How To Overcome Resistance from Sales Prospects

How to overcome resistance from sales prospects is one of those questions all sales teams are concerned with. This is especially so since sales has a direct impact on an organization’s revenue.

There are a number of key reasons that explain why prospects can back out of a deal chief among them is they are not ready to buy.

This can be a timing thing so you always have to know that timing is everything. You try to make an offer too early and you become a nuisance, you do it at the right time and you are an answer to the client’s prayers!

Other key reasons like prospects not being convinced that the product or service is right for them, or that it doesn’t solve their problems largely signal a disconnect between the prospect, the messaging, and the solution.

How To Overcome Resistance from Sales Prospects

Here are some of the likely situations you will find yourself in when dealing with clients. Remember with each problem the key thing is leaning how to overcome resistance for sales prospects and actually converting the prospect into a paying customer

“I’m not ready to make a purchase.”

This can be as a result of many things, for instance, the client’s budget or decision-making process, which is why you have to prequalify your clients before you even sell them anything.

Ask the client about their budget cycles and the decision-making process this way you will learn about the stakeholders who can impact your deal. You will also learn if budgetary decisions explain the prospect’s lack of interest.

You will need to incorporate decision-makers earlier in the sales process, this way it becomes obvious to you if the prospects are ready to make a deal with you or you are just wasting your time.

“I don’t think your product/service is worth the price.”

Think of it this way, people only spend money on things if they realize that the alternative cost, that is keeping the money, is less beneficial than spending it on whatever they want to spend it on.

The trick to winning the client at this point is know how to propose value.

How to overcome resistance from sales prospects at this point will include providing them with case studies from similar sized business and ensure the details of return on investment is understood. Remember all they care for is that you provide a solution to their problem.

Other options that you can go with is down-selling to a freemium version or a trial and let the product sell itself.

A comparison matrix with competitors can also help you show the prospect the reality that exists in terms of what you are actually offering them and what they are going to have to pay for if they choose to go with your competitors.

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“I don’t think your product/service is right for us.”

This could be a polite way of saying no but given the fact that they are already part of the sales process, and had a choice to back off earlier in the process, you will treat it as a code for ‘we need more time or practical reasons to arrive at a decision’.

With this you can send case studies from the same industry or use case with data and testimonials to convince the client of why they need your product or services, you can offer them an extended free trial or show the prospect how your product/service works with their existing tech stack

“I don’t trust you enough to commit yet.”

Well, with this you at least you know where the issue is. You basically have to show the client that they can trust your solution to their problems and that can mean offering an extended free trial of your product or services if you are in a position to.

Things like case studies or testimonials are also important in helping you to establish credibility with the client.

If you feel that money is the issue, because money can be a reason why the client is on the edge about going in on the deal with you, then suggest a more flexible pricing plan

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