What is the main message of Objections?

The main message of Objections is how to overcome objections in sales and improve closing rates.

Who is the author of Objections?

Jeb Blount is the author of Objections.

Communication Skills

Objections Book Summary - Objections Book explained in key points

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Objections summary

Name: Objections
Rating: 4.4 (148 reviews)
Author: Jeb Blount

Jeb Blount

The Ultimate Guide for Mastering The Art and Science of Getting Past No

4.4 (148 ratings)

21 mins

Brief summary

'Objections' by Jeb Blount is a sales guide that teaches how to handle and overcome objections in order to close more deals. It helps increase confidence in sales by providing practical strategies in each stage of the sales process.

Topics

Negotiations Sales Skills

Table of Contents

Objections
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Turn that no into a yes

When it comes to boosting your sales performance, there are few methods that work for everyone; what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to will determine what solutions will allow you to convert more people into paying customers. However, there is one big exception: objections. Every salesperson in the world, no matter where or how they work, must deal with people telling them no.

That’s where these blinks come in. Drawing on insights from psychology, as well as from sales consultant Jeb Blount’s decades of experience, you’ll learn how to deal effectively with objections at every stage of the sales process. From the prospect who tells you he’s too busy to talk, to the almost-buyer who tells you she needs more time to think things over, you’ll learn how to turn that stubborn no into an eager yes. These blinks uncover what your potential customer is really thinking during your conversations and reveal the secrets of moving even the most reluctant buyers through the sales pipeline.

In these blinks, you’ll discover

the number one issue that’s holding back your sales career;
why asking for what you want is so important; and
what to do when a prospect throws you a red herring.

Arguing with potential customers only leads to frustration.

If you’re a sales person, you may have experienced the thrill of working with a prospective customer over a period of time, giving them several presentations on the benefits of your product or service, and smoothing over any issues as you navigate them through the sales process. Unfortunately, you may also have had this experience: right at the moment of truth, instead of signing on the dotted line, that prospective customer tells you that they need more time to think it over.

Situations like this are hugely frustrating. You haven’t closed the sale, and you’ve been fobbed off with a vague excuse that doesn’t really explain your prospect’s hesitation at this late stage.

As a salesperson, you want your potential customer to be as specific and truthful about their doubts as they can. If they tell you what the problem is, then you can tackle it effectively and continue on to the sale.

But if not, and you find yourself in this taxing position, take a deep breath, think carefully before you act, and take the time to understand why your potential customer is being so indecisive.

To begin with, your prospect sees things very differently from you. They’ve probably had past experiences with pushy salespeople that argued, tried to prove them wrong, and pressured them into a purchase. With these experiences in mind, there’s only one thing they can do to avoid feeling pressured or even bullied by you: keep their reasons so vague that you won’t be able to pick them apart and begin arguing with them.

This distrustful state of affairs has arisen because of the common belief among salespeople that you “shouldn’t take no for an answer.” Although this tenacious attitude is important, the way that many salespeople put it into practice is by arguing with doubtful prospects until they eventually break down and buy.

Arguing with your potential clients is highly counterproductive though. Psychological research tells us that the more we tell people that they’re wrong, the more likely they are to stick to their guns and claim that they’re right. This phenomenon is known as psychological reactance and research suggests that the effect persists even when people are presented with strong evidence that contradicts their opinion. So the more you explain to your prospect that their doubt is misplaced, the more they’ll say it isn’t.

Fortunately, there’s a better way; one that allows you to address your prospect’s concerns without resorting to conflict. We’ll get into that in the following blinks.

Turn prospecting objections around by understanding your potential customer and preparing a cliché-free script.

The first step towards making a sale is often the most uncomfortable: knocking on a door or making a phone call completely uninvited. People’s initial responses are usually negative - many prospective customers will simply tell you they’re busy and abruptly end the conversation. So how can you turn these initial negative responses, or prospecting objections, into meaningful interactions that might eventually lead to a sale?

Firstly, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by all the different types of ‘nos’ you’ll receive when making cold calls or visits. Sales teams who consult the author often tell him that they hear an almost infinite number of reasons for people’s initial reluctance to engage. But this rarely turns out to be true.

Red herring objections can derail your sales meeting if they’re not dealt with properly.

When talking to a prospective customer, you have to do more than just be prepared; you also need to keep the focus of the conversation where you want it. Derek was a salesman who met with the author to give him a demonstration of his company’s software. Before the demo kicked off though, the author asked Derek a seemingly innocuous question: “how much would this software cost? It seems like it might be too expensive for me.”

Within a few minutes, the meeting unravelled. Derek had been thrown a red herring objection and had no idea how to handle it.

Leaving a sales conversation without agreeing on next steps will stall your progress.

When the author talks to an under-performing salesperson and asks about their pipeline of prospective customers, he often hears things like: “this prospect sounded really interested. When she has time, she’s going to call me about next steps.” Although this might sound quite positive, comments like this make the author incredibly frustrated. Why? Because they highlight the salesperson’s failure to win micro-commitments from their prospects. A micro-commitment is a small but important next step that a salesperson and her prospect agree on before their conversation ends.

Towards the end of the first sales call, for example, you might get the prospect to agree to give you a tour of her company’s facilities. Agreeing on micro-commitments is so important because as soon as your prospect walks away from your current conversation, she’s likely to forget about it. Thus, you can’t leave it up to her to get back in touch with you in the future. Instead, you must agree on a specific action that both you and she will undertake after the conversation ends, as well as a fixed date for when you’ll talk again to review those actions.

Buying objections can be turned around with a straightforward, five-step process.

Once your sales process has moved forward, grounded in the micro-commitments you and your prospect have made together, the last step is the ultimate commitment: your prospect handing over his money, and buying from you. The stakes couldn’t be higher during this final stage – for you, or for your buyer. So when you bump up against last-minute buying objections, be sure you handle them in the right way.

Fortunately, there’s a five-step process you can rely on to turn objections at this late stage around.

Fear of rejection stops many salespeople from asking for what they want.

The number one issue that’s stopping salespeople from reaching their true potential isn’t what you probably think it is. It’s not about lacking the slick one-liners that seal the deal or the know-how to deal with tricky objections. Quite simply, the big issue holding sales professionals back is a failure to ask for what they want.

In essence, sales is all about asking for things, usually in the form of time, information or money from your prospective buyers. When you first cold call a prospective customer, for example, you’re asking for her time and attention.

In order to win big, you first have to get past rejection, and endure a lot of “nos.”

No matter how good a salesperson you are, dealing with objections and facing rejection will always be part of your job. But when you feel like you’re drowning under the weight of ‘no,’ it’s important to remember that you’re not alone; some of the world’s most successful people faced a lot of rejection before they finally got their ‘yes.’

Stephen, for instance, was an unsuccessful writer whose short stories and novels had been rejected for publication literally hundreds of times. Broke, married, and with two children to support, he wound up living in a trailer with his family, barely able to support them. One day in 1973, Stephen’s wife showed up at the school where he taught. In her hand she had a telegram from a publisher saying they wanted to publish his novel, Carrie.

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What is Objections about?

Objections (2019) explores the secrets behind turning around common sales objections. Drawing on insights from both the business world and psychology, it shows how you can transform even the most reluctant prospect into an eager buyer.

Objections Review

Objections (2018) by Jeb Blount offers practical strategies for overcoming objections in sales and negotiation. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It provides a step-by-step framework for handling objections effectively, equipping readers with the tools to confidently navigate challenging sales conversations.
With real-world examples and practical tips, the book offers valuable insights into understanding and addressing objections, making it a valuable resource for sales professionals.
Engaging and informative, it offers actionable advice and techniques, ensuring that it won't leave you bored, but rather motivated and equipped to handle objections with ease.

Who should read Objections?

Sales people looking to up their game
Budding entrepreneurs about to pitch to investors
Business buffs seeking fresh insights

About the Author

Jeb Blount is the CEO of the international training consultancy Sales Gravy, which helps businesses boost their sales performance and optimize their human capital. In addition to authoring eleven books, including Fanatical Prospecting and Sales EQ , Blount is also a highly sought-after speaker on the topics of sales, customer experience and leadership.

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