up the next appointment. It can be hard not to climb into an in-depth conversation about features, benefits, and example scenarios. Take questions like this as a sign of interest and offer to set up the next appointment with a specialist who can answer these questions and more as they come up.

Email me the information. I’ll get back to you.

If this feels like they’re brushing you off, it’s because they are. But that doesn’t mean it’s futile. Depending on when it comes up in your conversations, there’s still opportunity to get and hold their interest. For example, if you’ve already delivered your value proposition and talked about what you do, they might still be interested. But whenever it comes up, you need to understand where they are. You can ask specific questions to understand their specific needs more clearly, figure out if they don’t understand the value, or aren’t ready to discuss making a purchase. Once you understand where they are, you can respond accordingly.

Let’s connect another time/next quarter/etc.

Like you, prospects are busy and trying to make the most of the limited minutes and hours we have in a day. If they can push a call to another day, they will. But you can briefly express the value of your solution and ask them to make the time. Perhaps even clarify that it isn’t a buying conversation—you just want to show them what you do or set up a demo, and if they’re not interested then they don’t have to worry about you continuing to reach out.

But don’t forget: It’s important to know when no really does mean no. If they hear you out and still say no, it might be time to let it go. You can’t qualify a prospect against their will, and you don’t want to make them uncomfortable. 

At the end of the day, an easy-to-navigate, dynamic database of these questions and objections can help you and your team ensure and increase success. If you’d like to see what Cue can do for you, from handling objections to providing a wealth of other resources, reach out to us for a free trial.