5 Steps to Overcome Sales Objections with DISC

As sales prospecting tools and methods have evolved considerably over the past 50 years, one thing remains unchanged for sales professionals - objections. Prospects' doubts and reluctance will spring eternal, which is why sales professionals need to utilize the reliable objection as a sales opportunity. Here are five ways to conquer objections from a behavioral-consultative perspective:

1) Learn to listen

The ability to listen to understand, not just to respond, is critical. The nature of their objection and how they communicate it contains important information, helping you tailor your pitch and delivery. Face-to-face is always ideal, but there's still much to gain from virtual meetings, phone, and email. If you interrupt your client, they feel as if you are devaluing their objection, their pain, and even them. And if you ignore their objection, you will lose them entirely. Objections reveal priorities. When your prospect shows interest but communicates exceptions or concerns, listen to what they are really saying. Their priorities, buried in their objections, are clues to their DISC style. Find out more information on how to recognize the DISC style of your customer.

2) Ask more questions

After a prospect's objection, rather than pitching them, ask more questions. Asking questions will get give them a chance to expand on themselves and their needs. The more people talk about themselves, the more you will:

• Build rapport
• Establish trust
• Justify their time investment in you

Allowing people to talk freely about themselves is a great motivator in itself. Researchers from Harvard Neuroscience Lab discovered a fascinating scientific link between talking about oneself and "motivation" and "reward." This also explains why social media posting and tweeting are wildly popular. All people love talking about themselves, regardless of their DISC style. Justifying a time investment simply means people are more likely to continue with something once they have invested time into it.

3) Check your understanding

By rephrasing prospects' objections, priorities, and pain, you display that you listened to them, understood them, and exhibited empathy. Regardless of which DISC style you are dealing with, all types like to be heard and understood. Ask simple questions, for example, "So what you're saying is…" or "If I understand you correctly…." This also provides a great segue to neutralize their objections and ask for the close.

4) Neutralize their objections

This is the part where you get to talk. Now that you've laid the groundwork, you can tailor your offering to the prospect's behavioral style and specific needs.

Sales scripts are a great way to neutralize objections. For example, Keller Williams (KW) finds the use of DISC + SCRIPTS as the "magic to overcoming objections." KW advocates becoming a "script master" by "internalizing, memorizing, and customizing sales scripts." Jeff Glover, a top agent from Detroit, Michigan, says, "Your product is you, and your value is what you present and what you say. Nothing matters until you master what comes out of your mouth." That's why many Keller Williams sales agents become certified in DISC and learn how to incorporate DISC style priorities into their sales scripts.

5) Ask for the sale

Asking for the close requires you to maximize your optimistic behavioral dimensions and give energy to all your DISC behavioral dimensions. The sales profession is anything but easy, which is why good salespeople are worth their weight in gold. Effective sales pros have to have more positive qualities than a boy scout. Even if you do everything else right, asking for the close is challenging and is why you need to be highly adaptable to every behavioral style and unlock your potential by flexing your style.

Learn more about sales strategies that work by taking the PRO-SOLD sales strategy online course and start building a framework for success today!