The problem generally begins when you start talking about a network upgrade. Around time, many small business prospects, customers and clients will dwell on cost.

These small business prospects, customers and clients often neglect to consider soft costs of not properly investing in a network... such as lost employee productivity when imprudent corners are cut, downtime when fault-tolerance is an afterthought, and service costs from computer consultants when difficult-to-support or "dead-end" solutions are selected primarily because of their low price tag.

No matter how thorough your initial consultation, IT audit, site survey and network design reports, some unforeseen client objections may pop up just before you get client's authorization to proceed (generally a signed contract and retainer or deposit check).

Why Overcoming Sales Objections is SO Crucial

Because one relatively minor concern might threaten to derail entire sale, you need to gain critical business development skills for overcoming sales objections, with some of biggest small business network deal-closing obstacles.

Empowered with these strategies for overcoming sales objections, you'll be much less apt to get emotional, defensive or just plain annoyed. You can then stay focused on keeping your eye on ball and figuring out best way to solve prospect's or future client's problems... and of course, close sale. Remember, your company isn't in business to solve prospects' problems; only those of paying clients.

Overcoming Sales Objections: Apathy

I hope you get a good night's sleep before this sales objection rears its ugly head. You need a powerful force to overcome apathy.

If small business decision-makers have an apathetic outlook toward prospect of implementing a network, your decision-makers might take weeks, months, or perhaps even years before feeling a sense of urgency about your proposed network project.

However, once you discover roots of this apathy, you'll be better able to push (or at least nudge) approval process along.

Here’s a typical example you’ll find in field: The small business owner sees no problem with their existing peer-to- peer network. One or two seemingly innocuous foul-ups, however, can cause small business owner to see "light".

With a Microsoft Windows peer-to-peer network, for example, "server" seems perfectly reliable until person working on PC functioning as server inadvertently hits reset button with his or her knee.

If you need to be overcoming more of common sales objections, you must be very adept and recounting these kinds of cautionary tales with right timing, delivery and empathy.

Using Network Reliability to Overcoming Sales Objections

PC/LAN network reliability can also get called into question when user of peer-to-peer server inadvertently performs an unannounced, unscheduled shutdown and restart because a software setup program prompted a reboot.

Bothel for example, according to our General Manager at our company-wide meeting in mid April '05, had seen prices increase by 26%. Meanwhile, Northwest Multiple Listing Service--the largest MLS in our area reported that from March 2004 to March 2005, prices in Northwest Snohomish County rose more than 17%; Meadian prices rose more than 22%!

Meanwhile there is plenty of talk among agents in this area concerning new outlet mall that is supposed to open on May 5th, 2005, as well as a Six Flags theme park that could be on way right behind it. The expectation is that this will bring more jobs into greater Marysville area and fuel a doubling of Snohomish County's total population by 2025 as many local authorities are predicting.