subject: What Do You Say When Your Prospective Client Says [print this page] Recently I have read too many articles and have heard too many teleseminars with sales experts telling you how to handle money objections during a sales conversation. What I am hearing and reading is to be aggressive " very aggressive in your response.
One call I was on, with a top marketing guru, recommended saying, Well, where can you find the money? Can you take out a loan or refinance your house? What?? I'm going to take out a loan to pay for your coaching? And,on another call last week, someone tried to sell me internet marketing coaching by telling me that there were only 3 spots left and he would email me each hour as the spaces in the course were taken (in order to rush me into making a choice). It didn't work.
I have been a sales coach and mentor for 11 years and I don't believe in being aggressive at all " not just when handling money objections. Why would a client want to hire you if you are that pushy on the sales conversation? It's jarring for the potential client and too much stress for you to have to sell that way.
I now realize why I get emails from coaches and consultants that say, Sue Anne, I just cannot be pushy when I talk to my prospective clients. It makes me queasy to even think about selling that way.
Here's the good news. No pushiness is ever required! When someone says, I cannot afford it, you can say that you understand and tell them about a payment plan or another, less expensive, offer you provide. And, by all means, don't discount the price of what you initially offered. It devalues you and your services.
Here's an example. Louise, a woman I was coaching, had a prospect on the phone and offered her an investment in a full day of coaching. When the potential client explained that she would definitely do it if she only had the money, Louise than offered her a day, which the prospective client was able to afford. If the client had said no again, she could have offered a payment plan.
The important part here " you can sell in a relaxed, authentic way that comes across that way for the prospective client as well.
This assumes several things " you need to have at least 2 clear offers and that it is great to have a lower price point product to offer if money is an issue, like a group class or a home study course. Or just reduce the amount of time you work with the client.
These nonaggressive sales tactics of just helping your potential client to decide on the best way to get your services is a matter of fact way of handling price objections. And, if they cannot afford your services, they will still feel good about the interaction with you and would recommend you to their friends.
