Objections & How to Overcome Them

When recruiting new members you might face objections, so it is useful to have a process for handling them. In this article, membership development expert, Sue Froggatt, highlights how to handle them.

The starting point when looking at objections is to understand why they arise.

People object because they have not found enough perceived value for the purchase price or because they are resistant to change. Most are made out of habit or are intended to disarm you.

Think of objections as a request for more information. Your task is to find out exactly where the value is for them. To do this you need to ask questions. Questions help you uncover the real reason for the objection and not a smoke screen. They help you qualify the situation.

Before you start, make sure that you understand where the value is. If in any doubt, talk to your longstanding members. Build a knowledge base of the common objections, questions to ask when they arise and possible responses. You may be able to tell them about the objection and overcome it before it comes up.

What to do when you face an objection

1. Do not interrupt. Allow them to finish or you will annoy them and may miss out on additional information.

2. Acknowledge their comment. Repeat what they have said. This gives you more time to think and avoids misunderstandings. It weakens the objection.

3. Ask for more information to define their needs and priorities. For example, “When you say… what exactly do you mean?” or “Can you elaborate on that?” It may take a few questions to uncover the real issue. The first replies are logical, factual or intellectual, but what are the emotional reasons?

4. Clarify that is the only objection. For example “If we were able to overcome this objection, would you join?”

5. Once you are confident you have isolated the real issue, respond to it appropriately using one of the response techniques:

   • Feel-felt-found: “I understand how you feel. Another member initially felt this, but when they joined they found that this was not an issue because …” One of the most persuasive forms is to tell them about another member who was in a similar situation.

   • Offer reasons why the situation is not as they perceive. Use facts, tangible evidence, reason, or logic. Introduce a third party, for example “What members tell me is…”

   • Reframe the issue in a way they had not anticipated. For example, “The cost of subscription may be high, but the cost of inaction is even higher because…”

   • Ask them how to solve it because if you include them in the solution they will feel better about it. For example, “What would need to happen to overcome this?”

   • If it cannot be solved, it does not mean that they will not join. People who object still join because it meets other needs. Put it to one side and build value from elsewhere. For example “Let’s look at the bigger picture, what do you want to achieve for yourself or your business?”

6. If you still struggling, use the opportunity to gather feedback. For example, “What would we need to introduce to the membership benefit package to make it acceptable to prospective members with similar needs to yours?"

7. Move on. Inquire about the value of other benefits or ask them to take an action that advances the sale.

Some of the common joining objections and how to respond:

1.  “It is too much” or “That’s a lot of money”.  Use qualifying questions, for example, “When you say too much, relative to what?” Answer using meaningful comparisons. How can they get a return on their investment? What do the alternatives cost?  What is the cost of not joining? Can you offer different subscription packages or payment terms?

2. “I don’t have the time”. Highlight where they will save time if they join. People find time for things which are meaningful and relevant so ask them about their personal or business development plans or problems.

3. “You focus on lobbying, so I get the benefits whether I join or not”. Tell them how much more effective you would be for them and the community, if you supported them. What causes are they prepared to support in the community? How can they engage without joining?

A useful way to present your membership benefits is to show them a list and ask them which one is the most important to them. Then ask them why they have selected it. This allows them to control the presentation and have begun to understand where most value is likely to be.

 This article was published in Membership Today in December 2006

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