Builder - How To Use “No” to Your Advantage #1
Builder-How-to-use-No-to-your-advantage-1
So you have done heaps of work putting together your best estimate for a building renovation. You have followed the recommendations and made sure your construction quote puts you way out in front. And you have mastered the art of negotiating to be “the advisor” and sit with them when they are evaluating the other building quotes and estimates against yours.
You do your best to explain the gaps in the others, but almost on cue they raise the objection - “Yes, but your quote is still higher.”Your worst fear has been realized! They have raised an objection! To an inexperienced builder this can be scary, but to an experienced building salesperson an objection can be a tremendous help. So what do you do when they raise an objection?In this article I outline three keys to benefiting from objections.
1. Rejoice
The fact that they have raised an objection is evidence that they are interested in buying - but maybe just not from you, or not at that price, or not with those clauses. So, when a client raises an objection they may well be saying, “I wish to buy from you, but here is a problem that stands in my way.” So effectively they have not yet said “No.” Rather they have requested further information. You need to be ready to go back and give that information.
The fact that they have raised an objection...is evidence that they are...interested in buying
2. Learn
In reality every sales opportunity is a learning opportunity for you - an opportunity to learn about the typical questions that typical clients ask. Unless this is your first sale, I am almost 100% certain that you will have faced a similar objection before. So, if you don’t know how to answer - then you must decide never to be caught again without a prepared answer. When you get back to the office, set yourself the goal of finding an effective answer to that question. Do everything in your power to come up with an answer. Of course your answer may not guarantee you get the sale, but it will definitely raise your chances, and ensure that you get to the real issues in your presentations.
3. Distinguish
Here is where you need to use your intuition. You see a small objection may only be an indication that your client is not quite ready to commit to a purchase and may want you to slow down abit. So give them your time. Go back through the sale details and seek to resolve the objection as best you can.
If, however, the objection is large and something you cannot overcome (e.g. you simply cannot meet the price and make decent profit), it may not be possible to complete your agreement with this particular client. It’s time to move on to clients with whom you can do business. Making this call can be subjective. But making it can save you heaps of wasted time, and give you more time to spend on better prospects.
Your Takeaway
So, next time you head into a sale, check firstly that you have a well thought out response to the two or three most common objections you are likely to face. And should you unearth another one, write it down and set yourself the goal of finding the answer.
Talk Back
So what are some of the objections you have faced in selling your building services? How have you answered them?I’d love to hear of your experiences.Post your comments below.
Read More in the "How To Use No To Your Advantage" series:
Greame
P.S. Whenever you’re ready….here are 4 ways I can help you grow your building business:
1. Grab a copy of my free book
It’s a road map of a successful 15 minute sales call that’s guaranteed to increase your conversion rate. http://thesuccessfulbuilder.com/book-15-min-sales-call/
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If you’d like help to get off the tools, make more money and get your life back...just message me at graeme@thesuccessfulbuilder.com and put “LOFT MEMBERS” in the subject...tell me a little about your business and I’ll get you all the details.