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By Stephan Schiffman
The Easy One sounds like this:
"I really don't want to get into this with you. Anyway, we'd need a three-day turnaround."
"I thought about that a couple of months ago, but I've been so busy, I just haven't been able to sit down and work a budget out. Sorry."
"The guys next door have been doing that for us, and I really don't think you could beat their prices."
The Doubter's Maneuver
The Doubter's Maneuver arises when your prospect won't (or can't) decide the questions you put to them--and is unwilling to suggest someone else who can. It's a toughie, because a variety of factors can lie beneath this objection, from low self-esteem on the part of your prospect, to bad organization within the company. (What if you're dealing with a small business that really has no "purchasing agent" or "office manager"?) and let's face it, overstepping one's authority is not a key to success in business. If you're speaking with someone who traditionally has never made a decision, it will be very difficult to convince him to adopt an aggressive approach to his business problems.
Here are some classics:
"I'm really not sure whether I'd make that decision, to tell you the truth."
"Actually, there are other people involved in this, but I'd rather you didn't call them."
"It's really not my area, but I'm sure they're not interested."
The Reassurance Request
The fifth objection is known as The Reassurance Request. Here, the prospect asks for a sign of credibility form your side. It's still an objection, but it requires that you listen carefully to what the prospect is really saying, so that you can offer him the information he needs to proceed with confidence.
For example:
"We can't do business until I see a written estimate."
"The last people we dealt with were real jerks. We haven't done anything in that area since we cancelled their service."
"It's just not in our budget, I'm sorry. But listen, out of curiosity, who else have you done this for?"
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