Today, we will continue our series on retail training and how to overcome objections. Below are 4 more techniques that you can use to make more sales.

Anticipating the Objection

Make your work easier by thinking about the most likely objection your product might get. Address it early on the conversation so that it will not surface later on. This is important so that the customer won’t mention it at a rather inconvenient time. Take the example below:
Customer: I’m looking for a charm bracelet to give as a gift to my mother.
Salesperson: You’ve come to the right store sir. Here are the best ones we’ve got. I know that these might cost a little. But they are made of high quality authentic stones, making it the perfect gift for a special person like your mother. See how the salesperson addressed the issue about the price of the product early on? Not only will the customer be informed that the product may not
come cheap, but it can also be a gauge whether or not the customer can afford it.

If they back up immediately after saying the actual price of the product, you will know it is out of their budget. But if they don’t budge, they may have the money to buy it. This is very applicable with all the other major objections customers
may have about your product.

Sidetracking the Objection
Probably the easiest way to handle an objection is to wave it off. Getting the correct retail sales training will teach you this technique as a priority. This is the best way to go if the objection is major and insurmountable. No matter how good a salesperson you are, if you are trapped with the wrong product, you can only do as much. Therefore, a way out of this kind of objection is to let it go, at least for a while. You have the option to address it later, or you can opt not to at all. Check the example below:

Customer: Your digital camera has the lowest resolution in the market today. I wonder why it is still not putting down its price regardless of other brands releasing newer models already.
Salesperson: That’s a good observation. I’ll give you an answer to that later. However, if you look at the type of camera lens we are using, you will see that the camera is highly durable and would last for years. The only thing that you have to remember about deflecting the customer’s question is not to shrug it off nonchalantly. Remember that customers want to be heard. So it is mandatory that you acknowledge their objection. Show them that you have heard it and did understand what they said. They deserve that in the
least, especially if you don’t really intend to answer their question later on.

Objection Bargaining

Objections will always arise. They are always a part of every sales transaction, no matter how big or small the deal is. One way to make objections work to your favor, instead of the customers’, is to strike a deal with them early on. After their first two objections, try to tell them that you are willing to answer the rest of their doubts about the product by asking them to write all objections in
a piece of paper. Then continue with your sales pitch. Here’ s an example.
Customer: I’d like to buy that car audio system you are selling but I’m concerned about its installation, warranty, and almost everything else about it.
Salesperson: Well, I’d like to propose a deal with you sir. If you will listen to my presentation about the audio system, you can write down or make a mental note of all the possible questions and objections you may have about it as I go along. Then I will be addressing all of them to your satisfaction.
The example here has to be carried out in a mildly assertive manner, and never in a pushy one. The customer is not supposed to feel trapped. They definitely won’t like that. It is also important to make them understand that you will be crossing off their objections only if they are satisfied with the way you handled it. Else, they are free to check out the competitor’s product. You have to
emphasize that point.

The Use of Empathy

You have to realize the insurmountable powers of empathy. Empathy is the mental process of putting one’s self into the shoes of another, and in this case, the shoes of the customers. This technique can go a long way when it comes to retail customer service training. It is a way of showing that you understand and feel the same way as your customer. Read the example below:

Customer: I am really not comfortable with the fit of this blouse. I think it is too smug. I can’t move much.
Salesperson: I know exactly how you feel. I actually tried one on and felt the same way. But I bought it and took it home instead. I wore it for the first time last night and I felt so confident in it. It matched my skirt, and the blouse isn’t too
smug at all. In fact, it showed off my curve perfectly. However, if you think a larger size fits you better, I’ll be willing to help you.
Empathy alone has the power to change minds and emotions. The key here is to be as truthful as you can. Do not lie. The customers can see through you. Remember that they have a critical eye that is always checking you out. Just a single lie and they will never come back. If you are a manager, teach these techinques on a regular basis in your retail training programs.

Reframing the Objection

Reframing the objection is very similar to saying “no” to the customer in an entirely different way. You can do it by showing that there’s a misunderstanding between both your views. Use empathy. Blame the misunderstanding on yourself. Try turning the subject around as you reframe the objection. Read the following example:

Customer: You don’t seem to understand. I do not like this one. What I wanted is a longer coat. This one looks a little short on me.
Salesperson: Oh yes, sorry about that. But I just can’t help suggesting this one to you. It definitely looks good on your body frame.
Use the same terms or jargons the customers used on you to show that you understand what they need. But specifically, show them your viewpoint so that it will be difficult for them to deny that you are also right.

The Conditional Closing Technique

The idea behind this technique is simple. Don’t give your customers a second to think about possible objections. Instead of saying “Would you like to step in and check our products?” You say, “If you would step inside our booth and see our products, you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for. The following is another good example. retail sales training can teach you how to direct all of your conversations.

Customer: I want the portable-type DVD player. I think you don’t have any stock available.
Salesperson: If I call up the head office for a delivery right now, the portable DVD player should be here in less than hour. Will you wait for it?
See here that the conversation goes assertive but it doesn’t impose upon the customer. Try to build an agreement with your customer. Use the agreement that behind the surface says, “If I can solve the setback, you should buy the
product.”

An even more powerful method is to structure your question in such a way that they will think they have options, yet both of these options are directed towards a sale. Ask questions like, “Would you like to pay in cash or credit card?” or “Would you like to take it home with you or have it delivered by us?” In these cases, any reply would result in a sale.

Repulsing the Objection

This is the assertive type of objection. This technique involves telling the customer subtly that they are wrong. But even though this objection is rather assertive, it is does not necessarily mean aggressive. Tell the customer that they are wrong, but do not rub it to them directly. See how the example below goes:
Customer: I believe that XYZ Company has the pioneering technology for photo printers. I suppose I should go for them to get the best buy.

Salesperson: That’s not true, sir. Even though the XYZ Company is the one who is regarded to be pioneer, it does not mean that they have the best technology in the market. Our engineering team had come up with this innovative photo printer with features that is first in its right today. I’m sure you won’t see anything like it and all its capabilities in any of our competitor’s product line.

Did you see how assertively yet feebly the salesperson handled the objection of the customer? That’s exactly how to do it. Politely tell that the customer that they are wrong and prove it to them. Prove it by making your products shine out. Besides, showing the customer that they are wrong will reveal how much you know about your own product and would expose your customer in their deception (should they use one as an objection to create a way out).

The Curious Salesperson Technique

Some customers can say point-blank to you that they do not want to buy what you are selling. Try to act curious and ask them why. They might stumble upon some reasons that they might have thought about at that minute. Take each reason as an objection you can readily handle. Even if the customer did not buy, you have made contact and probably, a good acquaintance. You’ll never know when the same customer will soon decide to buy and would come looking for you. Moreover, they can spread news about your
product through word-of-mouth, which happens to be one of the best promotional methods.

Here’s an example of the curious salesman technique:
Customer: I really don’t think I need these drapes just yet.
Salesperson: A lot of people had bought from us this week since it’s the holidays. I wonder why you are deciding otherwise? Was there any other reason? I’m quite sure that if you tell it to me we can try to work something out. If you let out the child in you through inquisitiveness at the right time, you will surely either make a sale or gain a future customer. Whichever the case, you
are bound to gain something from it. This is the positive benefits to regular retail training.

If you think about it, your customers won’t object about how high your product’s price is if they have not really considered the possibility of owning it. Therefore, you must take on all their objections accordingly, and convert them to your benefit. Over time, different new techniques are being developed to handle the customer’s every single objection. The ones listed below are the most
effective retail training tips as practiced by thriving salespeople.

The Boomerang Technique

The goal of this technique is to turn the customers around by taking exactly what they said to you, only to show that they are mistaken in their argument. It is called the boomerang technique because you use their opinions like a boomerang. They go around in a full circle; and when they come back, you are there to persuade them again.

A good example of a boomerang technique is as follows:
Customer: I think this necklace is very expensive.
Salesperson: I do believe it is too. But I assume that you don’t want to give your wife a much cheaper present. Anyway, the necklace comes in a beautiful case and a rebate coupon. It is a nice present as it is. And even if you don’t have the cash to pay for it today, we accept other payment methods like credit cards or even personal checks, though that requires some time to clear. And we can
reserve this piece for you so that nobody else can buy it before you do.

The main idea here is to first agree to what customers are saying to make them believe that they are right. Then you try to attach what you, as a salesperson, want to impart. Retail training on a regular basis will drive these skills into your being and help you use them on the spot. By doing that, you are using the principle of association. What you say simply becomes correct as well.

Renaming the Objections

There may even be times that the customer’s objection can be turned into a positive energy outright. If the customer says that they have to talk to their husband or wife before they make a purchase or that they don’t have the money to buy it right now, you don’t just leave that as is and let them go with it. Instead, you handle it by making a play with words. If you are a retail  manager, then you should have learned this in your retail management training. Check out the example below:
Customer: I think I like your product but I can’t buy it right now, as I don’t have the money. I would need to tell my husband about it and see what he says.
Salesperson: Yes, I suppose that’s proper, but instead of doing that, could you rather discuss it with him so that I can finalize your order today? I can arrange somebody to pick up the payment tomorrow for you.

As you can see, “tell” and “discuss” almost mean the same thing. But “discuss” is a much stronger word than “tell”. To effectively close a sale, you should always use the more powerful word. You don’t really change their meaning, but you have successfully translated them more to your favor.

Show The Customers The Bigger Picture

There are times when there is a need to show your customers that small and insignificant things are exactly that – insignificant. Make their objection about the color of the product look trivial compared to its portability or any of its other strong features. The technique here is to show to the customer what they can get in contrast to what they can’t. But don’t dwell on the things that your product can’t give. Focus more on the things it can offer.

Here’s an example:

Customer: I think this laptop is too big for me. I would like to buy something more compact.

Salesperson: You might have a point there. But this laptop is complete. It comes with everything you would need in a computer. What are a few inches in size if it can give you full functionality? Try to distract your customers from the issue that you cannot resolve like size, shape, weight, and similar objections. Create an entirely different perspective on your product. Make it appear the best buy despite the small detail the customer requires. This is where retail training can really benefit your career.

Sensitivity

Always put yourself in your customer’s shoes. This is the only way you can feel what it is that concerns them and what they are trying to make you comprehend. Doing so will also ensure that you are on the right ground when it comes to dealing with people. This foundational principle is something that you learn in retail sales training seminars.  Some salespeople become too overeager to collect the commissions they would get out of every sale that they forget to treat
their customer with outmost care and attention. Actually, this is the gravest mistake you can make as a salesperson. The moment you regard your customers as one-time deals is the moment you can say goodbye to your career. With that attitude, even your most loyal clients will break out and leave you hanging by a thin line eventually.

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is infectious. If you’re excited about your product and the benefit it can give, your customers would soon follow suit. They would see your product in a different way, enough to complete a sale. Good salespeople are jovial and passionate about their craft. You should develop these qualities right at the start of your career. Good retail training programs will teach you how to build upon momentum.

Knowledge

This doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to have above average comprehension skills to start with. It means being smart with the good ability to grasp data. When a good salesperson sells his product, he knows all its prime qualities by heart. He makes it a point that he has the answer to the most asked about question concerning the product he is selling at the back of his mind. He does not grope around looking for answers when somebody pops them up. Instead, he comes prepared with a smart answer all the time.

Integrity

Integrity means honesty and doing the right things even when somebody is not looking at you. Many customers want to stay clear of a deceitful salesperson. That is the reason why they size salespeople up before they attempt to buy or even before asking anything about the product. Retail sales training will teach you how to come across as believable and someone that people will trust. Customers want to know exactly how the product works, without any tall lies and truth bending. They only want to deal with a straight, honest salesperson.

Courtesy

Courtesy is something everybody appreciates. Customers definitely want to be treated like kings. They may bombard you with questions before they decide to buy, or they can try all your products before selecting the one right for them. Customers have varying tastes and styles. As a salesperson, part of your job is to conform to all their eccentricities. You might need to practice patience and be good-natured. Always remember that the most likeable salesperson
always gets the job done.

Persuasiveness

All salespeople are required to be persuasive. They should be able to effectively convince their customers about the beauty of the product they are selling within appropriate levels. They should not drop at every block the customer throws at them. Instead, they should look at it as a challenge that they have to overcome. Most highly successful salespeople are even looking forward to all these challenges. They feel triumphant with every sale if they are able to
prevail over the customer’s negativities. This is something that adds excitement and stimulation to their job.

Here are three personal qualities that you will need to develop:

Neatness and Presentability

For a retail salesperson, image is everything. It is true that before you get to sell anything, you always have to sell yourself first. This is basic retail sales training 101. And that means you should be highly likeable before you get somebody to like your products. Giving your possible customers a bad impression of you won’t help at all. It would help your competitors though, because it takes you out of the picture.

You won’t always know your customers personally. In fact, you will be meeting a lot of them, if not all of them, only once in your life. And that means you will be approaching them and talking to them as a total stranger. In this case, they might be scrutinizing you in an attempt to judge what kind of a person you are. And they might do that mostly based on your looks alone.
It is therefore important that you look neat and presentable all the time. Your aura and your physical image tell a lot about who you are and the company you represent. People do not like to deal with somebody they do not feel comfortable with. Unruly hair and dirty teeth could make you lose a sale. Don’t take the risk. Invest in your appearance. But this doesn’t mean you have to buy and wear expensive suits all the time. Good grooming will make you stand out even if your clothes are old. Just make sure they are well kept and you should be fine.

Professionalism

Professionalism is how you do things right. Some of this may seem like a repeat if you have done any kind of retail customer service training. Many of the best gurus in retail training agree on the importance of having professionalism when speaking with customers. For starters, you should not be irritating. Certain habits or conducts annoy some people. If you have a nasty habit like fidgeting with your fingers, cutting somebody’s sentence off, playing with your pen, or talking too fast, you have to do your best to eliminate it. As a rule of thumb, any habit that you think may annoy somebody else has to go – and do it in any way possible. If you have to undergo therapies to get rid of it, do it. Much of your career depends on it. Keep in mind that the selling career entails a person-to-person contact. Because of that, you have to do everything to create a good impression and comfortable air between you and your customer.

Good Listening Skills

More than anything, a customer would like to be heard and understood, sometimes at all costs. To be a good salesperson, you have to develop your ability to listen, even to the words left unsaid. Let your customer talk. After all, they come to you because they want something. Hear them out and show them that you perfectly understood what they are trying to convey. You may just uncover a behavior or attitude that can propel you to make a sale. If you fail to do so the first time, don’t hesitate to ask them again. This will show that you are concerned about what they are saying and you don’t want to miss a detail. But don’t do it many times in a conversation; or else, the customer will assume that you are not paying attention. If you really want to drill these qualities into your life then consider allowing time in your schedule for additional retail training. Your personal development is essential in the success of your career.