Chapter 14
Handling Objections
Working from trust means there are no objections in the traditional sales sense—there are simply issues of interest in an ongoing discussion. This chapter explores how to change your thinking from handling objections to having conversations. We identify the types of wrong thinking that underlie the negativity of objections and offer three alternatives: thinking of objections as invitations, as concerns, and as opportunities. You will be able to immediately implement three specific ways to improve the quality of your conversations. The result: greater trust and more satisfying long-term results for all.
As a child, did you ever ask adults to check for monsters under your bed before turning out the lights at bed time? Your caregivers probably tried all the rational arguments on you: monsters don’t exist, and if they did you can see they’re not here now, and if they show up mommy or daddy will protect you, and so forth. Logic works—sort of, a little bit, for a while.
When you develop a richer view of professional relationships, you realize that what you used to think of as an objection is just another form of dialogue.
But the real cure for monsters is growing up. Only by maturing did you come to understand that monsters do not exist—and therefore nothing else needs to be said about them!
So it is with sales objections. The analogue to monsters and our maturity is that when you develop a richer view of professional relationships, you realize that ...
