A friend of mine – we’ll call her Jane – shared a funny story with me last week. Given my sales background, she thought that it might make a good blog topic. What I love about the story is that it gets to the heart of consultative selling. It’s why I hope to hear questions and objections from prospective buyers. Their absence often signals weak interest or a lack of engagement. Here’s a summary of her story:

Jane was interested in a service that was specialized in her region of the country. After much research, she identified (and sent online inquiries) to the two companies that offered what she needed in her area. As she waited to hear back, she read online reviews from users, watched tutorial videos, and even looked on Glassdoor to see what each of their employees had to say. Jane was a very engaged buyer who was nearly ready to make a purchase. But she still had lots of questions.

Both companies responded quickly to her inquiry, arranging a call to discuss more about their solutions. Each followed a similar process on the first call. They asked a series of basic fact-finding questions to qualify that Jane had:

1.      A problem their solution could solve

2.      The budget to invest in their service

3.      A realistic timeline for getting started

So far, it's Sales 101 stuff. Once this base of information was established, each gave a brief overview of their solution and then asked Jane if she had any questions. And she had MANY questions. Perhaps TOO many questions. Now here’s where the story got interesting to me – Jane had already decided on her 1st choice based on the results of online research. But because of her need to understand everything before finalizing this major purchase, she wanted to talk with both companies to be confident in her decision.

According to Jane, Company A appeared the logical choice based on their marketing materials which projected absolute confidence and implied they were a detail-oriented company who partnered with their clients to meet their needs. Their marketing spoke to her core values. But when she began to ask questions and express minor concerns, instead of answering, the rep became visibly annoyed. In her words, “he began to mansplain to me that if I would just sign the contract, everything would be fine.”

“In sharp contrast, Company B was extremely patient. They answered my questions, and in a few cases said they’d need to get back to me with more detail.” Company Bthanked Jane for her thorough approach, and then the rep made a helpful suggestion: He offered to send a list of his clients that Jane could call to verify his company’s performance. He felt she’d be more comfortable after talking with others. He also expressed excitement for the opportunity, and hoped they could work together.

In the end, the underdog company won Jane's business by understanding that OBJECTIONS are BUYING SIGNALS.

For the cynics out there – I acknowledge that some people push back just for sport. Not every objection is a buying signal. Also, some objections are completely valid and may not highlight your greatest strengths, so answering might be a bit uncomfortable. Yet responding thoughtfully to these objections helps sharpen your skills, while dismissing them or acting like your prospect is annoying will certainly push opportunity away. I’ll happily take a challenging buyer over a disengaged prospect any day of the week!

The moral of the story is that if you are in a consultative sales position, questions and objections generally signal interest and engagement. So listen intently. "Double-click" to understand these issues better. Acknowledge their importance to your prospective client. Use your answers to reinforce your business value. Why? Because it's kinder. And more respectful. And even if you aren't the immediate first choice, sometimes you'll win the business simply because you are patient. Or even a little more likable!  

Warm Regards,

Heather DiPrato, MASI

If you've made it this far, I’m interested in topics you’d like to explore. Drop me a note to share your thoughts or suggestions.

About the Author: Heather DiPrato is an SVP at Proforma, with 26 years dedicated to the branded merchandise and marketing industries. In 2016, she began a Wednesday blog called HumpDayHints to share ideas for better quality sales, improved relationships and more fun and fulfillment in life.