How to Handle Objections Like a Pro

One of my favorite expressions is “the sale starts at ‘no’. The reality is, the work of selling anything does not really begin until you start to face objections and concerns. Otherwise, you are no different than someone who just stands at a cash register ready to take someone’s order and collect their money. There is nothing wrong with being at the cash register. It’s just undeniable that people who have the skills to turn reluctance into enthusiasm will get much further in their sales careers.

When it comes to handling objections, I think first and foremost that it is important to go in with the mindset that you might not have something that is good for the customer. You at least need to be open to the possibility that their anxieties are grounded in legitimacy and are not simply fears bred out of ignorance. I say this because you need to remove your own agenda from the environs of the conversation if you really want to seek truth in a meaningful and authentic way. Put more simply: if you are genuinely curious about the anxiety and not just following scripted questions, you are likely to have more clarity, even if that clarity results in a ‘no.’

With that being said, I do think there is a simple framework to follow when handling objections. How you want to behave and what questions you want to ask within this framework are entirely up to you. But let me talk us through it.

1. Isolate the Concern

The first thing you need to do when discussing a client’s objections is understand if the objection you are hearing is their only objection. It’s OK to resolve an objection and get to a “no” answer because they told you about another objection. But if you resolve one objection believing it was the only objection and you still land on a “no,” it means there was another issue you never even learned about. And you cannot overcome objections unless you understand what all of them are.

In order to understand the full universe of objections, you can ask a simple question: “Is that your only concern?” Or, more directly, “Putting X issue aside, would you otherwise be excited about moving forward?” Any variation of this type of question works. You’re just bluntly asking whether or not there are other issues to be discussed.

2. Test the Concern(s)

So we have already established that we need to know about all of the objections in order to overcome them. I provided an example of testing that as well. When you ask someone about whether or not they would move forward if you hypothetically eliminated their objection, you are testing whether or not the objection they provided is the only objection that they have. So it stands to reason that we also need to test the validity of each objection.

Let’s say hypothetically that a client says their only objection is that the pricing is too high. The way I would test that concern is simple: “If the product were free, would you sign up right now?” You are testing the concern by eliminating it. If they tell you that they would indeed move forward if the product was free, then you at least understand that they have conviction in the benefits of the tool and that the time and energy is worth it from their side to realize those benefits. What now needs to be resolved is the value of the product.

However, someone might very well say “no” to the aforementioned question. This means that pricing was not their only concern. In fact, pricing might not be a concern whatsoever! Why do I say that? Well, sometimes people feel shy about giving real and honest feedback because they do not want to hurt your feelings or put themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Instead, they tell you a very common objection because it’s easier to do that. Or, they may be telling you the truth that they have a certain objection while withholding from you that they have other objections. You might even just be dealing with someone who has no real authority or decision-making power, and they may just feel gun-shy about putting their neck on the line for your product even though they really want it. This is why testing the concern is so important. It creates an opportunity to have an open and honest dialogue about what your client is really scared of.

3. Label

It’s very important for your client to know that you hear and understand them. You also need alignment about what really matters to them. I find that labeling is a very effective tool for this. 

I was speaking to someone today who wanted a great outcome for their employees. Based on their title, I inferred that what she was really after was enhancing recruitment and retention metrics for the organization. After she was done speaking, I said “It sounds like you are really focused on recruitment and retention.” She had not used these words, but her eyes lit up. “That’s right,” she said. This created more opportunity to learn about why these goals matter so much. In a worst case scenario where I would have been wrong to characterize things this way, it would give her an opportunity to walk it back. This leads to step 4.

4. Mis-Label

This may seem counter-intuitive based on the previous step, but oftentimes you need to slightly exaggerate the position of the other individual in order to rein in their concerns. Put another way – sometimes people are too broad-sweeping in their concerns. The more broad the concern is, the harder it is to overcome.

I was advising a tech founder last week whose product was passed over by an investor because the individual at the venture capital firm did not personally believe she would use the product. I told her that she should have replied, “It sounds like you only invest in products you would actually use.” This would have been a great response because investing in products simply based on whether or not you would personally use them is not a sound investment thesis, certainly not for top VC firms. And it was an absurd reason for the investor to say “no.” This response would have forced the investor to walk back her silly position and actually declare whatever her real objection was. Again, this is important because you cannot overcome the objection until you know what it actually is. In this case, the issue is not that the investor would not use the product. More likely, she does not understand why other people would use the product, and this would invite a discussion about adoption metrics or any other research that could change her perspective on mainstream adoption of the product.

5. Inception

If you’ve seen the movie “Inception,” you know it is all about planting an idea in someone else’s mind. It is a great metaphor for sales. You do not win people over by telling them they are wrong and making them feel stupid. You need them to feel that they came to the idea on their own. And the best way to do this is by asking them questions.

In the case of the angsty investor, I would have asked a simple question: “What leading indicators of adoption would get you excited about something like this?” and maybe even a follow up question like “and how did you come up with that?” so that you can ensure you are aligned with their thought process. I also like questions that get you a “yes” before the “yes.” “So hypothetically, if I could demonstrate to you that X% of people responded favorably to our product in controlled tests, you would invest?” Force them to say ‘yes’ to something before you reveal that you can do the thing they already said ‘yes’ to. In this scenario, you are walking them through their own thought process until you get to a place where you know you can deliver on what they have already said ‘yes’ to. It is easier said than done, but when practiced well, it will do well for you.