Because it’s impossible to filter your prospects perfectly, inevitably you will occasionally run across objections that can’t be overcome. If someone is indeed not a fit, don’t push it. It’s better to let them go with a good experience instead of forcing them into a bad experience. But for those who are indeed a fit, objections usually stem from false beliefs, typically from one of these categories:
| False Belief | Examples |
|---|---|
| Means: This is not the right way to… | • I don’t believe social media is the right channel for my business. • I don’t believe taking a course is an effective way to learn; perhaps, it’s better to learn by executing first-hand. |
| Internal: I don’t have what it takes | • It’s too complicated. • If it doesn’t deliver the promised results (risk), it will reflect poorly on me. • Successful implementation might render my role redundant. • It’s not my style, or I can’t pull off wearing that dress. |
| External: I’m limited by something outside of my control | • Now is not the right time. • I don’t have enough capital to invest in this project. • My spouse would never agree with this. |
At times, even if everything is done right, a prospect may still present an objection. So, what do you do when they say NO? If it’s not already obvious, NO isn’t the end of the road. It does not mean they aren’t interested in your solutions and never will be. A NO could be a definitive end if we haven’t done a good job qualifying our prospects. However, if the prospect is qualified, it often instead indicates a concern was not adequately addressed, and we simply need to take a detour.
If it isn’t explicit, try to understand the concern underlying their objection. Avoid projecting your beliefs onto others; it may not always be a pricing issue. Harboring a false bias may lead to over-justifying pricing without paying enough attention to other benefits. Is it really too expensive for them? Did you perhaps forget to mention a key feature they care about? You risk alienating your prospect by trying to close the deal without first satisfactorily addressing all their concerns. They’re not ready yet. Your flow should be:
They say NO → Overcome Objection → RECOMMEND (again) → Trial Close/Close (again).
All objections are reasonable and justifiable. You’re not trying to kill objections. Don’t deny them or try to prove your prospects wrong. Instead, here’s another C.A.R.E. acronym you can apply:
CONFIRM & CLARIFY
1. Ensure you’re not misunderstanding or misinterpreting by repeating it back to them.
2. Try to understand if there is an underlying issue, concern, false belief, or misconception that is not being explicitly communicated or is hiding behind this excuse of an objection. Uncover these by questioning or asking your prospects to elaborate. For example:
Vague objection: “I don’t think this is the right time for a project like this”
Possible responses to CONFIRM or CLARIFY:
“When do you believe this would be more appropriate?” – Asking them to elaborate
“Are you worried that working with a consultant is too time-intensive?” – False belief about the means?
“Do you think your team is still too small for this?” – Internal false belief?
“Are you concerned that investors are away and unresponsive during the holiday season?” – External false belief?
What if they’re dancing around it and not providing a clear answer? This is the only place in the sales process where I would recommend making an assumption. For instance,
One of the most common objections is “I’ll think about it”
Assumption: “What is it you’re not sure about? Is it too expensive?”, “Do you not like the color?”, etc.
Any assumption you make will help you uncover the real objection. If it is incorrect, the prospect will often gladly correct you. If it is correct, it’ll help quickly identify their concerns.
Their possible response could be,
“No, it’s not too expensive; I just need to talk to my spouse about it”
To which you could reply along the lines of,
“No problem, feel free to jump on a call or take a picture of it to send to them”
3. Lastly, determine whether this is the only objection or if there are multiple.
ACKNOWLEDGE it
Align yourself with them by empathizing and validating their opinion and objections. You don’t necessarily have to agree with them, but you need to communicate that you understand why they perceive it as such and how they’ve developed that belief. Denying will only further antagonize them.
RESPOND
Because everyone’s offering and degree of flexibility is different, it won’t be possible to address every type of objection. I’ll include realistic hypothetical examples here to give you ideas on how you might address some of your objections.
Instead of BUT, use YES, AND.
If you’ve affirmed their objection but begin your response with BUT, you’re denying their perspective or insinuating they are wrong. Even if you’re not doing so intentionally, it will make them unconsciously defensive. YES, AND further validates their concern and opens the opportunity to dive deeper into it.
Reframe
If the objection stems from a false belief or misconception, your goal is to provide new information that will shift their perspective. Using the previous objection example:
“Are you worried that working with a consultant is too time-intensive?” (CONFIRM & CLARIFY)
Potential response:
“Many rightfully perceive that working with a consultant is time-consuming (ACKNOWLEDGE). This is because most consultants are incentivized to draw out their projects since they bill by the hour.”
Notice the response doesn’t open with a but… this is a type of YES, AND.
“We’ve intentionally priced our services based on the scope of work to motivate our consultants to be efficient.” (Reframe)
“Furthermore, by operating on a result-oriented retainer fee, it ensures we aren’t cutting corners just to complete a project quickly but are equally vested in your success.” (Addressing another potential objection in advance)
ENSURE
Lastly, verify whether what you’ve presented adequately addresses their concern to their satisfaction. If not, continue to explore why they don’t think it does or if other potential concerns haven’t been addressed.
ASSIGNMENT
- What are some of your common objections?
- How could you address them? Remember to discuss them with your prospects when you’re RECOMMENDING so they won’t be raised later.