Part VI of VI
One of the many advantages of the “EyeCoach” method is that it dramatically reduces the objections your patients have thrown at you in the past.
In this six part series, I have shared with you how to uncover a patient’s “pain.” When people come to realize their own particular needs or pain they aren’t thinking about much else other than to find solutions to this pain. There simply isn’t a lot of room for them to object.
Though objections will diminish, it is inevitable that some will still arise and it would be irresponsible of me to not recognize this and show you how to manage them. Besides, handling objections the right way can be enjoyable and effective.
Right now most of you are handling objections with some derivation of “Yes, but...”
“YES, I understand Mrs. Jones, BUT like I said before, this is the most technologically advanced lens out there.”
This is the conventional way of handling objections. This makes sense because it’s the natural extension of persuasion-based selling that most of us use and that proves to be ineffective and frustrating (see Optical Briefcase columns in August 2007 and March 2008 20/20). And obviously “Yes, but” doesn’t recognize or respect the third rule of the Law of Motion.
I don’t have magic beans like Jack, but I do have five simple words to isolate and overcome any objection except one. (And don’t fret; I have one word to overcome that.)
Let me introduce you to my five favorite words: Other than the fact that...
Here’s what it sounds like using the most common objection we hear:
Patient: Well, it sounds good but it’s too expensive.You’ve isolated the objection and found out it’s real. We also discovered there is only one objection, not several. “Yes, but” won’t get you this result and you’ll experience the third rule of the Law of Motion (an equal and opposite reaction) and get nowhere.
You: Other than the fact that you feel it’s too expensive, is there any other reason why you wouldn’t want to (purchase, buy, get, etc.) these glasses today?
Patient: No, I do want them.
Now that you know what you are dealing with, you have a variety of possibilities to help Mrs. Jones acquire those glasses. Offer her X amount of dollars off, give her a less expensive lens option or frame option, or both. That choice is yours.
You can use “Other than the fact that...” to isolate and overcome any objection, except one. This is probably the second most common objection we hear:
“Let me think about it.”Don’t you just hate that one? We hate it because we all recognize this is baloney. Are they really going to think about it? We need to get to the heart of the real objection. How?
One word: AND?
When you ask “and,” it’s crucial you maintain eye contact, do not say another word and wait for a response. Be patient.
Patient: It sounds good but let me think about it.There it is. The real objection! How do you handle the real objection? Aren’t there five words you can use?
You: AND?
Patient: Oh... well... ummm... well, it is kind of on the expensive side.
Robert C. Bell is president (and head coach) of EyeCoach, an organization designed to teach and coach innovative and industry-specific sales techniques to eyecare professionals. Contact him at [email protected].
