Friday 4 January 2013

Send Me An Email Sales Objection: The Ultimate Way To Handle It

Send Me An Email Sales Objection: The Ultimate Way To Handle It: by Jason Li 2013 ©

The send me an email sales objection...


It happens to most businesses...

Sometimes it can happen ten times a day...

The “send me an email” or “send me some information” sales objection...

Or they’re never in when you call over-and-over again and you can only send an email...

But don’t worry; there are ways around the objection...

(Like making threats or funny noises down the phone – on second thoughts don’t do this)

And there’s one great way to improve long-term conversions even with this objection.

What sales people are taught to handle the send me (some information) an email sales objection

(Or something along these lines)

1.       We have lots of literature, what exactly is of interest/ suits your needs/ are your problems and I will be happy to send the relevant information to you? (And then try to re-pitch. If the prospect refuses and asks for email – don’t send email.)

2.       If I take 5 minutes of your time I will be happy to send over the exact info you want which will save you hours of reading time. (If prospect won’t accept your offer, don’t send email and move on to next prospect.)

3.       I’ll only take a minute, and if it’s of interest we can carry on the discussion if that’s all right with you? (If prospect won’t even entertain a minute, don’t send an email and move on to next prospect.)

4.       How about I schedule an appointment as it is easier to explain than to read lots of information? (If prospect says no then don't send an email first. Move on to next prospect.)

5.       Perhaps I can call another time if you are busy as it will save you lots of time? (If no then don’t send an email.)

6.       Sure I can send an email. Should I call this afternoon/tomorrow morning 9am to discuss the email? (If prospect says no we will contact you, don’t send and move on to next prospect.)

7.       You might know more useful and better qualifying or schlickkkk sales objection handling phrases.





A story about how a really good sales pro lost a sale (Yep, it was a genuine send me an email)

Let me tell you a real story... and I still shake my head when I think about it (not quite like the characters in the film Jacob’s Ladder.)

So this professional sales person cold calls me. He’s selling leads b2b. He's well trained.

From a cold call starting at “who are you?” he’s got me talking and interested... (I can hear Viper from Top Gun saying in the background: “This kid’s gooood!”

I’m interested for the business who I was working for at the time, and he’s like... asked me 10 questions and taken up loads of my time (WTF). Three times I’ve said send me an email, and he keeps on asking (Maybe I should have tapped the phone to make sure he could hear me?)

But I give him a chance because I’m interested.

He calls me on my busy project day... doesn’t he get it, we don’t make money answering sales calls (I bet he makes little money answering every sales call). We could do this all day long and make no money at all.

So I finally said send me an email and I’ll reply at the end of the week (Da da... gold dust – you now have my email address plus my telephone number. I bet he was high fiving his colleagues in his sharp shiny suit at this point.)

But can you believe it... he doesn't send me an email.

To compound this, my boss at the time was very interested in making more money. My boss spends if you can add value to his business. There was a need for more clients, to grow, for better conversions.

We were prime beef with stickers on our heads; with the words PRIME BEEF printed in capitals.

OMG (first time I’ve ever wrote this as I hate this Hollywood high school phrase).

OMG... I feel so much better now so I wrote it twice because this deserves it.

Yes we would have spent time looking at your website and looked on Google at alternative solutions, plus asked friends who they’ve used or what they thought... but you know what, we would have paid you... and not just once if you were good.

But hey, tell me which business does not look at the whole market before weighing up which vendor will be the supplier.

“SEND ME AN EMAIL Goddamit Mr Cold Caller.”

And if his product was good, over time I would’ve been happy to refer to others about how good they are too.

So why did this happen? How can a business ensure there will be better long-term sales conversions?

(You can stop cringing now if you’ve realised your business daren’t send an email for whatever reason. This article might help sooth that problem – if you really want better sales conversions over the long-run.)

The prospects point of view and why they say send me information on an email sales objection

As sales people, it has been taught to understand the prospects needs and objections. One advantage in sales is that after having conversations with so many prospects in your target market, you do get a feel for their needs and common objections.

Taking this onboard, here are some reasons why people say send me an email, and I’ve tried to do this as if a cold caller called me for during different days and times in the week.

1.       I’ve some interest and want to see what it is so I can learn about it myself at my own pace. You see it’s new to me.

2.       I never buy on the first cold call – have you ever had someone ring you on a Wednesday night after work and then on the first call given your card details over the phone to a cold caller? Really?

3.       I’m interested and just going into a meeting, out on an appointment, need to carry on with my project and look at the subject you’re talking about after this. What’s the rush... are you leaving town next week?

4.       I need to look at what you offer to see if it genuinely helps me, the business, clients, and absolutely adds value, not because you said it’s good and you’re friendly and likeable like all sales people we speak to.

5.       There’s more 100s of more reasons and you may think of some reasons why you can’t take a call when you’re in the bath or making a brew.

Yes, I’ll send an email with information for you

If you genuinely want higher conversion rates over the long-run, then consider this:

1.       You know this already as you work in sales or business development: Only contact people who are in the right target market and are the right type to buy your product, and will find it’s of value in what you offer. Don’t waste time, money, energy, and your good morale on bad target prospects.

2.       If they are not ready now and want an email, don’t be too pushy. Just think of when someone cold calls you after work like the above.

3.       Send an email to people who want an email and keep a relationship with them. You can always ask their thoughts on the email at another time. People have 100s of objections and 100s of unusual reasons to want to buy.

4.       If you’re afraid that your email or link to your website/product/service won’t get a sale, then don’t blame the prospect or your sales technique. You’ve got attention and interest. IT MUST BE THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE THAT'S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH OFFER. Think of it this way, if your target market is interested in a smart phone and your offer is pretty much an average performing smart phone, you’re going to have a low conversion rate.

Remember, you will only buy a new car, new tablet, go to a fancy restaurant, sophisticated pen, plain steel toe capped boots, new software if you find it genuinely adds great value to your life.

Bravado talk such as don’t blame the product/service because it’s you the sales person does not help improve the business or future conversion rates.

Many great businesses innovate year-on-year so that their product/service/packages are absolutely the best and differentiated from competitors. (Yes you read it here. Take the sales hat off and work on creating value. It's like cause and effect theory and the equation is simple. Create more value than competitors and use better marketing differentiation tactics = more sales conversions. A bit of KISS philosophy.)

5.       Why do McDonald’s add new products to their menu and do a refurbishment every few years? So that their seating and furnishings look nicer, more modern and more comfortable; even though they are already the market leaders. It’s because adding more value and marketing differentiation equals more willing customers and higher conversion rates.

I’ve met people who hate McDonald’s then reveal: “Although I do go if I can’t see any other food place to my liking, even though I hate everything they stand for!” I find this really funny that McDonald’s has the potential to convert McDonald’s haters because the sandwich shops or cafes in the area don’t offer enough value, whether it’s the food served, or no wi-fi connection, prefer McDonald’s comfortable seating or whatever the prospective buyer is looking for.

If you add value and differentiate from competitors in a number of ways, once you have made your prospects aware of your business, if they are the right target market then what are your chances of conversion when they are ready to buy?

What are your chances if your product or service is very similar to other competitors which includes a very nice and friendly sales/client relationship manager.

(It happens. I went to a networking meeting and met four different accountants, all very nice, well presented, knowledgeable, and all promised they are in fact the best service in the area. As Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men says: “You want the truth... You CAN’T handle the truth)

So if your business targets the right prospects, knows what makes them happy, and continuously adds genuine value and develops better marketing differentiation than competitors – why not send the email and keep in contact? You’re already a much better choice for your prospect than your competitors, aren’t you?

Not everyone buys today, tomorrow or next week. But if you truly know your market and which are the right prospects, then you are likely to be keeping in touch with people who will buy at some point.

At least with your efforts you will have better conversion rates over the long-run.

Or you can just not send the email and let the prospect not see what you offer, how you can help them and let them forget about you within the next 48 hours.

Send an email now to find out what’s in their interest

Can your business offer continuously more added value and improve like McDonald’s or do you try to flog a run-down cafe and try to entice people to a place where no-one is willing to sit at the table?

Send an email for feedback

From a marketing prospective, if you get no response, don’t worry. Not everyone is buying today.

But you can call back to get their thoughts. Feedback will let you know how you stack up in helping your target market, and where your offer needs to improve.

If you don’t want feedback and don’t want to improve to make conversions easier for yourself, don’t send the email so you’ll never know the truth – SIMPLES.

Further reading

Creating value: if you're not creating value, you're not going to create a sale.

How buyers use ‘Prisoner’s dilemma' game theory to negotiate

Ebook: The Goose Bump Effect. A Practical Beginner’s Training Guide to Marketing Differentiation Tactics and Value Creation.

1 comment:

  1. I found these advices really working and effective. Thank you for them. Cold emails are in my opinion very important thing in sales and gaining knowledge is an urgent thing. By the way, to learn more, check more information about a process.

    Greetings!

    ReplyDelete