Sometimes, no matter how appropriate a product is for a specific client, the sale falls through. You did everything properly, offered an honest description of your product, priced it appropriately, and presented it to a prospective client. A successful sale is not guaranteed even when a customer sees the benefit of your product or service and agrees the price is right. It's almost like a brick wall has been erected that stops the sale in its tracks.

What is the difference between sales resistance and sales objections? Sales resistance is the opposition to a sale without any specific objection. Typical sales resistance looks something like the following response to a request to close a sale.

"Give us a chance to think about this, we'll get back to you."

An objection is clearly defined when a potential customer gives a reason why they do not want to proceed with the sale. An objection looks something like the following.

"The product is outside of our budget."

The objection gives you a clear reason why the customer is hesitating to complete the transaction. Sales resistance is usually vague and requires more work to uncover the real objection.

A follow-up meeting in the case of the sales resistance example is an opportunity to ask if there are specific objections preventing your customer from following through. You may find out that the customer is afraid of how your product will interact with their current systems. This is an opportunity to explore the client's concerns and make certain your product or service is appropriate.

Sales resistance often makes you feel like the client is saying no, when in reality what they are saying is, we don't know. Your job is to find out what the customer doesn't know and help inform them. Once the customer has all the necessary information they can make an informed decision.

A brick wall can be knocked down, or the bricks can be rearranged, but it takes work. Overcoming sales resistance presents an opportunity for both you and your customer to learn more about each other. Once your customer understands that you are trying to provide a solution, sales resistance often melts away.