Cold calling
Handling objections without pushing.
There are not thirty objections. There are five, and none of them means what it appears to.
In short
Five objections cover almost every call: no time, an existing supplier, send me an email, price, and call back later. None is a final refusal, and none is handled by arguing: they are handled by asking a question that surfaces the real reason behind the formula.
The five, and what they hide
« I haven't got time » almost always means « you haven't yet given me a reason to give you any ». The response is not to insist but to go straight to the reason in one sentence, then offer another time.
« We already have a supplier » is information, not a refusal: it tells you the need exists and is budgeted. The right question is about what works well and what works less well, not about the competitor's name.
« Send me an email » is a polite way to hang up eight times out of ten. It becomes useful if you ask what to put in it: the answer tells you what actually interests your contact, and gives you a reason to call back.
« It's too expensive »
On a first call it rarely concerns price, which has not been mentioned. It says the value is not clear.
« Call me back in six months »
Often sincere. Note the date, call back on it citing the previous conversation, and the call starts on a completely different footing.
The real no
It exists, it is unambiguous, and it should be accepted fast. Pushing costs time and damages your reputation.
A question rather than an argument
The natural reflex facing an objection is to answer with an argument. That is what sets up a contest and ends the call. The effective reflex is to ask a question that invites your contact to be specific.
In practice: « what would make it worth talking about again » or « what is missing from what you have today ». Those questions cannot be argued with, they produce either information or a clear refusal, and both save you time.
Frequently asked questions
Should you handle every objection?
No. One objection handled properly is enough; by the second or third in the same call you are insisting, and the meeting you obtain that way will not happen.
How many attempts after a refusal?
On a clear no, none immediately, and a call back in six to twelve months if the target remains relevant. Situations change and so do the people in them.
Should you record the objections you get?
Yes, it is the best free field feedback you have. If the same objection comes up on every second call, the problem is not your answers but your targeting or your opening.
Keep track of every follow-up
Lea CRM keeps your contacts, deals and reminders in one place, and shows you every morning what needs doing today.