Learn How to Defuse Objections
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Listen to your customer’s objections.
- Identify the emotions behind your customer’s objections.
- Use matching statements to empathize with your customer’s objections.
Slow Down for Customer Objections
Remember Leo from earlier in our story? Let’s say he didn’t jump ahead, and instead follows the 3 Ds process. This time, when Joan shares her objection, he:
- Slows down to hear her out.
- Listens and doesn’t interrupt.
- Pauses when she finishes, and thinks about what she’s saying.
If Leo gives Joan enough time, he has the opportunity to:
- Defuse her objections.
- Discover more details about why she’s objecting.
- Deliver or respond to her objections.
Plus, when Leo slows down, pauses, and thinks, he shows Joan that her objection is important. This eases any tension, and signals the start of the first step of our objection handling process: Defuse—acknowledge the objection and address the emotion behind it.
Let’s talk about how we find the emotion behind your customer’s objection. This is when you...
Sharpen Your EQ
When you tap into your customer’s feelings, you engage your emotional quotient, or EQ.
EQ is your ability to identify, evaluate, control, and express emotion.
Use your EQ to figure out what emotion is behind your customer’s objection, and express your own emotions in a way that indicates you understand your customer’s feelings. When you show your customer that you take their objection to heart, you create a shared experience and express empathy.
How do you increase your EQ? Hit the books? Find a way to alter your genetic code? Nope. It’s not like IQ. Here are some suggestions for how to boost your emotional genius.
- Stay cool. Take your time and avoid reacting too quickly.
- Practice empathy. Look for common ground and show genuine interest in your customer’s objection, so you can create a shared experience and respond in ways that make sense to your customer.
- Be assertive. Be clear on your position, and disagree as necessary in a pleasant and professional way—and without sounding defensive.
- Bounce back from adversity. If your conversation isn’t working, try another strategy. Stay optimistic at every turn.
Avoid answering objections by email. Why? Because emotions can get lost in text. When your customer objects by email, pick up the phone.
Show Empathy with Matching Statements
It’s time to bring your listening and EQ skills together, and share a matching statement. A matching statement is one that shows:
- Genuine appreciation and curiosity for the objection.
- Comprehension of the objection.
- Empathy, by creating a common experience.
Here are some examples of matching statements you can use:
- "Well, let’s talk about that."
- "I definitely hear your concern."
- "I appreciate your honesty."
- "That’s a tough question. Let’s talk it through."
The key to showing empathy and practicing your EQ is being genuinely interested in your customer’s objection, not just repeating what your customer says.
While You Read Their Emotions, They Read Yours
Remember that EQ includes how you express your emotions. Keep this in mind as you share your matching statement, because it’s not just what you say, it’s also how you say it—especially when you meet in person. Be mindful of the following.
- Eye contact. A relaxed and steady gaze—looking away occasionally when it’s comfortable—makes a conversation more personal, shows interest and respect, and adds impact to your message.
- Body posture. The way you sit or stand indicates how you feel. Hint: Don’t cross your arms or step backward. Instead, step or lean toward the customer—without getting too close, of course.
- Gestures. Appropriate gestures add emphasis, openness, and warmth.
- Facial expression. Expressions that are in line with what you’re saying are clearer and more trustworthy.
- Voice tone, inflection, and volume. Level, well-modulated, conversational statements are convincing without being intimidating.
- Speech flow. The right conversation speed shows you’re in sync with your customer’s speech patterns. Be aware of whether your customer is a fast or slow talker, and keep pace.
Emotions are important to any conversation—in sales or otherwise. The more positive vibes you express in your meetings, the more likely it is that you and your customer build rapport. That rapport transforms all of your conversations into shared experiences, and those shared experiences set the stage for when you respond to those objections.
Next up: Let’s clarify those objections and get more details about them.
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