I still remember the first time someone told me “NO” when I presented what I had to offer. It was the first time I realized I’d have to learn to overcome sales objections if I was going to build a successful business and I didn’t like it one bit.

It was a blow that I won’t forget. I thought it would be an ongoing trend in my business: I would put my products and services out into the world and they would always be met with a barrage of “no” and “not right now.”

I would feel the wrath of a world that didn’t need me.

Isn’t it tough when people start to hit us with all their excuses of why they can’t, won’t or shouldn’t when we know we can help them? (And possibly change their lives!)

But what if I told you there was a way to overcome these objections in a way that ended in them ultimately saying “YES”?

I’ve spent years on the receiving end of rejection, and I’ve learned a lot about it. So, I decided that since I didn’t exactly like the feeling, I would figure out a way to master it.

I wrote this post for you - so that you can use this system to not just overcome sales objections, but to learn how to master them so that you aren’t afraid and know how to turn a “no” into an opportunity.

Let’s face this head on, completely fearlessly, because this is a safe place where we can talk about it. Let’s break down how we can overcome objections in our business tactically, emotionally, and mentally because they are par for the course.

FAILURE STEMS FROM FEAR

We tiptoe around the fear of objection. We have this overwhelming sense of, “Oh my gosh, what's going to happen to me if I put my products, my services, my ideas, my story, my pictures out into the world, and it's met with some level of objection?”

Maybe it's people not liking what we're doing.

Maybe it's people opposing what we're doing by saying, “I don't agree with you and here's why.” Maybe it's a product or service that we're putting out there and instead of receiving it or buying in, you’re met with, “Yeah, that sounds really great, but I don't really have the time to do that or the money to invest in it.”

BE CONFIDENT AS YOU OVERCOME SALES OBJECTIONS

The first thing we have to talk about before we can go into the tactics is...you guessed it...mindset. Not the mindset of the consumer. Not the mindset of the viewer, the reader, the person on the receiving end of our incredible content, services or products.

It's our own mindset.

Are you projecting fear over the things you’re putting out? It's okay to be nervous, but are you already anticipating rejection? “What are people going to think of me? What are the objections I'm going to face? What obstacles am I going to have to overcome? Is it worth it? Do people really want this product and services? Should I even go through with it?”

As soon as we start allowing those negative narratives to creep back in and tell us all the reasons why this isn’t worth our time, that nobody's going to want it, or that other people have already done it - that's where the problem starts. When you have an undeniable confidence in who you are, in what you believe in, what your mission is, and what you're bringing into the world, you can put anything out there. But that doesn't mean that you're not nervous. It doesn't mean that there's no doubt or fear. What it means is you have so much confidence that what you’re doing is going to serve somebody that it's worth the risk.

Get my 12-step checklist to sell anything here!

BRING ON THE OBJECTIONS!

I know that every time I put something out there, there is an opportunity for me to get push-back.

I’m fully aware that some people will say NO and give me their reasons why they can't do it, shouldn't do it, or won't do it. But I also know there's an opportunity for someone, even if it's just one person, to have their life transformed through my products, services, guidance, or story. That makes it worth putting out there. It’s worth learning how to overcome sales objections. That level of confidence is what helps me not to fear the objection. It helps me to understand that it's part of running a business. It's part of being someone who does things more publicly through social media, etc. Guess what? It's okay if everybody doesn’t love it.

IT’S NOT ME…IT’S YOU

It’s important to understand that just because someone's saying NO doesn't mean the world is crumbling. It doesn't mean that you have failed. It doesn't even mean that that person is a hard “no” forever. Objection is representative of the fear of how the person receiving the information will react.

Let me give you an example.

Let’s say you’re launching an online fitness course. You have two weeks of fitness modules that are going to help your audience tone and strengthen their core. So you start to build up the launch and send emails to your possible clients. What if you receive an email reply that says:

“I'm really interested in that, but I can't do it right now because I just can't afford it” or ”I just don't have the time to put that into my schedule” or ”I'm not strong enough to start a program like that” or “that looks a little advanced.”

In your mind, you’ve processed all of those replies as “NO’s”.

They're not NO’s! Those objections are just your audience’s fears coming through.

The reply, “I don't have the money” could actually translate to, “I don't know if I actually believe in myself enough to make this investment. What if I don’t complete it? Will people laugh at me if I don’t get the results I want?”

Be mindful of this scenario every time you get an objection. Perhaps it’s a situation where “it’s not you, it’s me.” More than likely, the person receiving it is struggling with their own fears. Be sensitive to that situation as you work to overcome sales objections. Continue to build up your confidence in the product/service you’re offering.

BRING YOUR GIFT(S) INTO THE WORLD!

…because if you don’t, you’re missing out on the potential to touch lives. You won’t serve people and help people to the next level in their lives through your products and services because of your own fear.

Remember, you are doing the world a massive disservice to sit back and be quiet simply because you’re unsure of how it will receive what you have to offer! When this fear creeps up on you, you have two options to fall back on:

What you’re offering isn’t ready to be shared because it needs to be improved. This is a great opportunity to look at it square in the eye and say, “how can I improve it so that I can put this out into the world with confidence?”
Realize that fear has no place in your mind. It is simply a limiting belief. Realize that you are obligated to put this out into the world, and that you can overcome sales objections. No one can do this but you because this is yours. You have created it and you need to share it with the world.

CONNECT WITH YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

Relationships are so important as you overcome sales objections. There will always be potential customers with lots of questions. They want to peel back the layers. They want to delay the process. They want to know a little bit more. They want to see how they can save money no matter what the product is, and no matter how bad they want that fabulous end result. This is where you have to relate to them, connect with them, and help them understand that you've been exactly where they are right now. You're not sitting in your ivory tower telling them about something that's going to change their lives without a genuine connection to it.

Those potential customers want to feel understood.

“Yeah, I totally get it. I totally understand where you're coming from. It does sound like a big investment. And I remember feeling that way the first time that I was on the fence about buying this type of course. And I remember waiting and being so fearful of it. I spent five years of my life feeling that way. And then finally I said ‘no more.’”

You walk with them and make them feel heard. Then you guide them into what you did about it because now they realize you’re a real person who has had real struggles in the same areas they do! (Check out episode 015: How to Sell Anything).

Get my 12-Step checklist to sell anything here!

DON’T ‘SELL’ … INSTEAD PROVIDE CLARITY

You're not trying to sell to everybody (check out episode 9: Repel Marketing). Let me remind you: you're trying to connect and convert your ideal client. Not everyone. If you're trying to get everyone, you're not going to get anyone.

Think about the objections you might get. Make a list on paper of everything that you're planning to put out there, the questions or objections you might get, and then start busting the myths.

That is your job. When you're putting something out there, you are providing clarity to the potential customer because they might not fully understand what you're offering. They haven't experienced the value of it yet. It’s up to you to paint the correct picture to give them a vision and dispose of any negative preconceived ideas.

IGNORE THE ONE ‘NO’ OR TOUGH EXPERIENCE

Brendon Burchard has a great example that he shared at a conference I attended two years ago. He talks about driving down the highway, heading to work and passing hundreds of cars. Everything is going just fine.

999 of those cars he passes don't run into him, don't flick him off, don’t cause any problem at all. But somewhere in that journey, one single car cuts him off. Oh, it’s on now! All of a sudden, everybody on this road is out to get him, and they're all terrible drivers, and he’s a terrible driver. The whole day is literally ruined! In that moment of frustration, we forget that everything was fine on the road five minutes ago.

Do not let one really tough experience take away from all the good experiences you’ve already had and have yet to have! Don’t take away the potential of touching and changing lives. All of this is possible when you find the courage and confidence to put your vision, your products/services, and yourself out into the world.