For any business, there’s nothing like some good, strong market research to uncover valuable data about the market for your product or service—data that you can use to more accurately target that market. But even in the absence of robust (and expensive) market research, there’s something that most customers and prospects have in common. You can easily figure it out and then use it in your direct marketing.

Objections

There are no statistics out there about customer’s objections to ads but it’s a maxim of direct response marketing that people don’t like to be sold to. They resist sales pitches and tune out most marketing.

So you can know ahead of time that a large percentage of people who receive your marketing will raise objections.

Even if you succeed in raising their interest, they will still be looking for reasons why they can’t or shouldn’t buy your product or service.

If you can handle these objections in your sales letter, on your postcard, your door hanger, you build credibility and bring your customer or prospect closer to a sale. Here the biggest objections and how to handle them:

1.) Price

People will often object on the basis of price, particularly when they think it’s too expensive. The best way to handle this objection is not necessarily to say “Hey, we know you think this is too expensive…” but by showing them that it’s an exclusive, limited-time deal. This implies that if they don’t act, they will miss out. This can be very a powerful motivation.

2.) Need vs. Want

Prospects will object on the basis of need; if it’s not a need, they can’t justify the expense. However, you can handle this objection by emphasizing (1) quality—how your product/service is better than your competition’s or (2) as with price (above), make it scarce—limited time, limited quantity, etc.

3.) Hidden Surprises

Less-than-ethical marketers have made it harder for the ethical ones to present a “free trial” and similar offers because it raises the objection of “there must be a hidden fee or some other catch.” The way to handle this objection is to lay out in your copy the exact terms, assuring the person of no surprises, no hidden fees, etc.

4.) “Nothing Special…”

Seeking any reason to reject your marketing offer, prospects will object to your offer on the basis that it’s no different than that of your competition—and rightly so, unless you handle that objection right up-front by telling them how you’re different. Take an objective look at your business and discover your unique selling proposition—the thing that makes you different, and thus better than your competition.

5.) “Too Good To Be True…”

You understand why you’re presenting a free bonus or a great offer at such a low price (to get customers in the door) but such “too good to be true” deals often raise skepticism and suspicion. You can handle this kind of objection with something as simple as “No, that’s not a typo—you read it right” and then perhaps leveling with the prospect, along the lines of “We aren’t afraid to make such a crazy deal because we believe you’ll be delighted by our product and maybe tell a friend or visit us again in the future.”

Anything you can do to neutralize your prospects’ objections early on works to your advantage and promotes the kind of transparency that exists in the most harmonious business-customer relationships.

Getting tense waiting for the inevitable sales pitch? There isn’t one. But when you’re ready to do your first (or next) postcard campaign, log on to www.prospectsplus.com/pei and handle the design and mailing with a few mouse clicks.

Or, if you want help with it, give Opportunity Knocks a call at 1 (866) 319-7109. A design and marketing will listen to you and help you with a totally professional, high-response postcard campaign—no hidden surprises either.