The best salespeople know that an objection from a prospective customer is an opportunity. It is a clear sign that the prospect is giving your product or service consideration and may be on the verge of buying.The best salespeople are “expert” at handling objections. As an example, let's say you are a Realtor and your prospects tell you that the price of the house they are most interested in is too high. You ask questions to better clarify the full concern, share understanding, rephrase the objection to price as a question and offer a justification for the higher price based on other identified needs. The prospect agrees, you begin closing the sale.

Yeah, well, easy for you, but I was horrible when I was just starting out.

One morning I met with a man named Raymond Thacker of Raymond Thacker Hauling Company in the parking lot of the Cahutta Lodge near Ellijay, Ga. I thought I was going to meet Raymond, get an order signed and be the proud owner of a two-way radio sale, but it didn't go that smoothly. First, we were talking about two-way radios in cold, windy, drizzly weather on top of a mountain in a parking lot. Second, the wet, steamy hood of my beige Chevy Nova was acting as my desk top and my brochures were sticking all over it. Third, Raymond was chewing tobacco and spitting into a Styrofoam coffee cup from Hardee's. And finally, it didn't appear that Raymond really wanted to buy any two-way radios. Two-way radios were expensive and Raymond said he couldn't imagine spending that kind of money would help his business in any way.