Episode #21 -- Cleaning Client Objections and What to Say
Many cleaning business owners are stumped when a client raises an objection. How do you respond when they say your price is too high or they're happy with their current service?
This episode talks about the common objections you'll have and and what to say in response.
I've talked to a lot of cleaning business owners who have no idea what to do when they get an objection from a prospect. Their eyes get bigger, they start to stutter and stammer, and suddenly they've lost control of the conversation! And the sad part is, the prospect KNOWS what just happened; and they realize that THEY now have control and the cleaning company will probably do whatever it takes to get the sale.
So what are some of the objections you'll face as a cleaning business owner? Here are some of the most common ones: "Your price is too high" "Your competitor is cheaper" "I'm happy with my current cleaning service" "I need to think it over" "I'm just shopping around right now; I'll get back to you." I'll bet a lot of you have heard these objections before. I know I have. One time a prospect told Steve our price was too high, so here is how he handled it. He said something like, "I can understand why you might feel that way, but I want to tell you about one of our clients that initially thought the same thing, and then later realized that he was actually SAVING money by using our services."
Ok, he did a couple things here to turn this around. First, he said, "I can understand why you might feel that way", which makes the prospect feel as if he really cares about his concern. Next, he started telling a story about another client. Nothing sells your service better than a satisfied client, so if you can get that client to write about what happened as a testimonial, then you've got documentation to back up your story. So use client stories as much as you can to illustrate a point you're trying to make, and to turn those objections around. Once you've done that, there should be nothing standing in their way from making a decision to go with your service.
So how do you handle the objection about the fact that they're happy with their current cleaning service? Well first, realize that if they were truly happy with their service, they wouldn't be talking to YOU! So it's up to YOU to dig deeper to find the real reason they're resisting making a change. So if they say they're happy with their current service, say "That's great! What do you like most about the service they provide?" And then follow up with, "What changes would you make to the current cleaning service, if you could?" And then ask, "Do you regularly shop around for your products and services?" By asking this question, you are reminding the prospect that shopping around keeps vendors and service providers on their toes if the know they're not guaranteed the business.
Ok, let's talk about the "I need to think it over" objection. If you think about it, they really don't have an objection to your service; they're just trying to buy more time. And chances are, they won't buy from you if you let them go off and think about it. That's because they'll forget all of the benefits of hiring your service, so you'll lose all your momentum. So how do you respond to a prospect that says, "I need to think it over?" Well, say something like this, "That makes a lot of sense. The cleaning service you partner with is important and you want to make sure your decision is the right one for your business. What factors are you going to consider as part of your decision?" This strategy will get them to tell you exactly what issues remain unresolved. And one of two things are likely to happen. One is that the prospect will realize there is nothing else to think about. The second is that the prospect will raise new questions that you can address.
Ok, so now that I've given you some examples, I want you to write down objections you've gotten from prospects in the past. That way you can figure out how you're going to address these issues before they ever become an objection. Preparation and practice is really the key to overcoming objections. Unless you're a seasoned sales veteran, you'll likely be nervous when calling on prospects. But the more knowledge you gain about your business and the more you work on your sales skills and handling objections, the easier it will get. Before you know it, you'll have a great system down and will be getting as much business as you can handle!
Ok, it's your turn. What are some of YOUR most common objections and what do you say to overcome them? Post your comments below the video at CleaningBiz.tv.
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