You’ve been trained on how to overcome Buyer objections. How do you address Buyer skepticism?
Today’s decision makers may not let you get to the point in the business development process where they voice their
objections. They will truncate the relationship early on for a number of reasons.
You’ve researched trigger events impacting your customer or prospect, identified who is on the buying committee and determined how decisions are made. You are prepared to choreograph buying conversations leading to their signature on the contract.
Except there is something about the chemistry between you and that buyer that is just not quite right. Your Buyer is skeptical.
Skepticism isn’t the same as objecting. Objecting is disagreeing: being opposed to whatever solution, product, platform, or deal that you are proposing. It’s not the right solution for them.
A skeptical Buyer doubts – instead of disagrees or is opposed to- the validity of what you are saying, doing or presenting. They don’t completely “buy” into you, your data, or your logic.
Skepticism makes Buyers not only second-guess you, the Seller. Skepticism makes Buyers second-guess themselves and the clarity of their thinking and logic.
How many of you are sensitive to Buyer Skepticism?
Addressing Buyer Skepticism doesn’t involve coming up with one more piece of information to clinch the deal. It may be a matter of drawing that decision-maker’s attention to how they are manifesting their skepticism in the first place.
Your Buyer isn’t objecting to your proposed solution. There’s “something else” eating at them which makes them second-guess the wisdom of moving forward with the purchase. They may not object to or disagree with the logic you used to justify their purchase of your solution. However, they are skeptical that it’s really the best option for their company.
They may not even notice they are being Skeptical.
Asking a question like: “What is giving you reason for pause?” makes that Buyer aware that their body language is projecting what’s going on in their head.
Making your customers aware of their skepticism can unearth factors unrelated to what you are selling to them. These factors may involve insight into their corporate culture and behind-the-scenes issues which reduce the priority of purchasing your offering.
Your Buyer becomes skeptical when the information you’ve collected to support their purchase of your solution is perceived as too air tight. It’s too good to be true. Or they’ve heard it all before, but you presented it the best out of all the Sellers they’ve listened to. It’s still status quo. Or your information is outside of the norm that other Sellers have presented.
Is your selling cycle becoming elongated in spite of your addressing your Buyer’s questions and concerns? Re-evaluate your scenario for signs of Buyer Skepticism. It’s an entirely different conversation that may rekindle a stalled sale.
Babette N. Ten Haken, Founder & President of Sales Aerobics for Engineers, LLC, catalyzes revenue-producing business transition, startup growth and professional development.
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