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P-A-R-A-P-H-R-A-S-E

By lee r. van vechten

When your prospect voices an objection, your first job is to recognize it. It doesn’t matter what kind it is, or if it came up in a friendly or hostile manner, or whether it is a stall or a silent objection. Once you recognize the objection, you must deal with it.

How to Find the Real Objection

Third-party research has shown that 43 percent of the recognized objections given in similar sales presentations were either inaccurate or untrue. Also, the researchers agreed that the inaccurate responses were neither maliciously nor intentionally given. Prospects used objections to avoid making a decision or because of a lack of understanding. When telemarketers used paraphrasing techniques to clarify objections, close to 25 percent of the 43 percent making objections listened to the presentations to the end and promised to evaluate or followed completely through on the callers objective. The lesson, therefore, is to test need objections by paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is a restatement, but only to a need, not to a fact. If you think your target has a need, but an objection is in the way – paraphrase!

Don’t Paraphrase a Business Fact:

*Objection: “We are on a mainframe and are not interested in PCS for our needs.”

*Telemarketer” “I see. In other words, you are interested only in mainframe computers and will not use PC’s…is that correct?”

The Correct Paraphrase Would Restate the Need:

*Telemarketer: “I see…If I could demonstrate to you that the PCS would enhance management productivity as well as enhance your outbound telemarketing calls, would you be interested?

The reason for the technique is simple. Was it a real objection as opposed to a smoke screen? If the answer was:

*Prospect: “No, not really.”

*Telemarketer: “Oh, then I’m curious. Why not?”

*Prospect: “Well, we are going to use manufacturers’ representatives and discontinue our telemarketing operations.”

Bingo! The first objection was not the real objection…the second one was and it is the issue. Why try to answer an incorrect objection? It’s a waste of your valuable time.

Here are a few paraphrases to review.

*Objection: “The colors on the modular panels just don’t match the rest of our office decor.”

Paraphrase and check for correct objection:

*Telemarketer: “I see…If we could change the colors to match the decor to your satisfaction, would you consider our proposal?”

*Prospect: “Yes, I’d be curious. Do you have the color swatches available?”

>Note: This example show the objection to be a correct one. Now you could go for the answers and the close.

Test your objection first; there’s no need to waste your time. The best way to test is with a paraphrase. Paraphrases generally start out with phrases like these: “In other words, you are saying that if…”

“I see; if I could…”

“All right, if we could provide…would you be interested?”

Let’s try a few simple ones for practice. Please come up with an appropriate paraphrase for each.

Objections

1. “Nice product, but I don’t see the application.”

2. “We already subscribe to an industry publication.”

3. “We don’t really have the need now. Check with us next quarter.”

4. “I am really disappointed with your choice of fabrics.”

5. “Unit cost it too high, Steve; not today.”

6. “Not in the budget…”, etc.

Remember, when paraphrasing, the conversation usually is in the form of a question. Also, please remember that silence is the best offense. Wait for your answer. Once you find whether the objection is the real one, the best way to overcome it is through paraphrasing. If it is an incorrect objection, most likely the correct one will come out. That one warrants the precious investment of your professional time.