How to Block and Counter Sales Objections Like a Black Belt
Selling software is a lot like martial arts - bare with me here. As a salesperson, handling objections can feel like going one-on-one against a prospect trying to block your pitch. While the physical stakes may be lower than in karate (no body slams please), mastering some key martial arts skills can help turn you into an objection-handling black belt.
Let’s break down some moves:
Listen Grasshopper - Anticipate Attacks
Like Mr. Miyagi, experienced salespeople listen closely to prospect speak to anticipate potential objections before they throw a wrench into the deal. Hearing “we’re happy with our current software”? Price punches are coming. Are customization needs being raised? Expect a complex implementation head kick. Foreseeing objections allows you to bow courteously and proactively disarm them.
Get Into Cobra Position
When you see an objection coming, get into stance - feet grounded, core engaged, mind centered. Mentally prepare by reviewing the prospect’s needs and your product’s value prop. Arm yourself with facts, figures, and testimonials to counter-strike objections. Ground yourself in sincerely wanting to help the customer, not just make commission on the deal.
Deflect Like Water
Rather than resisting objections head on and getting bowled over, deftly pivot and redirect them like water flowing around a rock. Subtly acknowledge the concern while minimizing its impact. “I understand you’re worried about costs. The upfront fees enable us to tailor everything to your unique needs - an investment that pays off in higher productivity and ROI.” Be like water, my friend.
Counter-Strike with Lightning
Objection handling isn’t done until you’ve countered effectively. Turn concerns into opportunities to highlight value. “I see - you need broad rollout without complexity. Our configure-once/deploy-often platform lets you customize while our cloud architecture makes updating easy across divisions with a single finger tap.” *imaginary hadouken fireball*
Float Like Butterfly
Light feet allow fighters to evade attacks and adapt to movements. Salespeople need similar agility to smoothly sidestep objections and reposition pitches. If they balk at price, float to a subscription model. If they jab you on features, sting like a bee highlighting integrations and roadmaps. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Protect Your Chi Center
In martial arts, you center your core's chi to withstand attacks. No matter how you pivot objections, keep your value center steady - don’t let price/feature debates distract from productivity gains. Reorient conversations to time and money saved. Protect your chi center, ignore crotch kicks.
Finish with Spinning Back Kick
The best defense is a good offense. Once you’ve handled an objection fluidly, execute a spinning back kick to seal the deal. Highlight another benefit that tackles a key pain point. “Now that we've addressed implementation concerns, consider our vast integrations with your existing apps, maximizing their value immediately vs. waiting on custom." Hi-ya!
While sales objections clearly differ from physical attacks, these martial arts principles allow salespeople to strategically overcome concerns. Of course, I don’t recommend actually karate chopping prospects. With the right stance and verbal blocking/countering, you can handle objections with skilled precision to advance the sale. Wax on, profits off!
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