The 5 main sales objections and how to counter them

Sales objections represent an obstacle to closing a deal. It’s safe to say technology and the popularity of e-commerce have transformed the sales objections sales professionals experience on a regular basis.

Whereas in the past the sales process happened face-to-face, and the salesperson could debate and persuade the client to make a purchase, now it’s a whole new situation. 

Nowadays, buyers research and compare before closing a transaction. In this case, the salesperson needs to be prepared to direct the buyer down the right path and shorten the sales cycle of the product.

It’s common that objections arise in the daily routine of a salesperson, but the difference is in how this professional identifies an obstacle and finds a way to overcome it. 

In this article, you’ll learn to identify the main sales objections and how to counter them. Check it out!

What are sales objections?

Sales objections are situations or arguments used by a potential client preventing the purchase from being made.

Good salespeople are always looking for ways to counter these situations with training, readings, and courses. After all, the objections might, in fact, prevent the sale from being made.

However, overcoming these obstacles may prove to be a challenge for these professionals. It’s important to balance the need to continue to persuade and identifying the right moment to give up on the lead, when it’s clear that the purchase won’t materialize.

It’s true that salespeople shouldn’t give up the sale right on the first objection. But countering it requires a lot of flexibility, subtlety, and knowledge about each type of obstacle.

What are the 5 main types of sales objections?

Objections shouldn’t be perceived just as problems. They are great opportunities to showcase the value of your solutions and to spark the lead’s need to acquire that product.

When potential clients don’t understand the functionality or value of a product, their tendency is to reject it. That’s why it’s so important that the leads get to the sales department well nurtured, getting there at the right moment for the purchase.

The objection is just doubt, fear or uncertainty whether that product is worth it. Therefore, it’s a good idea for the salesperson to have a response or a solution for each objection. Know the 5 main ones:

1. Lack of time

This is one of the most common sales objections. When the prospect uses this argument, he’s signaling that he’s not willing to listen and negotiate. 

Given that this contact has already completed part of the client’s journey and is being fed relevant content, you might assume that the contact already knows your product, but doesn’t know all its advantages or doesn’t see it as a solution to their problem.

In this case you can, for example, create a quick product presentation, something that’s less than 2 minutes and that can inform and convey the value of what you’re selling.

If the prospect claims not to have enough time for the presentation, try then, politely, to ask what would be the best times, days and communication channels to get in touch again.

2. Indecision

In this case, the potential buyer might even hear the presentation but still doesn’t consider that the given information is enough to make a purchase.

Usually, buyers say that they want to think about it or that they’ll do some more research before reaching a conclusion.

When these comments come up in the conversation, you can try to understand which uncertainties are causing the hesitation. Questions like these might help: “Do you have any question about how the product works?”. “Is the method of payment clear for you?”, “Did you understand how this product can help you?”.

This approach strengthens the ties between professional and consumer, as it shows that the brand is trying not only to close a deal, but also make sure that the prospect’s doubts and insecurities are solved. 

That way, you gain more trust so that the potential client perceives that they are making a good deal.

3. Already acquired product

A good salesperson knows that this objection is only the end of the line if the prospect has acquired the same product from their brand. Otherwise, the client might have a similar product, but that doesn’t present the same characteristics and functionalities as yours.

In order to convince the potential client, you can use concrete data comparison. Thus, it’s a good idea to get to know your competition so that you are able to compare the products, showing how yours is superior.

A good tip is to make a list of the competitors and list positive and negative points to be used when making a sale.

4. Unavailability for the purchase

If the potential client claims that they don’t need the product, something is wrong. If they came to you and already got past part of the purchase journey, it means they know the product, they got engaged with the content, and they have shown interest at a certain point.

The best alternative, in this case, is to remind the prospect of why they are here. Try to explain how your product or service can help with a problem they have, and how this alternative offers benefits that the other brands don’t have.

In these negotiations, it’s a good idea to use data to support your arguments: “This product is 30% cheaper than the competition”, “60% of the consumers have acquired more than one product due to its quality”, among other data.

5. Expensive product or service

This objection is used by prospects who still haven’t understood the value of the product or want to obtain an advantage by any means. 

For this reason, before mentioning figures, you should show all the reasons why your product is superior to the others. This way, when it comes time to approach prices, the reasons are already listed.

At that moment, you must be very sensitive to understand whether the client is really interested in buying and the only barrier is the price. If that is the case, it might be worth it to adjust the offer to the prospect’s profile so as to conclude the sale.

How to deal with your sales objections?

To deal with the most common sales objections, the marketing area and the sales sector must be well aligned. Most of the concerns arising at the time of closing a sale might be solved in the moment the lead is being nurtured.

Questions about differentials, quality of the product, and brand recognition might become content for the blog, for example, to help the lead be convinced that your product is the best.

In addition, before contacting a prospect, try to find the largest amount of information about them or their business. When a salesperson already understands the lead’s problems, it’s easier to start the conversation from that point.

See other ways to deal with objections:

• learn new negotiation techniques;
• give the client time and advance at the right moment;
• gain trust and only then seek the sale;
• talk to the people who can make decisions.

How can you turn objections into sales?

As you’ve seen, sales objections shouldn’t always be a reason for not closing the deal.

It’s true that not every prospect can be converted and it’s not always possible to counter an objection, but a good salesperson knows how to sell their product, independently of eventual obstacles.

In addition, there are many techniques and tips that can help you improve negotiations. If you want to learn more about it, read our article on psychological triggers and see how they can transform the way you deal with sales objections!