Selling in a Crisis

22All Prospecting Objections Can Be Anticipated

The good news is that there are a finite number of potential prospecting objections. Typically, you'll experience no more than 10–15 objections with 5 or fewer of these making up 80% of the bunch.

This means there should be no surprises. All prospecting objections may be anticipated and planned for in advance. During normal times, the most common prospecting objections include:

• We're happy.
• I'm not interested.
• We're under contract.
• I'm not the right person.
• I'm too busy.
• Just email the information.
• We do this in-house and don't work with outside vendors.

During an economic crisis, you'll face new and more challenging prospecting objections like these:

• We're on a spending freeze.
• We don't have a budget for that.
• We're just trying to survive right now.
• We have too many other things going on to even think about making changes.
• Call me in a few months when things blow over.
• We're not going to do anything right now.
• We're going to hold off on any new purchases until next year.
• We're not taking any risks that could disrupt our company.
• We're just going to wait this out.
• Are you even aware of what's going on in the market? How could you possibly think I'd want to buy anything?
• We're not meeting with vendors at this time.
• Your prices are way too high and we are looking for lower-cost alternatives.

When prospects hit you with objections, relaxed, assertive confidence is your most powerful emotional state. Confidence causes prospects ...