How To Handle 6 Common Customer Objections

What objections do your customers have and how do you handle them? Now you might be thinking, Hey wait a minute! My customers don't have objections! Ah, but they do.  You just don't know it because they walk away from buying your stuff without you ever knowing. Money's left on the table and you don't even know why. Luckily, I'm going to show you how to handle six common customer objections before your customer walks away from buying.  

Objection = Fear

Now, let's be clear - an objection to buying is really fear . Fear that they'll have wasted their money on a product that doesn't work, fear that their family will think they're crazy for paying so much, fear that your service won't help them, fear that they won't know how to use your product, fear that you won't give them their money back if they're not satisfied. And on, and on, and on. There are some common objections that we all have as consumers, no matter what type of service or product we are about to buy, no matter how big or small, no matter where we buy it from. Knowing how these objections relate to your product or service will help you handle them preemptively, before your customer walks away.  

1. Cost

Cost is one of the main barriers people have to buying something. So what can you do to make it easier for them? Please don't undervalue your products/services and lower your prices out of desperation to make a sale. Solutions:

• Offer a payment plan
• Show the value of your thing by comparing it to a competitive product or service
• Create a package offer that gives your customer more value for their dollar

2. Time

Sometimes people are interested in buying but feel they won’t have enough time to use it, build it, install it, make it work, get the most out of it, whatever. Solutions:

• Give a time line so that people know how long it will take to get a result
• Describe the time investment needed to install, setup and use your product
• Compare and contrast it to other products

3. Care

After people make a purchase there is still sometimes a nagging feeling that the item might be too much work in the long run because of care, maintenance, cleaning, repair, upkeep, upgrades, etc.Solutions:

• Include specific instructions for caring for it or maintaining it over time
• Offer to do maintenance or upgrades for free or a reasonable fee
• Show them that by properly maintaining the item, they will save time, money or both in the long run

4. Ease of Use

You probably think your thing is super easy to use or do, because you are the expert with that thing. But most people feel like bumbling idiots when it comes to something they are not familiar with. If they feel like they can’t do it, they won’t buy. Solutions:

• Create a video that demonstrates how easy your product or service is to use
• State what previous knowledge or experience is helpful or needed
• Provide additional assistance if someone is having trouble

5. Support

Sometimes people feel hesitant to buy something because they feel that once they have received it, your interaction with them is done, or that if they have problems with it, they won’t be able to find help. Solutions:

• Offer ongoing support to your customers
• Provide a follow up call
• Set up a hotline or email to contact you with problems or questions

6. Satisfaction

Underlying anyone’s fear about purchasing an item is the idea it is just not going to meet their expectation, solve their problems or be the dream item they are hoping for. Solutions:

• Include a money-back guarantee
• State a clear & simple return policy
• Provide a trial offer
• Offer one-on-one help if a customer is feeling unsatisfied

 These general categories will cover most objections that people will have with buying your product or service. But there are probably also some specific objections that are particular to your thing or to the exact problems that your customers are having. What are they and how can you address them? If you are not sure what objections your customers may have with your thing, ask them! Conduct a survey, post a question on Facebook or Twitter, or send out an email asking for feedback. Once you understand their objections, it's time to...  

Communicate Your Solutions:

The next step is to communicate to your customers the ways in which your products and services will address those objections, satisfy their concerns and alleviate their fears. You can do this easily in a variety of places and ways:  

FAQs

Include a frequently asked questions section on your website. Here are some FAQ best practices and examples.  

Leading questions

Ask questions on Facebook and Twitter that lead potential customers to your products and services. Example: Do you have a product that you'd love to get into retail stores? I can help you do it quickly and easily at...  

In longer posts and articles

Use your blog, newsletter, or even Facebook ‘notes’ to write longer instructions, helpful guides, tips & tricks. You can refer people to these posts over and over. Some examples:

• Care instructions
• Cleaning checklist
• Tips for hang décor
• Sizing guide

Through testimonials

Ask your ardent fans to do the reassuring for you. Don’t just ask for a testimonial, ask specific questions that will guide a response to answer an objection. Here's a great post from Copyblogger that shows you the questions to ask for powerful testimonials. Example: I thought there was no way I would be able to learn QuickBooks by myself in just one hour, but with Jane's new self-study course, I did! Now I don't have to pay an accountant to manage my books for me.  

Your "About Me" page

Your website's About Me page is a great place to demonstrate that you understand the objections people have or the problems they need solving because you had them too. Example: I could never find a sippy cup that didn't spill, so I decided to make one myself. When my mom friends echoed their frustration with the same problem, I decided to start selling this to the public.  

The item description

Use the item description itself to alleviate fears or worries and include bonus items in the package that will solve objections. Example: This silver ring will not tarnish. Care instructions, soft cleaning cloth and protective pouch included.  

A Bonus Reason for Addressing Customer Objections:

Understanding the objections your customers have and communicating your solutions clearly with them is the key to increased sales. But there is another benefit to doing this. If you can address your customer's objections before they walk away from purchasing, you demonstrate to them that you know how to solve their problems and that they are in the right place for their needs to be met. And if you can do that, you will have a fan for life. You know, the kind that feel thrilled to have found you, rave about you to all of their friends and purchase from you over and over again. Now wouldn't that be awesome?  

What customer objections have you been faced with? How do you handle them?