Sales

 

Now let’s cover one major objection that can be more effectively handled by properly using your voice. This objection is encountered by virtually every salesperson many times during the course of his sales career.  All of us encounter, on a regular basis, the prospect who suggests directly or indirectly that the price is a little out of line or that the product is ridiculously and unreasonably overpriced.
One prospect might belligerently and dogmatically say, “THAT PRICE IS RIDICULOUS!” Another prospect might gently, even smilingly, say, “Well, it seems to me that the price is a little [pause] out of line.”  I’ve even had folks put it in exquisite colloquial terms: “You folks kinda proud of that stuff you sell, ain’t cha?”
To the one who is dogmatic and says, “THAT PRICE IS RIDICULOUS!” you repeat, almost verbatim, what he said: “The price [pause] is ridiculous?” (Your voice inflection should make it sound like a question.) Inflection is important because in this example you are, as one of my mentors, the late Charlie Cullen, would have said, “audaciously” challenging the prospect. You’re creating a situation that forces him to defend his statement instead of you justifying the price. There’s quite a difference.  One puts you on the defense and the other puts you on the offense.  The difference in results is substantial.
It’s simple, but not easy.  I challenge you to get a recording device (your phone probably has a recording feature), use the same words, and carefully listen to what you’ve said.  Chances are excellent you’re going to have to repeat the process a dozen, maybe even twenty times, to get your voice inflection just right.  Trouble?  Yes.  Work?  Yes. Worth it? You betcha!
Suppose the prospect says, “It seems to me the price is a little out of line.”  The first thing you’ve got to determine is whether the price really is the problem, or is there another issue?  You make that determination by asking questions.  Sales trainer John Hammond has successfully handled thousands of objections by asking: “If there were a way I could show you that the price is more than fair and the product is worth every dime we’re asking, would you go ahead and take advantage of our offer today?”
This forces the prospect to make a commitment based on price when his real objection is color, size, style, neighborhood, or something else you could and should identify.  If this is the situation, his response is going to be, “Well, no, not really.”  Then the salesman can say, “Then there must be some other reason you are hesitating. Would you mind if I ask what that reason is?”  This is a superb procedure for smoking out the real objection.
If price is the objection you continue in this way. You: “Let me ask you, Mr. Prospect, do you like the product?”  Many times he’ll respond, “Yes, I like the product, but it seems to me that the price is a little out of line.” You (softly and gently): “Mr. Prospect, wouldn’t you agree that it’s difficult to pay too much for something you really like?”  (Now the ball is back in his court.)
Many times, if it’s a relatively inexpensive item, your prospect might go ahead and invest, since the question which forces him to think could also lead him to make a yes decision. In most cases, if it’s a high-ticket item, he will probably think for a moment and say, “Well, I do like it.  But yes, I think you can pay too much, regardless of how much you might like it.  I know I wouldn’t give you fifty thousand dollars for a Cadillac, even though I might really enjoy having one.”
Now you’re dealing with something which is very basic, so let me repeat. The fear of loss is greater than the desire for gain.  You need to establish in that prospect’s mind the fact that he’s safe in dealing with you, that he won’t lose (either money or face) by buying from you, but that he will lose (product or benefit) if he doesn’t buy from you.
One effective way to do this is to say to the prospect, “Mr. Prospect, you’re going to be concerned about price one time. That’s the day you buy. You’re going to be concerned with quality for the life of the product itself. With this in mind, let me urge you to think along these lines: Wouldn’t you agree that it’s better to pay a little more than you expected than a little less than you should?  (Wait for an answer.) The reason is simple.  If you pay a little more than expected, we are talking about pennies.  If you pay less than you should and the product won’t do the job you expected it to do, then you will lose everything.”