The stall, “I need to speak with someone” is as old as “the price is too high” objection.
Most sales reps still have trouble overcoming it. I present you with 5 proven ways of handling this stall.
To be clear: these scripts may not always CLOSE the sale on the first visit/call, but they will unearth the real objections or hesitance so you can be well prepared for your next visit/call or just scrap the prospect.
The first step is to qualify the prospect. If you don’t, then you’re likely to keep getting this at the end of your perfect presentation. Here’s what you ask on your first visit/call:
- “Is there anyone else that will need to weigh in on the final decision?”
And if they tell you their boss or corporate, etc., then you must layer that with:
- “How much influence do you have in that?”
- “Let’s say you love what you hear, is he/she open to new ideas? What is the process?”
Get clarity upfront so you can bend your presentation accordingly. You may still get “I’ll have to show this to my partner, boss, etc.”, use one of these proven scripts…
Response 1:
“Are you going to recommend this to them?”
If yes:
“Thank you. You mentioned earlier, they usually follow your recommendation, right?”
“Thank you. To save you time, I don’t mind holding while you check with them.”
(This has about a 20% success rate)
Response 2:
“Let me ask you two things:
- Do you think that he/she will LIKE this idea? (Listen for the buying motive)
- Why might he/she DISLIKE it? (Listen for the real objection)
Response 3:
“Is his/her approval the ONLY thing preventing us from moving forward?”
If yes:
- “I am available tomorrow at 2:30 to answer any questions that he/she may have. Can I call you then?”
Response 4:
“Well, I know you’re behind this idea and we know you need it. Based on your experience, what do you honestly think is going to happen here?”
Response 5:
- “I’ve learned that some people, to be nice, will say that just to get off the phone. I don’t think that’s happening here, but if it is, can you level with me? I don’t want to waste my time or yours.”
[If they really do have to speak with someone, then]
- “You said that you like this idea. What do you seriously think is going to stand in the way of this getting approved and how can I help you?”
There you have it! Five ways to handle “I need to speak with someone”. All of them will help you smoke out the real objection. And once you get a handle on what’s really likely to happen, then you can deal with it and overcome it – or move this prospect don’t waste your time.
