Increase Bookings by Handling Objections!

Do you freeze when you hear the word “No” after you’ve asked someone to book a show? Your potential hostess usually follows with a common excuse or objection why the answer is “No”! Many people find handling objections the hardest part of their direct sales business. They accept the NO without question and lose out on the potential sales, customers, recruits and opportunities that could have come from this person if only they’d handled that objection. Objections actually HELP you to make a sale because it helps you to know what your potential hostess is thinking and what their concern is. Having questions and objections should be WELCOMED! If you don’t get objections you’re not asking enough people. It’s not realistic to expect that everyone will say YES! However learning to handle and meet objections and helping to solve that problem for your potential hostess will convert some of those Nos into Yeses! Improve this skill and you will begin to increase the number of shows you book at shows!

When handling objections you need to AGREE, EMPATHIZE and PROVIDE A SOLUTION!

Here are some common objections and how to handle them:

1. I’m too busy!

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

I totally understand! I’m so busy too! You work full-time and have 3 kids I can see how busy you are!

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

That’s exactly why you need a fun time with your friends. I have a special program for busy hostesses! I’ll do all the work! I mail out the invitations and can bring a tray of goodies. That way you can relax and catch up with your friends. Open your calendar and say “I have the 21st and 23rd which works best for you?

2. I work full-time!

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

I understand! I do too!

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

Have you ever had a work party? I can give you a PARTY IN A BOX with order forms and catalogues and you can take it into work for a week and you’re still eligible for hostess rewards or I can drop in at lunch hour and do a quick and fun lunch time show. Open your calendar and say ” I have the 21st and 23rd available which works best for you?

3. My house is too small!

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

I understand! I”ve done shows in one bedroom apartments. I love doing small shows.

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

All I need is a small table and I’ll just bring my most popular items and the catalogue. Super easy and lots of fun! Open your calendar and say “I have the 21st or 23rd which works best for you? (You can also offer a work party as a solution)

or How about bringing your friends to my house?

or How about we do it at a local coffee shop/restaurant? It’s so fun!

or Do you have a friend who would like to offer her house and you can host together?(Double your prospects)

4. I need to check with my friends.

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

That’s great! Not everyone will be able to make it on any given day that’s normal.

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

Let’s pick a date first so that you can go back to your friends with a date for them to check. I’ll pencil you in  and give me a call within 24 hours if that date doesn’t work for none of them. If I don’t hear from you I’ll assume this date works great. Open your calendar and say ” I have the 21st and 23rd available which works best for you?

5. I don’t have enough friends!

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

I understand!  People think they must have a huge group but we don’t need a lot of people. I’ve done great shows with as little as 3-5 people.

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

What if I could show you how you can get a bigger group than you think? Let’s see, do you know 5 people? Write down the list with her.  Ask her for the name of her best friend, mom, sister, mother in law, sister-in-law, etc. You then ask each person to bring a friend and before you know it, you’ll have 10 people. Open your calendar and say ” I have the 21st and 23rd available which works best for you?

6. I’m not interested in having a party now.

AGREE, EMPATHIZE

I understand! It’s not always the right time.

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

Would you like an invite to my next open house or new line launch?

When would you like me to connect with you again? Set a date and time and then send a catalogue and follow-up with a call to book then.

Before your next show, familiarize yourself with some of these solutions to the common objections and TRY it! Be sure to use your own language. Practise saying them first at home in front of the mirror, this will increase your confidence to start saying them at your parties and demonstrations!  You will begin to get better and better at turning “No’s” into “Yeses”!! You will begin to increase the number of shows you book at shows! For more ideas on increasing your bookings click here.

Connect with me to help improve your direct sales business and to find out more about my consulting, speaking and coaching packages.

Leave me a comment with an objection you’ve heard in your business that you found difficult to handle.