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Resistance

Many salespeople sometimes experience it: a customer or prospect at the end of a sales conversation does not want to accept the proposal. The salesperson may have felt that the conversation just went smoothly and that he or she thought the customer was interested, but it turns out that the customer still has some doubts. In this situation, the customer offers resistance.

Possible customer doubts

Various arguments or objections may be raised. Arguments often used for resistance are:

  • "It's too expensive."
  • "I'm not interested anyway."
  • "The purchase is not so necessary after all."
  • "I am uncertain about the quality/guarantees/references."

Dealing with resistance

A lot of salespeople encounter this. However, you can make a difference by handling this correctly. In fact, a good approach can make resistance disappear like snow in the sun. Here are some tips:

  • Do not counterattack: you as a salesperson may well see resistance as an attack, but definitely do not counterattack. Listen to the customer's arguments and show understanding.
  • Support and understanding: show support and understanding to the customer. Try to link the benefits of the product to the customer's needs. It can help mention satisfied customers.
  • Review: repeat the benefits in different ways and offer a tour or demo if necessary. Put sales aside for a while and put your focus on long-term customer relationships.
  • Let it rest: if you cannot add anything to the resistance or you feel the customer will not change their mind, it is smart to put the offer to rest and accept that the customer will not make a purchase.

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