Handling Objections with A.R.C.
Common examples included below
On a scale of 1-10, how skilled are you at handling objections?
Don’t answer immediately. Think about it for a minute.
How often do you truly succeed in handling objections and carrying on the conversation?
Embracing objections as a natural part of the sales conversation is a tough muscle to build, and it takes a ton of practice.
It’s all about exposure therapy.
Do something that sucks until you do it so many times you’re great at it. All of the sudden, it doesn’t suck anymore.
Below is one of my favorite objection handling frameworks - I recommend you take a shot at using it this week 👇
A.R.C.
A: Acknowledge
Arguably the biggest mistake salespeople make is blowing right past the prospect’s objection.
We get nervous because we’re afraid for the call to end without getting what we want, so we pick the “fight” portion of ‘fight-or-flight” and go for the kill. A.k.a., we immediately throw the sales pitch at ‘em. Bad move.
Acknowledge and validate their words, and then move on. Charismatically.
R: Respond
After acknowledgement, it’s time to respond with value. Again, don’t dive into your pitch. Use their objection as fuel to your response, this pulls them back into the conversation. (see example below)
C: Close
By Close, I don’t mean “close the deal.” Rather, close out the objection with an open-ended question that keeps the call alive.
Example: Applying A.R.C. to a common objection:
Prospect: We’re building this in-house.
You:
Acknowledge: Thanks for the transparency, I appreciate it. Everybody is working on this so I’d be surprised if you weren’t.
Respond: Sometimes you’re too far down the path to bring someone in, other times it’s not a bad idea to speak with people that are experts in what you’re trying to execute.
Close: You know your situation better than me, what’s your sense?
You’ll notice the conversational tone, lack of sales pressure, and a genuine attempt at learning more about their situation.
Practice with a teammate and be ready to use it when the opportunity presents itself!
For more objection handling weapons, head over to Jordan Stupar’s site and grab yourself a stack of CashCards - flashcards for salespeople who are looking for an on-demand tool to help them overcome objections and close deals.
Go Put Some Numbers Up Today 📊