Overcoming Objections to Change

I attended a meeting hosted by Joe Hage awhile back. He posed some good questions that made me think of how I am different than my competitors, especially since I am in a very competitive business, the printing/graphic arts world. The questions brought to bear the reasons for client resistance and the old subject about sales objections and how they need to be overcome. My goal is not to overcome, but understand from where they come and work with them to teach and educate my prospects. In that way, they become clients.

Back in 1943 Robert Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs:

• Physical - food, shelter, clothing, comfort, etc.
• Safety - orderly environment, consistency, etc.
• Love/belonging - supportive relationships, friends, family, etc.
• Esteem - respect by others, recognition of one's work, etc.
• Growth needs: Cognitive (knowledge), Aesthetics (beauty), Self-Actualization (fulfillment of one's potential)

In all human contact, we face these needs. Through them, we create objections to moving on, to change or be challenged. So, how do we overcome those objections?

As a ski instructor, I must address a variety of a client's needs, which can lead to objections. For instance, younger students may object to wearing hats, helmets or goggles due to the need to belong and be cool. Other students may have goals to ski moguls and object to skiing more moderate terrain to improve more primary skills. Of course, I have to operate within a safe environment and avoid excessive anxiety when challenging clients on new slopes. In addition, I must be supportive in their efforts, recognizing their achievements in overcoming their own objections. Only then can they understand the biomechanics involved, the beauty around them and be fulfilled within the mountain experience.

In sales, it is not much different. The salesperson must be like an instructor or teacher. They must identify with the prospect's needs. Changing vendors is deemed as a potential for creating chaos, change and disorder. A basic need, safety, is not met. A mishandled job might create a threat to the buyer’s job, which will threaten their feeling of belonging, removing them further from the final goal of self-actualization.

In understanding Maslow’s hierarchy of need, the salesperson must understand these objections are opportunities for higher need levels being satisfied. The challenge is how to get beyond that basic level, by overcoming the objections and roadblocks to change. If price is an issue, eduacate them on your pricing and why it is as it is. Possibly provide a non-requested quote on work done to compare pricing. Then be willing to stick to that price if asked within a reasonable time frame. Again, educate the prospect about potential price increases due to freight charges, etc. to keep expectations realistic.

If quality or service is an issue, simply wait for the competitor to "screw up". No one is perfect, including your company, and neither is your competitor, hence a buyer’s resistance to change. However, once a door opens, an objection is wiped away. Now you can rely on your industry knowledge to foster a feeling of security, by guiding and educating the client toward realistic goals and expectations, which breeds safety. The prospect must be comfortable in trying your company prior becoming a client. Their basic need for safety and order is primary. As the client relationship builds within that safe framework, mutual respect and understanding are developed. Then, the client will understand the benefits of the newly created client-vendor relationship.

I won't say the client-vendor relationship can move into self-actualization, but growth needs will exist and should be recognized as goals towards which all are working. How you help your client get there is up to you, the teacher.