Overcoming Objections

The Direct Mail Pitfall

If your organization is using direct mail as its major method of recruiting new members, there will be no one to answer questions or objections by the prospects. The only option is to address and overcome objections directly in the literature.

The “Feel-Felt-Found” Method

This method emphasizes over and over again the importance of getting current members to help recruit new members. When someone raises an objection, the recruiter needs to respond with “I know how you feel. I felt the same way myself, but I found that membership really was a great investment.”
The ideal situation for overcoming objections is to have a prospective member recite their objection(s) to a member who at one time had the same objection(s) but eventually joined. It’s the most powerful form of empathy and your organization needs to use it as often as possible.

Objection:

“That is a lot of money!”’

This is the most commonly-heard objection and probably the hardest one to overcome.

Avoid disagreeing with them. The most important thing you can do is listen carefully to what the prospect is saying before responding. Don’t try to convince the prospect that the cost of joining isn’t a lot of money when you look at all of the things your association does.

Agree with the prospect that it is a big investment, but suggest that it is the kind of investment that will be returned many times over.

Remember that you do not want to argue with the prospect over the cost of joining. It is not usually the amount of money to which people object, but the fact that they do not understand the value they are getting for their money. Value is a subjective thing and only the prospect can determine his or her perception of $500 or $10 worth of membership value.

Objection:

“I do not have time to participate.”

Avoid telling the prospect how participating in programs and coming to meetings will benefit him/her because you were just told that the programs that require physical presence are not of value to the prospect. This just reinforces to the prospect that you are not listening.

Let them know that you understand how busy he or she is and that, fortunately, there are reasons to join that do not include spending a lot of time attending meetings.

Objection:

“I do not like some of the organization’s policies.”

Avoid being defensive and do not let the policy disagreement be the only benefit that you discuss.

Explain to them that one of the things you like to do in your organization is recruit people with different viewpoints so that you can hear both sides of the issue. The great thing about your organization is that it is a one-person, one-vote organization.

Objection:

“I am already a member of another organization.”

Avoid comparing your organization to another.

Point out that many members of your organization are also members of more than one organization because they believe they benefit from each organization.

Objection:

“I have listened to what you are saying, but I just do not see the benefit to me or my firm.”

Avoid asking the prospect what he or she would like the organization to do for them. Most people are very leery of this approach because they feel you are going to say whatever it takes to get them to join.

Ask them to put aside everything you have told them about your organization and try to envision starting a completely new organization and identify the first thing the new organization could do to provide value to the individual or firm. They may see right through this, but it is an alternative method to hearing the needs of potential members.

Objection:

“I get the benefits whether I join or not.”

Avoid responding in the negative in any way.

Reinforce to prospects that the benefits they are already experiencing would be even better if they and other non-members would join. Tell the prospect it is not a question of being effective; it is a question of how much more effective the organization would be if it could represent the entire profession.

Objection:

“We are cutting back” OR “My employer will not pay.”

Avoid being argumentative and do not keep going back to the basic list of activities and programs. Try to focus on the prospect’s problem, which is to find the money to join.

Encourage the prospect to think of membership as an investment in their career providing them with a means of recognition from their boss and or firm which may lead to salary increases. It is a valuable addition to his or her company’s education and training program. There may be money available in the training budget. Also emphasize that the prospect takes the membership and benefits of membership with them wherever he or she goes.

Objection:

“Someone else in my firm is already a member.”

Avoid giving the impression that you are trying to make the prospect feel guilty about taking advantage of someone else’s investment.

Point out that the firm (and the individuals) would benefit if all staff were members. Education should not stop in high school or college. Further, if the person in the firm who is a member changed jobs, those benefits would no longer be available. Additionally, there is an important benefit the prospect cannot get through the co-worker — the ability to help his or her own career by interacting and networking with other members of the organization.

Objection:

“I was a member once before and did not like it.”

Avoid asking the prospect either why he or she left the organization or what it was that they did not like.

Ask the date they were last a member; it will give you a perspective of what cycle the organization was in when they were a member. If they have been out one to two years, seize the opportunity to take control of the conversation by saying that you would like to bring them up-to-date on some new and valuable benefits. This way, you can concentrate on the positive new benefits rather than the negative past experience.

Objection:

“I would like to think it over.”

Avoid forcing the issue; none of us likes the high pressure sales approach.

Tell them you understand and will be happy to get back to him or her. Ask when would be a good time to follow up. After you get a date/time, ask if there are any questions or additional information they would like to review prior to that meeting. Then make sure you follow up!

Summary

Objections exist in the minds of prospects regardless of the recruiting method used.

Effective listening is the key to overcoming objections.

The best way to overcome most objections is to have current members use the “feel-felt-found” method.

Adapted from “Attracting, Organizing and Keeping Members,” American Society of Association Executives.