I would appreciate some advice because I am leaving my job as an attorney with a large lawfirm to join a startup that sells software to lawfirms.
I will be in a marketing/product development role, and my job will involve some sales, although I will not be exclusively a salesperson (and won’t be paid on commission).
My question for those who have done sales is how one deals with objections from the prospective customer when the objections (1) don’t make sense, and (2) seem to suggest that the prospect doesn’t really get what the product is supposed to do.
I realize that one thing to do is to make sure that you are listening to what the prospect says, because of course maybe the objection is sensible. But for the moment, let’s assume that the objection really doesn’t make sense, and you have a perfectly logical argument for why it doesn’t make sense. I understand the ironclad, no exceptions rule that you never argue with a prospective customer. Even if you prove your point, you don’t make sales by winning arguments.
So, what do you do? I realize this is a big question, and that there are books and seminars on the topic. I guess I’m just asking generally, what are some successful strategies to address this issue, especially when selling software or other technology products?
I’d be very curious to hear stories about successes (or failures) in selling tech products, and I’d appreciate recommendations for books on selling technology, or selling generally. Btw, I’ve read Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm” and I thought it was fantastic.
Thanks,
Constantine
Hi Constantine.. It’s a huge subject, and it’s impossible to do it justice here.
I suggest that if you feel you need some professional training, you get it. There are no shortage of courses on sales technique and selling. Even just hanging out for a day with a professional salesman will teach you a lot.
Some basic axioms first, and then we’ll look at your specific question.
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It’s a numbers game. If I approach 50 prospects in the time you approach 49, I’ll make more sales than you.
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Persistence pays. You can get to see anyone in the world if you’re prepared to ask nicely 7 times. And there’s no such thing as a customer who doesn’t want to buy from you. They just don’t want to buy yet. But there’s always next quarter. Next year. The year after that… I’ve seen many big fish that were landed after a 2 year courtship.
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Know your stuff. Know your company. Know your product. Know your market. Know your competition. Nothing kills more sales than ignorance. Nothing wins more sales than knowledge.
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Listen. People like to talk about themselves and to have a good moan about their problems. So be a good and sympathetic listener. Very often prospects will tell you everthing you need to know to make a successful sales pitch to them later. You just need to listen first.
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Don’t let hope and optimism lead you to waste your time. Qualifying leads is essential. If they really aren’t in the market for your product, or really can’t afford it, or really have already comitted to another product, then stop wasting your time - put them back on the ‘contact in 3 months’ list - and devote your resources to realistic sales prospects. Watch the movie Glengarry Glenn Ross to see what happens when you don’t qualify a prospect!
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Read ‘Ogilvy on Advertising’. It may be a book about advertising rather than selling per se, but it will teach you more than a zillion books on selling.
And now… your specific point about irrational objections.
A decision to buy something is usually a mix of rational and emotional factors, and the emotional factors often win out. People aren’t rational creatures, on the whole, and they don’t often think or behave totally rationally. So get used to it.
Here’s a secret worth knowing. If people like you, they’ll generally end up buying from you (even if your product isn’t the best). If people don’t like you, they’ll generally never buy from you (even if your product is the best in the world). So focus on the relationship, not the argument. Focus on the person, not the role. Aim to be liked, and you’ll win in the end.
So what makes people like you? It’s not rocket science.
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People like people who like them.
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People like people they can relate to, and whom they feel echo their values, outlook, problems and priorities.
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People like people who tell them want they want to hear, and validate their views and positions.
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People like people who respect themselves and others.
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People warm to people who seem to be together, confident, happy and having a good time in life without being too perfect.
If you take care of these kinds of things, the ‘objections’ will take care of themselves.
I’m not a sales person, but on the technical and project management side. I find myself in a lot of sales meetings where a client says, “But can it do this?”. My typical response is to find a tactful way to ask “Why do you want it to do that?” It would be phrased more like, “Can you clarify for me what you would do with that function?” A lot of times, they respond, “Uh, I don’t know, I guess I don’t need it.” Of course, you have to be careful to not to offend. I find that people respond pretty positively on the whole, though.
If the prospect “…doesn’t really get what the product is supposed to do.” then you need to make sure that it’s actually a good fit (similar to what Ianzin said about qualifying leads). If you do think it’s a good fit, and the prospect still doesn’t understand, you need to find out exactly what the (or some of the) problems are and tell them (or better yet, show them) how the product is going to solve their problems.
And I also agree with Ianzin that people tend to make decisions based on their emotions, so you really need to be “on their side” and never ever take a defensive or superior stance.
Good luck!
I am in software sales, probably pretty similar to what you are embarking on. I sell a technology product to a traditionally technophobic marketplace, and it is certainly a challenge. But the rewards are fantastic, both financially and personally. Closing a big deal is a great feeling.
I am going to assume that you are going to be working on fairly big deals, say $75K +. The first thing you do have correct - don’t try to win a point with a prospect, but do listen to them thoroughly. Explain to them that you are a lawyer, so you are familiar with the issue they have a problem with, but that YOU don’t understand. Ask them for a situation which would illustrate the problem for you. Reverse the issue so that they are explaining it to you. Then you can ask “Is this a frequent situation?” or “Did your previous/current software solve this issue or create it?”, something along those lines.
Most companies (and I assume law firms) have a policy that requires sign-off by progressively higher levels of authority based upon the size of the deal. That’s actually a benifit to you. If your contact truly doesn’t get it, you go to another person in the firm, could be an IT administrsator or a partner, and be perfectly honest. Tell them that you feel a certain very important piece of information is not getting communicated, and for them to make a fully informed decision, you felt it important to tell it to them. While this might feel like you are going over the head of your contact, it is in fact a perfectly honest and appropriate thing to do. It can backfire on you if the person finds out and has “territory” issues, but you explain that when you speak to the partner. “I don’t mean to go over X’s head, but I feel that you should understand this…”
Some other books that might help: Strategic Selling and a new one that I haven’t read but heard good things about, something like Hope is not a Strategy.
Hope this helps.