Champion Rule #1: Objections are a gift.

When a client or prospect objects, it is merely a request for more information. It’s not a “no” but a “not yet” or a “maybe”. The client or prospect is telling you exactly what they want and need. All you have to do is listen, not panic, probe, respond with an answer, and ask for a commitment. If we can show that we can meet their expressed needs, we are more likely to close the sale.

If you view objections from that angle, you will stop fearing them. Objections are really just another rung on the sales ladder of success. They are the final sales rung before securing the client or prospect’s commitment. You only have two choices when they come up. You can either climb up the ladder to the completion of a sale thus earning a commission, or you can fall off the ladder and start over with another prospect.

Champion Rule #2: Objections are an offensive opportunity in sales, not defensive.

Too many salespeople automatically start playing defense when faced with an objection. The natural tendency is to take a step back, rather than a step forward. An objection brings an opportunity to resolve an issue in the prospect’s mind and then ask for the order. It’s really an offensive moment to step boldly forward and make the sale.

A Champion Agent starts their objection handling process at the time of qualifying the prospect for an appointment. This effective qualifying process enables the Champion Agent to determine what objections they will likely have at the appointment. When qualifying to uncover objections, there are a number of questions you can use accomplish this in advance.

1. How is the prospect going to make their decision?

2. When is the prospect going to make their decision?

3. Do they have the capacity to move forward (financially)?

4. What do they want?

5. What do they need?

6. What is their ability to move forward?

7. Is their desire and motivation great enough?

8. How will they evaluate a successful relationship and outcome with you?

9. Who else are they considering?

10. What are the possible threats or reasons for a stall?

11. What are the possible objections you will receive?

12. How important is communication to them?

13. What are the top three factors that will be weighed to arrive at this decision?

These questions and thoughts will help you uncover the challenges that will await you at the appointment. They will also help you determine if any conditions exist that would prevent the prospect from moving forward. There is a clear difference between an objection and a condition. The definition of an objection is the prospect wanting or needing to know more before a decision can be made. In an objection, a decision can be made affirmatively if all the roadblocks are removed. The more uncomfortable or insecure the prospect is, the higher the probability of objections - even multiple ones.

When evaluating human beings, based on behavioral style, you will see a greater volume of objections coming from people who are behaviorally high Steady or high Compliant. These people move slower and require more information to make a decision. They are less optimistic than a high Influencer and much less results-oriented than a high Dominant.

These high S and C behavioral styles have their emotional battle going on inside of them. They want what you are offering if you have given a good presentation. The logical self is saying slow down; check it out, which they will do naturally. Throughout the road blocks, especially, they are thinking, “I want to think it over.” They use minor objections to merely slow the decision train down to a comfortable level. These are the people who often contract buyer’s remorse.

Published: February 4, 2011

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Dirk Zeller is a sought out speaker, celebrated author and CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. The Real Estate community has embraced and praised his six best-selling books; Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Real Estate Team, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, Successful Time Management for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. To learn more regarding this article, please visit www.realestatechampions.com.