Winning Tactics for Overcoming Objections

The first thing I want you to know about objections is that, what you think are objections are not objections. What you call objections are just your prospect telling you what they want to do. The problem is that we classify them as “negative objections” when, really, if we listen closely to the “objection,” we can identify exactly what our prospect is trying to do and help them do exactly that. 

Maybe the objection is coming from them not being ready to move forward with your product or service right now. Listen to them and understand their position. Cultivate a relationship and stay in touch until they’re ready. Then, the sale is in the bag. This is just one example, but it’s one that I hope you take to heart and keep in mind as you read the rest of this article

Most coaches and training gurus want you to “close the sale now.” This is old school sales. Welcome to the 2020s where people do business with their friends. Be an incredible friendship maker and personal brander, the results will follow. 

That’s not to say closing a sale will be a walk in the park. Almost every prospect you speak to will have an objection or two in their back pocket. Think about the last time you’ve considered buying a product or service. Did you have any objections? Were they solved by you or by the person selling? If you didn’t have any objections at all, you probably would have bought the service already. It’s the same for the people you’re talking to. Remember, even if they have objections, they’re still human.

Sales and objections are mutually inclusive, one cannot exist without the other. So why do objections cause so many new agents to run for the hills? 

The answer comes down to mindset. 

I manage a team of 900 agents worldwide. We’re growing and expanding each day, and are currently on track to hit 8,000 to 10,000 agents by 2024. Personally, I’ve been closing 100 deals a year since 2014 and I can tell you, without a doubt, that having the right perspective, energy, and mindset have been the driving forces behind my team’s success. 

Mindset is one of the most often overlooked aspects of conquering sales objections. Yes, it’s crucial to have a stellar product and pitch, but the right mindset is the bedrock that supports both of those things.

This article will teach you some of my tips and tricks for shifting your mindset to handle any objections that come your way. 

Reject the Fear of Failure

A lot of agents fail due to a fear of failure, or a fear of what the person on the other end of the line might think of them.

I have one question for those agents: What’s the big deal?

I’ve been in the sales game for nearly 20 years, dealing with objections every single day, and I can tell you that the objections never stop. Rejections don’t feel good, but the important thing to remember is that they’re not personal. Energy that might put you at odds with one person, might make you a perfect fit for someone else. The type of response you elicit from a prospect is somewhat of a coin toss, one person will be adversarial and the next might be receptive.

The point is, you create what you fear. If the idea of failure takes up residence in your mind, then failure will manifest itself. If you start off a call with an awkward and staccato energy, it’s likely that the person on the other side will pick up on that and give it right back to you. If you enter the call calm, confident, and level, it’s more likely that the same person will end up becoming a future client. 

Expand Your Knowledge

The sales industry is constantly evolving. As an agent, you need to grow and adapt to it. One of the best ways to do that is to mine knowledge from other agents.

Getting yourself into a room with someone who has accomplished what you strive for is a priceless opportunity to gain perspective. If you can’t get yourself into the room, no worries. There’s a reason I share advice for free.

It’s impossible to know too much, and I’m always looking for opportunities to learn. That’s why one thing I ask all of my live audiences is to tell me something better than my current methods. Nobody ever says anything, but I’m excited for the day that they do.

Confidence is Key

Confidence is a key part of closing any sale. If you don’t believe in yourself, or your service, no one else will. 

One problem I see time and time again with new agents is a discomfort with picking up the phone and talking to a stranger. The thing is, picking up the phone needs to be fun. I touched on this a bit earlier, but if you’re nervous, or you take yourself too seriously, the prospect on the other end will sense that. 

The whole premise of being an agent is talking to people you don’t know to help them buy and sell real estate. You have to be comfortable doing that.

Another issue I see is agents buying into the false narrative that markets dictate their success. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Closings have happened every day since you were born, and will happen everyday for the rest of your life. The people closing those sales are the ones who understand that they control their success, not external factors like market fluctuations. 

Ultimately, confident conversations are the key to closing sales, and confidence will only come with a mindset pivot toward believing you have what it takes to succeed no matter what. 

Build Relationships with Your Prospects

The number one objective of any sales person is to make their prospect feel comfortable. Yet, too many sales agents fall into the trap of alienating their prospects with stale, lukewarm, and impersonal pitches.

The best way to make them feel comfortable with you is by being comfortable with them.

In my mind, any awkwardness about making a call stems from having the wrong pitch or the wrong objective in mind (1980’s phone scripts).

A sale should be a conversation. Launching directly into a pitch can be off-putting. Instead, aim to build a sense of trust and friendship with your prospects. 

The future of sales is to build relationships off great first impressions offering help and cultivating those relationships through personal branding.

Remember that a sale is a two-way street. It needs to feel personal. If you’re not listening to your prospect’s needs, you’ve already lost them.

It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Great salespeople aren’t made overnight.

Failing to see the bigger picture and plan for long-term goals is one of the most common roadblocks I see new agents stumbling over. Often it can cause them to walk away at the first sign of trouble. 

Success in sales comes with a plan that allows you to chip away at long-term goals and slowly accumulate the tools you need to build your empire over time. It’s not going to happen in an instant. Becoming the sales agent you want to be is a long-term commitment. There will be hurdles along the way, but what matters is the perspective you bring to the table that allows you to anticipate and overcome those hurdles.