Objections are inevitable in sales. At one point or another, we’ve all been rejected in sales. But what if the prospect is merely hesitating? What if they’re playing a little bit of “hot or cold” with you, not quite saying “No, thanks” but not giving you the “Hell, YES!” either?
In other words, what do you do when they’re putting up specific objections without outright telling you NO or turning you down?
Objections aren’t a flat-out denial. Sometimes when they say “YES, but” instead of NO, there’s still a way to close the deal. That’s the moment where it’s up to you. It’s up to you to decide just how urgent this sale, contract, or transaction is to you.
If you see them the right way, these hesitations are revealing guideposts.
They might make you up the ante and court your client even more. Then again, they might be a sign that the client isn’t quite the right fit for you.
Still, as with everything in sales, there are a LOT of variables. Even the most interested parties sometimes have moments of hesitation. Sometimes buyers are resistant even though the fit is a good one.
The key is anticipating where your prospects might question what you’re offering. And from there having solid answers prepared. Think of it as your “FAQ” page.
If you can confidently answer your prospect’s objections, you put the ball back in their court. And that might be what you need to see if a sale is worth saving right away, worth saving for another day, or worth letting go.
I’ve identified the top five areas of objection that I’ve come across, and I’m going to share them with you right here. I invite you to think about what you sell as we go through them. Ask yourself if you’ve heard them before, and consider how you’d respond.
Objection #1: “It’s Too Expensive.”
This is probably the first objection that came to mind for you. It’s the most obvious one, right? It’s too expensive. I can’t afford it. You’ve probably heard it said in many ways.
But what it really means might not be that straightforward.
You already know how important it is to charge what you’re worth. But what happens when you own your value, reveal your magic number (the price), and the client’s jaw drops to the floor?
My friend and colleague Monique Marvez, star comedian and entrepreneur, has an intriguing spin that she puts on the price question. It’s an idea that takes the significance of the dollar amount out of the equation in a pretty magical way.
She describes it as the difference between money and currency. Before you tell your prospect the dollar amount that you charge, focus on something else. Ask yourself what’s happening energetically between you and the buyer.
That is, ask yourself if you’re establishing a genuine connection with the other person. We’re talking about the moment when you’re in the zone with another person; you’re feeling a strong rapport and hitting a mutual vibe.
In other words, the “currency” that we’re talking about here is the rapport and the relationship that you’ve built with another person. It’s where they see who you are and what you’re about. It’s where they get a true understanding of your value and your worth.
Once they see that you’re going to be worth it to them, they won’t even care what the price is. When you’ve engaged with the buyer and you have that currency flowing, the money will follow.
As always, it all comes down to rapport and relationships. That is the currency that invites in the money.
Show your value. Be sure that your buyer sees the potential return on their investment. Most of all, remember that rapport and relationships come first. If you establish the right connections, the price won’t be an objection that you’ll have to overcome nearly as often.
Objection #2: “I have to talk to my (fill in the blank).”
Have you ever heard someone tell you they have to talk to their husband, wife, partner, brother or dog before they agree to work with you? I’m pretty sure that we all have at some point.
Now, sometimes, that’s a convenient excuse to blow someone off. Other times, though, it really might be a legitimate concern for your buyer.
One way to find out for sure is to make another offer. Tell them that you understand, and invite them to meet for a joint follow up call with their husband, wife, or partner. One of two things will happen here. They might refuse. Or they will appreciate your willingness to bring the other person into the process.
So make the offer to do a joint follow-up call. It’s the quickest way to find out if you have a NO in disguise or a potential YES that just needs to be run by another person.
Objection #3: “It’s not the right time.”
Sometimes when you meet a potential client for the first time, they’re just not psyched enough about solving a problem to get out their wallet. Not yet, anyway.
Still, if someone is reaching out to you at all, they’re in the market. They might not be ready to buy immediately, but they’re looking. The good news is that you get to look, too. They might be deciding if the time is right for them, but you also get to decide if they’re the right client for YOU.
That might sound counterintuitive. After all, isn’t it our job to pull in as many clients, help as many people as possible, and grow our top line revenue?
Monique has another empowering perspective on this as well. She maintains that it’s better to wait it out. Find the exact right client. And if someone isn’t a right fit, move along.
Instead of focusing on trying to please everyone, she recommends focusing on your key clients. Keep your key clients in mind and focus on delivering what they want the most. Don’t try to be be all things to all people for the sake of padding your sales. Focus on the right clients, know who you do and don’t want to work with, and set firm boundaries.
In other words, if you come across a client that hesitates, don’t be afraid to walk. Vote with your feet. Let’s be honest. If someone is resisting you from the jump, it’s not the best basis for a beautiful relationship later on, is it?
The Universe rewards courage, and you will get another client that will be a better fit for you. And more than likely that client will show up at the exact right time.
But let’s say a potential ideal client is still insisting that the time isn’t right, and you still feel that they might be a good fit. What can you do to be sure that you’ve said your piece before you move along?
You can remind them of how working with you will help them in the long run. You can show them what opportunities they might miss out on if they wait. (Remember the “missed opportunity costs” we talked about?)
And of course, have a solid follow-up plan in place. Remember that just because now isn’t the right moment doesn’t mean that the right moment will never come.
But when it comes to timing, let it do its thing. Do what you can to let the client know what you can do for them, but let go of the outcome. Trust that the timing will be right whether you wind up getting the sale right away…or not.
Objection #4: “I’m good, thanks.”
Complacency. They’re doing just fine where they are. This is one of the four quadrants of the sales process. If your client is there, the pain isn’t intense enough to make the call and say YES to the deal or working with you.
Is there anything you can say at this moment? When they’re in the space of “neither here nor there,” two things come to mind. Touch on their pain points once again and be sure you’re communicating the value of your solution. Then continue to follow up, keep the rapport going, and keep moving along.
Objection #5: The need to up your “KLT” game.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I never miss a chance to bring up rapport and relationships. Rapport and relationships are important everywhere and objections are no exception. One of the reasons that someone might be holding back is that your know, like and trust game (i.e. “KLT”) might not be there yet.
It doesn’t mean that you’re not a trustworthy person. It just means that the relationship might need a little bit more TLC.
How do you cultivate a mutually rewarding relationship? A few quick tips: Listen more than you talk. See your people as people first, prospects second. Remember what Monique suggests about the currency. And get that good energy flowing before you start talking about money.
Remember, trust and rapport are the currency that will eventually make the price irrelevant if you do it right.
(If you want to dive deeply into building rapport and relationships, check out Coffee Is For Closers Episode 1 right HERE!)
Brian Tracy puts it this way: “Treat objections as requests for further information.”
The thing is, that “further information” could be either for the client or you.
Objections can be a nudge in one direction or another. They can lead you to a place where you can address concerns, clear up misunderstandings, and learn more about what your client is looking for. They also might be the impetus to help you see that this client is simply not the one for you.
Either way, there’s something to be gained. You either find new ways to refine your sales process, or you receive the gift of a redirection away from the wrong clients.
Monique offers the last word here. “Either they’re going to buy it, or they’re not. And you should have a pretty good sense of how it’s going to go. Then you decide when you’re going to pull the plug on the pitch.”
It’s your business. And it’s up to you how you wish to run it. Remember the old saying “the customer is always right?” Monique disagrees.
“The customer is the customer. The seller is the seller. Nobody’s right or wrong. It’s an exchange of money, ideas, goods, services, currency. Nobody has more or less power in the exchange. Nor should they.”
Cultivate the right relationships, keep your value and your worth at heart, and use objections to steer you in the right direction. Use them well, and you’ll come out a winner either way.
Ready to make up your own list of answers for “Frequently Made Objections”? Download my new guide, “5 Ways To Handle Objections: A Guide To Getting Past the “Yes, BUT…” and be prepared to handle any possible objections that come your way with confidence!
