Communication: Another Approach to Objections

• October 10th, 2007
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 We’ve all heard directors say, “when someone says, ‘no,’ she really means ‘not now.’” Yes and no. This line of thought can lead to what some perceive as stalking (and, OK actual stalking). There is a simple way to avoid this faux pas. Communicate and ASK. Communication is key in our business. We want to build lasting relationships with our customers. Part of doing this is talking to them in the moment. This starts from the first contact whether it’s a random encounter or a guest at a skin care class.

I’m sure we’ve talked to someone about Mary Kay and they responded with, “I don’t wear makeup.” Or, “No, I’m a soap and water kind of girl. No time to fuss and fluff!” These dismissive responses can give the impression that they never want to try Mary Kay. They may also imply (or we may infer) that Mary Kay is beneath them. We may feel belittled like what we do is frivolous. Whatever the case may be, these are assumptions on our part. Why assume? Why not ASK a more involved question?

When someone has an immediate response of, “I don’t do makeup.” Rather than debating why she really needs to wear makeup, why not ask a probing question to see where her interest lies. We could say, “I can appreciate that. I often skip the makeup step in the morning; but how do you feel about taking care of your skin?” This opens her up to a different possibility. Maybe she has some skin issues that a consultant can help her with. We won’t know unless we ask. If she becomes rude. OK. Move on! Turn that “NO” into “move ON.” We don’t need to deal with rudeness.

Perhaps she isn’t rude, though. Perhaps she just plain isn’t interested. A good question to ask is, “OK. I don’t want to be a pest to you. Are you saying you never want to try Mary Kay ever; or is now just not a good time in your life for a free trial?” It’s a pretty straightforward question. You will probably get a straightforward answer. I did this myself. A couple years ago, I had a customer who would occasionally order Microdermabrasion from me. I decided to ask her if she’d like to try the whole line just to try it out. She said she might. I asked her again and she wasn’t sure. Finally, I asked and she said she just doesn’t want to do that. So, I said, “OK. I will not bother you for an appointment if you never want to do it.” Her response surprised me. She said, “No, you can still ask me about it sometime. I just don’t want to do that right now.” Simple. Easy. Precise.

Never prejudge why someone gives a particular response. Now, if they are outright rude and you don’t know them that well. MOVE ON. You may consider adding that person to your PCP Mailing List if they’ve given you their address, but no need to make phone contact any longer. So, why keep her on your list? Because you never know. Perhaps she was just having a bad day. Maybe she’ll get a Look Book in the mail a few months down the road and surprise you with an order. It happens. It really does. *Sidenote: Never remove anyone from your PCP list. You never know when they might decide to buy something.

By asking for more information, we are not being pushy. We are simply collecting information. It’s when we begin to assume too much that we may appear as pushy. The reason assumptions are made is that we try to be very brief in warm chatter. Sometimes, we’re so brief that he really don’t know the person’s stance. So, in the follow up phone call, if she doesn’t book or says she’s too busy; ask some questions to just get to the point. Is she busy right now; or busy forever? She’ll tell you. Just ask.

Tags: Communication, Customer Service, Networking, New Consultant Help, Positive Attitude