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What ever the objection, there is nothing wrong with asking for clarity. Let’s say you get a flat out refusal that they could never consider your property. There is no shame in asking why. So many times I’ve had calls completely turn around just because I asked, “may I ask why?”
A good example of this would be a call I had the other day. I was working on a project for a hotel group, and the person I was speaking with thought I was referring to one particular property. The objection turned out to be a misunderstanding!
Remember, objections aren’t always founded. Perhaps the planner only plans one event per year or their meetings are fairly small. Assure them, all events are important regardless of size and frequency. How can you go wrong by making your prospective client feel important?
Then there are the times when the meeting planner is “just blowing you off” because they’re not taking you seriously. Be prepared to prove you have credibility. I like to know something obscure or unique about the property I’m talking about, and often that helps me pique a planner’s interest.
There are also times when even though you’ve asked for permission and it’s been granted, you can hear impatience in the person’s voice. This might be a good time to ask what the most important things are they look for when considering a venue. I’ve had success with this as it gave the planner a chance to elaborate on what they look for and me the chance to prove my interest as well as their importance.
Not every objection can be overturned, but you can’t know that unless you’ve addressed them.
