From the course: Practical Influencing Techniques

Handle objections

From the course: Practical Influencing Techniques

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Handle objections

- Now the final step of the influencing process is easily forgotten. Because you might think, once you've said what you want, that's it. But no, there is one more step, which is to say to them, what do you think? Are you going to do it? Is it a good idea? In sales terms, this would be called the close. So in sales terms, you don't just say here's a great product, I leave it with you and I'm off. You say to them, here it is, what do you think? Would you like to buy it? And it's really important to do this. I think it's very tempting to avoid doing it in case you get a no. It is really tempting to just say, well, I'm not happy. Or I'm not happy and I want this, and then off you go. But actually, you have to say to them, what do you think? Because if the answer is no, you need to know that. And it's quite possible if the answer is no, you can find out why, and you might be able to handle their objection. There might be a reason which is worrying them, but which you can easily handle for them. So we need to find out if they don't like your idea, why not? For example, a long time ago, I asked my boss for a pay rise, and he said, I can't do that because engineers in your band are not allowed to be paid more than a certain amount, and it's just the rules, I can't possibly get around it. And I said to him, but is there any other way we could do it? And he said, well, I could make you a manager. If you were a manager, you'd be paid more. And I said, well I'd love it, yes. So that was my first step into management. And if I had just said, I want to be paid more and walked off, nothing would have happened. But because we had that discussion, we got to the real root of the problem, which was the banding system. And we found a win-win solution because I enjoyed being a manager. I could have the pay that I wanted to be paid. He solved his problem of who he could give that management job to. He was looking for somebody at the time. So it worked out for both of us. So, we have to find out if there's a problem, maybe we can solve it. And there are two techniques for this part of the process that I really love. And the first one is called peeling the onion. And peeling the onion is where you say to somebody, what do you think? And if they say, well no, I can't do that. You just say, well, why not? And they give you a reason. And then you say, apart from that, is there any other reason? And this is where we're taking layers off the onion. So let's suppose for example I said to you, you want to go on holiday to India, it's a brilliant place to go on holiday. And you said, oh no, I don't want to go there. I would say, well, why not? And suppose you said the flight's too long. I don't want to spend that long on an airplane. I could start to argue with you about the length of the flight. But that might not be your real objection. So it would be much better if I peeled the onion first. So I would say apart from the flight, what do you think? If the flight wasn't an issue, would you go? And that's a really clever question, isn't it? Because if you say, well yeah, if the flight wasn't the issue, I'd go, then all I've got to do is convince you the flight's not going to be a problem, which it isn't. And you can tell that that's what's going to happen. So if you've got a real reason, you're going to have to give it to me. 'Cause otherwise I'm going to defeat the flight argument, and then you're going to have to go. So you'll have to come out with your real reason, which is perhaps that you're frightened of going to a country that's so different to your own. So when I say apart from the flight, if that wasn't a problem would you go, you'll probably say to me, well, I probably still wouldn't, 'cause to be honest, I'd be a bit uneasy about going to such a crazy, different country to where I live at the moment. And then I could say, well, let me tell you about it, because actually that's one of the best things about it. And now I can deal with the real objection, rather than trying to shoot down a false objection, which was that you were worried about the flight. So peeling the onion is about finding the real objection by saying apart from that, are there any other reasons? And quite often, people don't come out with the real reason straight away. Often because they're a bit ashamed of it, it's a bit embarrassing, it's a bit personal, it shows weakness or something. But also, they worry if they brought out the real objection that you might be able to handle that, and then they'd have to do it. So they tried to fob you off with a false one first. So peeling the onion pushes the false one to the side, and then you can find out what the real objection is. I love peeling the onion. It should be an automatic thing you always do when people say no, is to say, well why is that? And then say, apart from that, would you do it? If that wasn't an issue, would you do it? The other technique for dealing with objections which follows on from the onion is something called feel, felt, found. And this is where you say, I know how you feel, I felt the same way, but what I found was. And this works much better if it's genuine, if it's really true. So this is not a manipulative technique, this is a genuine, heartfelt technique. And I'll just stick with my India example, because I think that's an easy one. And also I genuinely do like going there. So if somebody said, oh, it's too crazy, I wouldn't want to go there. And let's suppose I've peeled the onion, and that really is their worry. There's going to be too many people and it's going to be too crazy. And maybe they'll be robbed or something like that. I could say, well, I know how you feel, because I felt the same way before I went there. I was really worried about all the crowds and maybe I dunno, pickpockets or something, or beggers hassling me. And I was worried about that. But what I found when I went there was that actually, it's not like that at all. The people are actually the best thing about it. They're really friendly, it's really fun. Everybody speaks English, it's great. Similarly, if you said to me, oh well I'd be worried about getting ill. I could say, I know how you feel, because I felt the same way. I was really worried about the food, I was worried about would I get fed up with having curry all day, every day? But what I found was that actually the food was one of the best things about it. The food was fantastic, and I didn't get a tore board with the food, I was there for three weeks, and I loved every day of the food. So, you could see what I'm doing. I'm saying, I know how you feel, I felt the same way, and then I'm explaining a bit about how I really did feel to show that I genuinely did feel like that. And then I'm saying, but what I found was. So after the first two, you trust me. I know how you feel, I felt the same way, you're thinking brilliant, he understands me, I trust him. And just when you really trust me, I suddenly change tack and say, but what I found was that it was absolutely fine. So, that's feel, felt, found. Quite a powerful technique I think. It does help if it's genuine of course. It's a good way to tell someone that they're wrong, because if I just said, oh no, don't be stupid, the food's very good. Or, oh don't be ridiculous, the people are going to be nice. Then I'm criticizing you and I'm telling you that you're wrong and you're stupid. That's never going to go well. So much better to say I know how you feel, I actually felt the same way, but I was quite surprised when I found how good it was. So, peel the onion to find out what their objection is. And then use feel, felt, found to tell them that actually they're mistaken.

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