Overcoming Sales Objections to Turn More "Nos" Into "Yeses"

Sales objections are like gifts from those lesser-known extended relatives: everyone gets them, but most people aren’t sure what to do with them. Even with the best training and support, it’s far too easy for sales reps to take that “no” to heart and stop the lead generation process in its tracks. Sometimes, this is the right answer. In other situations, it might be time to amp up your sales efforts to overcome objections to increase your leads. 

There’s both art and science involved in the world of sales outreach. Knowing when to push forward and when to stop are just as much about intuition as they are training. You can have the best sales reps available and if you haven’t trained them on handling objections, they may take it as a sign that it’s fine to just stop following-up when a lead says no. Conversely, some of the newest sales reps might be the best at handling objections because they’re fresh-eyed and less jaded, even with limited sales training. 

Regardless, there are plenty of ways that you can work on turning all those “noes” into “yeses.” One option is to partner with a team like Smith.ai for outreach campaigns so you have a team of experts on your side. Here are some other things you can do. 

Know your product/service 

The best way to overcome any sales objections is to know your product or service inside and out. When you have full confidence in your offering, you will be able to convince your leads that you are their best choice. People are going to have a lot of questions about what you’re selling, even if they don’t appear to be curious at first. Make sure that you have plenty of resources, including case studies, use cases, and testimonials of your product or service in action. 

In the same regard, you need to know how your product or service benefits the user. This may be different for every interaction. However, when you know the benefits and the pain points that can be addressed, you’ll be able to lead in with a better opening and prevent a lot of objections from the start. 

Build trust 

We live in a world filled with faceless companies and spam folders. Endless “potential scam” calls come into our phones. Consumers are inundated with opportunities to connect with brands on social media, via email, and elsewhere in the world every single minute of the day. They don’t need more marketing or brand messaging. What they need is simple:

Someone they can trust to provide the solutions they need. 

If you’re doing your marketing right, your sales team will be leading with this in their outreach efforts. They will immediately be looking for a way to establish trust with the prospect based on their unique needs and pain points. This trust will help them later when the objections start rolling in. It’s much easier to press someone for a conversion when you’re a trusted advisor and not just another business selling something. 

Practice, practice, practice 

One of the biggest reasons that sales objections get ignored or just left as they are is because people don’t know how to deal with them. Human nature makes rejection sting, even when it’s not personal. You should make sure that your sales team is practicing rejections just as much as they’re practicing conversions. 

Make sure they know how to handle things like:

• “Yes, but…” objections 
• Question-based objections
• Competitor objections (X Company said…, etc.)
• Outright “no” answers 

That last one often catches people off-guard the most. What do you do when someone just says no? 

You can’t just say, “Okay” and hang up the phone. 

You can’t respond with “But are you sure, because…” 

You can’t just tell them to “let you know” if they change their minds. 

These leave things too open-ended. Make sure that you practice with your team to perfect your response to objections. 

Incorporate “Yes, and…” 

Too often, salespeople respond to objections with a, “Yes, but…” rebuttal. While this may be effective, it’s creating a situation where people still have a chance to say no again. If you answer their objections with a more positive statement like “Yes, and…,” you’re far more likely to get past the initial objection. 

Here’s an example. You call a lead, they say they’re not interested. You remind them that you’ve reached out to address their pain point and want to help in any way you can. They inquire that it’s going to cost them more money to do so, which makes them hesitant. 

Most sales reps would respond with something like: “Yes, but with that investment, you’re getting access to…” 

It’s like you have to qualify it further to convince them, and it’s often a turnoff. If you use “and” instead, it comes off as much more positive and directs the conversation to continue instead of stopping or becoming a debate. For example:

“Yes, and with that investment, you’ll have access to a team of dedicated reps to handle your [service] so that you can spend your time on things that truly matter.”

It’s a simple change, and it’s one that can make all the difference (see what we did there?). 

Listen to understand 

Too many sales reps listen to sell. They are attuned to waiting for the right words so they can launch into their pitch, which often causes them to miss the actual conversation that’s taking place. Train your team to listen to understand, not to reply. Then, you can use that understanding to overcome almost any objection that comes your way. 

Let Smith.ai help you with outreach and more 

You can also avoid the objections altogether when you partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. We can help you with outreach campaigns, including lead intake and appointment scheduling, so that you can focus on your business. Plus, we can even provide a 24/7 answering service so you never miss another lead. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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