Negotiating & Objection Handling by Ben Sardella, Datanyze Follow him on twitter at @bensardella Sales Hacker Series San Francisco, October 23, 2014

1. Negotiating & Objection Handling!
Ben Sardella!
Co-Founder, Datanyze!

2. “True negotiations are all about coming to a mutual agreement
on something where both parties feel like they got
something out of the deal. Contrary to popular belief, you
don’t “win” a negotiation by making the other person
lose. Both parties need to give and get along the way. The more
equal those gives and gets are, the healthier the relationship
is and can become.” !
!
~ John Barrows on saleshacker.com!

3. When does the negotiation process begin?!

4. Proper Qualification Reduces Length of Negotiations and
Minimizes the # of Objections!
• MEDDIC!
• Metrics: The true ROI / Payback Period !
• Economic Buyer: The decision maker is involved!
• Decision Making Process: How are decisions made?!
• Decision Making Criteria: Understanding how you are being measured!
• Identify the Pain: Measurable? Who wins if it’s fixed? Who loses if it’s not?!
• Champion: The person that navigates you through the buying process / personally
motivated to help you win!

5. A “Mutual Action Plan” can kickstart the negotiation process by
simply coming to an agreement on the series of events and common
interests!

6. How would you buy from yourself?!

7. Map your “Sales Process” with the “Buying Process”!
• Graphic via: SalesBenchmarkIndex at http://buff.ly/10b0Uyv!

8. Map your “Buyer Persona” with targeted messaging, benefits,
and expected objections!
• Graphic via: SalesBenchmarkIndex at http://buff.ly/10b0Uyv!

9. Common Objections!
1. Not Interested / Resistance to Change!
• Why: Likely did not qualify properly…!
• They are saying there isn’t enough pain - status quo is ok with
them!
• Next Steps: !
• Probing questions to uncover areas of pain you’ve seen from
similar customers!
• ROI / Payback Period not established!

10. Common Objections!
2. Need to Get Approval / Not a Decision Maker!
• Why: Haven’t built enough confidence for someone to be a
“Champion”!
• Next Steps:!
• Ask for the steps to get in front of decision makers early!
• Establish benefits of the users but don’t forget to understand
the benefits for the decision makers (features/efficiency vs ROI/
Payback)!

11. Common Objections!
3. Timing!
• Why: Haven’t established the cost of doing
nothing!
• Next Steps:!
• Understand immediate priorities vs long-term
goals!
• If it’s a “yes” just not right now then challenge
the buy by offering flexibility in your contract
terms such as a free month or lower monthly
costs to start at the beginning of the term!

12. Common Objections!
4. Cost / Lack of Budget!
• Why: Haven’t established ROI/value above status quo/current
pain (remember, budget always exists if the pain or return is too
great to ignore). !
• Next Steps:!
• Get back to the value you provide and the cost of not selecting
you!
• Target areas where those budget dollars are being spent for
the same results !

13. 5 Most Important Questions to Ask to help lower barriers (e.g.
objections) in future negotiations!
If you won:!
1. What events happened recently that led up to the
purchase?!
2. When did this happen?!
3. What made you choose us?!
4. How could we of made it easier to become a customer?!
!
If you lost a deal or lost a customer:!
1. What events happened recently that led up to the
purchase/decision?!
2. When did this happen?!
3. What made you choose our competitor over us?!
4. How could we of made it easier to choose us (or less
likely to leave us)?!

14. Force Field Analysis: Take findings from questions and do a force
field analysis from deals won and deals lost - focus on reducing
common barriers/objections for future deals!
• Graphic via: Kurt Lewin at http://buff.ly/1y8rgfu!