- Take responsibility
While the first instinct might be to get defensive when faced with criticism from a buyer, it is not productive. A Sales Professional should never argue; instead, he/she should hear the prospect out and acknowledge his concern.
- Ensure transparency
Today's prospects want to know the truth, so do not shade it. In this social media age, where customers freely voice their opinions online, you can be assured that any issue about your offering or customer service can easily be uncovered. Remember the customer’s perception is your reality!
- Demonstrate improvements
Another effective way to combat negative perceptions in the field is to demonstrate improvements undertaken by your company to remedy poor past performance. i.e. countering false rumours with documented facts.
- Use testimonials
Testimonials from customers can greatly help a Sales Professional to overcome negative perceptions in the marketplace, especially if the testimonials praise recent improvements made by a business. It shows that the company not only made a concerted effort to remedy the situation, but that others have already tested out the waters and received satisfactory results.