Successful salespeople understand that part of the sales process will very likely include objections by the customer. It’s a normal part of the sales process. Objections may be framed as questions or outright statements declining an offer or benefit. What are some of the best ways to overcome objections?
Points to Consider About Sales Objections
You’ll hear “no” a lot in sales. That may be the most important thing to remember. You’ll have success if you don’t get discouraged. Here’s what to consider when you go into a meeting or make a call:
- Remember that objections are normal.
- Understand that objections are not personal.
- Understand that objections may, in fact, be an invitation for more information or clarification.
- Recognize that objections may occur at any point during the presentation, not just the closing.
- Not everyone understands your industry as well as you do, an objection may be a way of politely stating that the customer doesn’t understand something. (It may be easier to turn something down than admit that they don’t comprehend the materials).
- Objections give you an opportunity to repeat back the information in a different way and try again.
Overcoming and Anticipating Objections
Overcoming Sales Objections | Senior Market Advisors
If you know in advance that there are likely to be several questions or objections, you can prepare. Formulate the typical questions/concerns and be prepared to address them during your presentation.
- Sell yourself. Be prepared. Have a business card in hand. Be well-groomed and dress for success.
- The strength of the brands you represent can offset trust factors. Be sure to represent a product you believe in.
- Remind the customer just how many people you have already helped with this important decision.
- Understand the difference between an objection that can be placed on the back burner and one that needs clarification.
Using Empathy in Responding to Objections
Using empathy shows that you understand the customer and are trying to meet his needs. Keep the planned course of action as you work through the “anticipated” concerns. Let each Q&A scenario build on the next one, following your imaginary outline. So how do you do that?
- Take your time. Don’t overreact – stay calm.
- Use empathetic statements to clarify the objections.
- Repeat them and ask the client if you understood them correctly.
- Ask him to help quantify or rank the order of the most important questions(s) they have about the subject (this keeps you from repeating everything again).
- You may choose to use trial closings with statements/questions such as,”how does that sound?”
- By now you should have a good grasp of the real objections and you can use another closing statement like, “if we handle this to your satisfaction, can we move forward?”
Subscribe to our podcast and listen to Episode 4 on overcoming sales objections!
How to Respond to Specific Sales Rebuttals
Once you’ve been selling insurance for a while, you’ll start to see patterns in the responses you get from clients. They’ll all have the same objections and reasons to not buy from you. These patterns can actually work to your advantage because you can prepare in advance and know exactly how to respond to these people. These are some of the most common responses you’ll receive and the best insurance sales rebuttals to use.
“I already have insurance.”
Whether they say, “I already have Medicare,” “I already have what I need,” or some other variation, this one’s easy to tackle. Respond by calmly explaining that you are not their to sell them health insurance for the first time, you are there to help them find a better deal. You aren’t there to upsell them or give them plans they don’t need; you’re there to make sure you have the best price and the best coverage.
For example, if they life in an area with $0-premium Medicare Advantage plans and they only have Original Medicare, talk about the extra benefits they could get with a Medicare Advantage plan such as hearing, dental, vision and fitness classes.
“I don’t need it.”
You’ll probably hear, “I’ll just pay my medical bills when they come,” or “I never get sick.” This is a good time for you to remind your clients about late enrollment fees.
Make sure they are aware that if they change their mind in ten years, their premiums will be exponentially higher just because they waited. Also, remind them that most major health concerns will sneak up on you. Even if you’re perfectly healthy now, something unfortunate could happen tomorrow. It’s best to be prepared.
“I can’t afford it.”
You’ll hear this one a thousand times. Remind the client that you are not there to sell them something new. You are there to help them find savings and better coverage. You are there to help them afford their health care, not charge them more for it!
“I need time to think about it.”
You’ve probably said this before to a salesman just as an excuse to get away. Or, you may have actually meant it – but did you follow up? If a client requests time to think about it before they purchase from you, give them their time, but don’t forget to follow up!
Contract With Senior Market Advisors for More Help Overcoming Sales Objections
At Senior Market Advisors, we provide our agents with extensive sales training so you can overcome objections with much more success. We know that sales is a numbers game. Our experienced sales and marketing team is dedicated to generating qualified leads so you can focus on selling. Not only that, but we contract with all of the major insurance carriers so you can offer your client the best possible options. After all, it’s pretty difficult to object to a good fit. Ready to start? Call us at 1-844-452-5020 or eContract with us today.
This post was originally published on October 17, 2016, by Anastasia Iliou and was updated on September 27, 2019, by Troy Frink.
