How to Handle Objections - The ADERA Method

As a sales professional, you are faced with daily objections from your prospects and clients.

• “Your product is too expensive.”

• “I already get my supplies from the competition.”

• ”I will think about it.”

A feeling of déjà vu, right? But rest assured, there is no reason to get discouraged. On the contrary!

An objection is, above all, proof of interest.

What do you mean, I'm losing my mind? Not at all!

A prospect who is not interested will not waste time sharing their objections with you, but will simply ignore you. The objection is the key step before making a sale, and you must accept it and then respond to it.

I will explain to you with a simple method how to always come out a winner: the ADERA method.

Understanding the ADERA Method

The ADERA method is a powerful tool in any salesperson's arsenal, especially in retail.

ADERA, which stands for Acceptance, Discovery, Empathy, Response, and Acceptance, is a five-step approach to handling customer objections constructively and empathetically.

• Acceptance: The first step consists of accepting the customer's objection without defense or confrontation, thereby acknowledging its validity.

• Discovery: This phase involves deeply understanding the customer's underlying concern by asking relevant questions.

• Empathy: Here, the salesperson shows compassion and understanding toward the customer's concerns.

• Response: This is the time to present solutions, convincing arguments, and tangible proof to address the objection.

• Acceptance: Finally, check if the customer is satisfied and convinced by the response provided.

Before going into detail about the ADERA method, let's review the different types of objections a salesperson may face.

The different types of objections

Not all objections have the same value; some are just ways to cut the conversation short, while others reveal a genuine customer problem.

Insincere and unfounded objections

Your prospect has clearly not understood the benefits your product could bring them or refuses to see them.

It's up to you to find THE key phrase that will hit home by, for example, showing them the advantages your product has over your competitor's.

Sincere and unfounded objections

In this case, your prospect simply needs to be reassured. You have the arguments to convince them! You just need to place the solution you provide right in front of each of their doubts.

Sincere and founded objections

There is no perfect product for everyone in every situation ( we would get a bit bored otherwise, wouldn't we?). It is therefore entirely possible that your client has a key need that you cannot meet.

This is often when you build a relationship of trust. (I recommend this book on the subject *Start with no,* Jim Camp )

The five steps of the ADERA method

Well, now that we have reviewed the different types of objections, we can move on to the ADERA method!

Acceptance

The worst mistake you could make is wanting to shoot down your prospect's objections one by one instantly. Accept the objections!

Let them express themselves freely and LISTEN actively to understand what type of objection they are formulating.

Your goal is therefore not to immediately contest the objection, but to create a climate of trust and understanding.

In retail, the objection will generally come from a store manager, a department manager, or a buyer.

For example, the objection might be about the space required for a new product on the shelves. Here, acceptance means understanding and validating this concern. You could say: “I understand that shelf space is limited and valuable. That is a legitimate concern.”

Another example could be that the department manager expresses doubts about your brand's ability to supply sufficient quantities for their store. In that case, react by accepting their doubts: “I understand your concerns regarding our production capacity. Can you tell me what volume you expect from us?”.

Discovery

Ask questions, seek to learn more than what your prospect initially reveals, to pinpoint the blocking points.

You could, for example, follow up with questions such as:

• “Can you tell me more about your space constraints?”

• “Which products currently in this category are performing the worst?”

This can reveal opportunities, such as substituting a lower-performing product with yours.

If we go back to our previous examples:

1. The area manager has no more space on their shelves to add a new product. You discover they have doubts about introducing non-assortment products because the last ones didn't work. You can then dig deeper into their product selection criteria and fears: “I see, so you want a guarantee that the product works. What were your selection criteria for the latest innovations?”

2. The area manager is afraid you won't deliver on time. You discover that the department manager has had stock issues with previous suppliers. You can then dig deeper to learn more about their fear: “I see, you need a reliable delivery guarantee. What was your experience with your old suppliers on this matter?”

CRM data can provide valuable insights for discovery by identifying common customer concerns.

Empathy

Put yourself in your prospect's shoes and show them by rephrasing their question in their own words.

You have fully understood their problem and you are ready to respond to it: “If I understand you correctly”.

This will allow you to realign with your prospect/client and ensure you offer an appropriate response. Indeed, you may have missed an element in your discovery phase.

Let's go back to our examples:

1. The area manager has no more space on their shelves to add a new product. You discover that their last innovation introductions did not work. You can show them that you understand their situation by putting yourself in their shoes: “If I were in your shoes, I would also have reservations about introducing new products without a performance guarantee. It must be a constant challenge to maintain a balance between innovation and limited space.”

2. The area manager is afraid of not being delivered. Acknowledge the importance of a reliable delivery for store inventory management. “If I understand correctly, reliable delivery is crucial to maintaining your stock at an optimal level. We take this matter very seriously.”

The Response

Now that your discovery phase is complete, it's time to respond to your prospect's objections!

If it is about doubts, it's up to you to bring concrete elements to dispel them. For example, numbers, testimonials from customers who had the same fears and are now satisfied. To do this, use your CRM tool, which gathers your internal data (data sharing from other stores, evolution of orders on the product, sell-in of the product in other banners...) as well as panelist data that will prove market trends on your product, sector, or brand.

CRM data can provide valuable insights for the Response by offering arguments based on data and market research.

Let's go back to our examples:

1. To secure a spot on the shelves, highlight your sales figures for the product or category. Prove that your product works in other similar stores (same tier or banner). Also emphasize the importance of placement, try to negotiate a specific facing height...

2. The area manager is afraid of not being delivered. Highlight your history of on-time deliveries and the measures taken to guarantee reliability.

If these are real blocking points that your products cannot resolve, giving up is out of the question! Does one negative point sweep away all the benefits you bring? Of course not. It's up to you to recontextualize, to remind them of the full value your offer/product provides.

Acceptance

Yes indeed, a second acceptance phase, but this time it will be your customer's and not yours. Check, based on the objection, if you have clearly swept away their doubts.
“Have I clearly dispelled your fears on this point?”

“Considering all the benefits I can bring you, do you agree to accept the point that was blocking you earlier?”

To finish with our examples,

1. Check that the department manager is convinced by your numbers and the sales strength of your product;

2. Check that the department manager is now reassured about your capacity to meet their delivery needs.

There you go, you now have all the weapons to respond to the objections your prospects formulate. It's your turn to play!