#012 - Handling Objections

Learn how to overcome objections with this 5 step system.

I was so close to having the client sign on for a new project.

I had qualified the opportunity and knew I could provide them with value.

I presented my offer; now, all they had to do was say yes.

But instead of signing, they’re raising new objections.

• “It’s too expensive.”
• “Now’s not the right time to get started.”
• “We got burned by a freelancer in the past.”

Sound familiar?

Objective handling comes with selling your services as a marketing consultant.

When it comes to objections, it’s important to remember:

Their objection may have little to do with you or your offer.

What’s holding them back is often something within themselves.

It could be a personal insecurity or a bias from a past experience.

Think of your journey to ‘yes’ as climbing a mountain with your client.

When presented with objections, your job isn’t to pull your client up to the summit; it’s to put your hand out and lift them up.

Here’s a system for handling objections:

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1. Agree

The first step to handling an objection is to agree with them.

You may disagree with the substance of their concern, but it’s important to acknowledge and agree with how they’re feeling.

This step is important for creating a safe space to discuss their hesitation.

Becoming defensive or offering a rebuttal to their objection will come off as an attack.

Here’s some language to use:

• “I totally agree…”
• “Makes complete sense…”
• “I see your point…”

Example from a recent sales call:

Client:

“We tried hiring a positioning consultant once before. The output wasn’t used by marketing or sales, so our executive team is weary of consultants.”

Me:

“Makes complete sense. I often hear this concern about working with consultants on positioning. I can see how this would leave your leadership team feeling apprehensive…”

2. Question

Once you’ve acknowledged and validated their concerns, it’s time to uncover the true issue behind the issue.

If something didn’t work in the past, ask ‘why’

If the concern is the cost, “it’s too expensive”, ask: “Compared to what?”

Example:

Me:

“Can you help me better understand that last positioning engagement? Why didn’t marketing and sales embrace the outcome?”

Client:

“It came down to two things: they didn’t know how to put it to use, and they didn’t buy into the deliverables because they didn’t understand how the consultant got to the outcome.”

This response told me that the issue behind the issue was the applicability of the deliverables and the process itself, not simply about working with consultants.

3. Summarize

Now that you’ve uncovered the root of the objection, it’s important to make them feel heard.

Do this by synthesizing and reviewing. Here’s the approach I use:

“So what I’m hearing you say is…. Have I got that right?”

Example:

Me:

“So what I’m hearing you say is that the last time your team trusted a consultant, the experience failed to deliver value because the team didn’t feel involved in the process, and the outcomes weren’t actionable for go-to-market teams. Did I get that right?”

Client:

“ Yes, that’s exactly it…”

This is an important checkpoint for two reasons.

First, you want to ensure that you are aligned on the issue behind the issue.

Second, this is an opportunity for your client to start saying ‘yes.’

4. Handle

This is where you handle the objection.

Personal stories, metaphors, and customer case studies work well here.

Example:

Me:

“I can relate. When I was an in-house marketing director, I hired a boutique consulting firm to run a positioning workshop. It was a disaster. After two days with the C-Suite, the consultants disappeared to their cave for weeks and worked on the positioning in a black box. When they presented it back to us, it wasn’t actionable, and no one felt connected to the outcome, so it never went anywhere. I was embarrassed and felt like I’d wasted the company’s money.

That experience shaped how I tackle positioning projects differently. I view my role as a facilitator. I guide your team through my process, and we do the work, together. That way, everyone feels invested in the outcome. Instead of just giving you a positioning statement, my process results in a pitch deck that’s been validated with sales reps and a certification program that ensures the whole company is bought in.

5. Check-in

The last step is to check in and ask if the objection has been handled.

If yes, you can move to the next objection (or maybe close the sale!).

If not, go around this process until it has been addressed.

Example:

Me:

“Has discussing how my process and deliverables differ from your previous experience addressed your concerns about working with a consultant?”

Client:

“Yes! That sounds very different. What you’re describing is exactly what we need.”

Selling starts at ‘no.’

Otherwise, you’re just taking orders.

Effective objection handling is, therefore, an important part of building a successful freelance business.

Become a more confident objection handler by writing down the objections you often get in your sales process.

Then, use this framework and role-play how to navigate clients to the other side.

You’ll find that if you run directly at objections, they’re not hurdles in your sales process after all.

Objections present opportunities to help your client feel more confident in making the right decision, earn their trust, and establish respect.

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Happy objection handling!

- Jeff

Freelance Marketing Alliance

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