How do you react when a prospect throws an objection your way. Do you pout, get agitated or shift uncomfortably in your seat? Our sales guru Tibor Shanto says you need to control your reactions and has some great advice on how to handle objections.

Sales people get wound up about objections, they often see one where one doesn't exist, this is especially true towards the end of the sales.

The reality is that selling or buying is an emotional thing, the buyer is about to introduce change, with all the risk falling on them.  If they get it right, they're just doing their job, if the smallest thing goes wrong, and all hell breaks loose, it's their fault.  This creates whirlwind of emotions for the buyer, and as with the price objection, you need to remain calm and focused, unfortunately many sellers don't and they get as emotional as the buyer, bad news.

First – it is not personal, if they didn't like you would not be at this stage of the cycle, you'd have been turffed earlier!

With all the pressure on the buyer, many will begin to review their reasons for buying as we get close to the end of the cycle, they will vocalize their mental check list, to sellers this often sounds like a question, a problem, and too many sales people interpret these questions as objections.

Sellers get so wound, instead of seizing an opportunity to help the buyer and solidify the sale, rather than dealing with the question, they go into defensive mode, and proceed to "justify" the sale, and the more they pour it on, the more they scare the buyer, all too many times scaring the buyer right back into the status quo, and losing the sale.

What you need to do is, first listen, what is the buyer really saying?  A question is not a negative, they could just be looking to clarify a point, and you throw everything at it including the kitchen sink.  Instead, face the question head on, repeat it, and confirm that you understand it, and what's behind it.  Then think back to how the issue was covered during the Discovery stage; remind them of how you covered that issue then.  Confirm that they agree the issue was covered back then, and confirm their understanding now.  This is important, don't move on before they confirm this or it will come up again.

You may have to do this for several issues, don't sweat it, work your process and focus on the sale, don't mistake a question or concern with an objection, believe me, when they object, you'll know, you don't need to go looking for it.