This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series on Overcoming Sales Objections
Part 1: Price Objections
Part 2: “Let me think about it”
Part 3: “I need to check with….”
This post will cover the infamous “Let me think it over” or “Let me think about it” objection that you get in sales.
Using the following questions and tips will help you understand if the prospect sitting in front of you really needs to think about joining your program or if they are politely telling you no with the objection. These questions aren’t meant to strong arm someone into buying, but rather help you engage in a conversation to understand more about what would help them make a decision.
Let’s start with these questions…
What’s Holding You Back?
This objection is a nicer way of saying “okay, what in the heck is it that you really need to think about”. If you have done a great job of discovering the challenges and problem the prospect is trying to solve then they should be ready to make a decision (even if that is to not join).
You want to spark up conversation and help the prospect process what it is that has them unsure. Often times they won’t really know so you have to lead them through the process.
Was there something I didn’t cover today?
This is a great way to find out if you missed a key piece of information or forgot to ask a critical question. Everyone has their own mental checklist of things that have to be addressed before buying, you may have missed your prospect’s.
What else are you considering? Is there a bigger priority for you right now?
This will help you understand if they are shopping around and didn’t tell you. It also smokes out the importance of their fitness. You want to know how you are being assessed and need to know if they are looking at other options so you can address it with your differentiators.
Again, these questions get the conversation started. You need to ask follow up questions based on the answers to overcome the objections.
What circumstances will have changed in [time]?
If you have someone saying they need to wait a few weeks or think about it for a few days it’s okay to politely ask what will have changed in that time frame. This is particularly great for prospects who want to wait weeks or months before starting.
This gives you the chance to allow them to see that starting now is the best thing to do or at least get them thinking about what will or won’t be different in that timeframe.
How will you know this is the right program for you?
If they need to consider making a purchase there’s a chance they aren’t sure this is the right fit. Go ahead and directly ask them how they will know this is (or isn’t) the right program. The answers will tell you if you hit everything they needed to make that decision or if you missed something.
They may also talk themselves right into buying if you can walk them through it.
I understand. A few clients just like you were in a similar situation. They ultimately decided to join because…
This is a great chance to relate their current situation with a client success story. Most people feel alone in their decision-making so showing them you understand, empathize and have worked with others like them will help them to feel more comfortable.
A lot of times when someone tells me they need to think it over, what they really mean is “No thanks.” Is that what’s happening here?
This is a riskier move but very powerful. If you tend to have a lot of people ‘think it over’ and then not make a decision or ‘ghost’ you after they leave the Success Session you need to refine your sales process, but you can use the technique to uncover a hidden ‘no’.
Prospects are often afraid to tell you no because they don’t want to offend you. Giving them permission to say no with this question can get a decision made and allow you to understand how to help the prospect make the best decision.
Okay, that makes sense. Here’s what we should do next…”
You want to control the sales process and not leave anything to chance. However, there are some people who simply need to think over big purchases. In that case show them you understand but also control the process by laying out next steps and getting a clear commitment that the individual will make a decision by an agreed upon date/time..
This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series on Overcoming Sales Objections
Part 1: Price Objections
Part 2: “Let me think about it”
Part 3: “I need to check with….”
Want more information on how to improve your sales process? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Sales System for Your Gym Business.