Overcoming objections

Each month I do several feature profiles on contractors, developers, suppliers and trades and other construction related companies. The companies who are profiled are given different options for the coverage through paid features that start with a $1500 for two full pages of content which also includes a 1/4 page ad to promote their companies or services. The second option is contacting the trades and suppliers involved with the project to look for at least three of them to sponsor the article three advertising.

Some companies will agree to provide the lists no questions asked, others are hestitent will some flat out say no. The "NO's" and hesitant ones have the same concerns which are usually:

1) They do not want their trades to be hassled
2) They want to keep their trades secret
3) They do not think their trades will particpate
4) They do not want to ask them to participate

How do I handle these objections? I answer honestly and let the 20 years experience of the company speak for itself.

Objection 1 Hassling Trades: I tell the client that we are a Canadian Owned Company and are members of the leading Construction and Home Builder Associations across the province. I tell them our process of contacting the trades are through letters initially with at least one follow up call to make sure we had the right contact information and to answer any questions. I also reassure the client if we hassled trades we would not have any features, we understand the importance trades play with their success and that my interaction with them is the same as if they were my trade.

Objection 2 Keeping Trades a Secret: This option comes up once in a while and sometimes I chuckle to myself. If I was a competitor looking for new trades I need only drive by the construction site and write down the names of the trades. You see their company names and contact numbers on their vehicles and construction signs.

Objection 3 Trade Participation: The great thing about the features I coordinate is I understand that not everyone has a budget to run ads. So I offer other options such as allowing the trade to be interviewed at no cost or they can submit photos of the work they did. Everyone is given this option no matter how much or little they want to spend.

Objection 4 Asking Trades to Particiapte: Some clients do not want to ask the trades to participate. This is an easy thing to solve, I can ask.

Do these objections and responses cover and solve every situation, no but they do offer some insight about how well we treat and respect your trades.

Have you been approached by a company to do a feature article and found the experience to terrible? Were your trades hassled or pressured into particpating? Share your stories with me.