How Unaddressed Objections Are Costing You Sales

Mar 12

As an online business owner, you already know that the market is competitive and people's attention spans are short. You also probably know that the more you show up and stand out, the more authority and credibility you’ll gain in your industry — which can be incredibly important for you as you bring in new leads to your business so that they convert into paying clients.

A critical part of this process of building authority and credibility and converting leads to clients is being able to easily address every potential objection a customer might have. As an entrepreneur in the growth phase of your business, you're likely seeing a steady stream of leads and building a captive audience. Yet, even with these wins, a significant hurdle still needs to be addressed that silently derails potential sales.

This blog delves into why overcoming objections is essential for your sales strategy and even more important to weave into your messaging.

The High Cost of Ignoring Customer Objections

Many business owners know this scenario too well: a promising sale fades in the final moments, often without a clear reason. Hubspot reveals a startling statistic: 44% of sales are lost because businesses need to handle customer objections effectively. This figure underscores a critical oversight in many sales strategies, where the failure to address concerns proactively can lead to significant revenue losses.

Common Objections in the Coaching Industry and How to Overcome Them

Because many of my clients are in the coaching industry, the examples will be specific to coaches. In coaching, objections often revolve around three main areas: time, money, and urgency.

1. Lack of Time

Objection: "I'm too busy to commit to coaching sessions right now."

Strategy: Empathize and then reframe the objection as an opportunity for time management and personal growth.

Example: For a health and wellness coach, you might say, "I understand how busy life can get, especially when you're juggling multiple responsibilities. Many of my clients felt the same way before we started. However, they found that investing a few hours a month into their health improved their physical well-being, time management, and energy levels, making them more productive in other areas of their life. Let's explore how we can make this work for you, perhaps by finding flexible scheduling options or focusing on high-impact, short-duration sessions."

2. Lack of Money

Objection: "I can't afford coaching services right now."

Strategy: Highlight the value and potential ROI of your coaching services. Offer payment plans if possible.

Example: For a business coach, the response could be, "Investing in yourself and your business is crucial for growth. Many of my clients have seen a return on their investment through increased revenue, efficiency, and even savings on costs they were previously incurring due to inefficiencies. To make this more accessible, I offer various payment plans. Let's discuss how this investment can lead to substantial gains for your business."

3. Lack of Urgency

Objection: "I'm not sure this is the right time to start coaching."

Strategy: Create a sense of urgency by linking your coaching to their immediate goals or pain points.

Example: For a leadership coach, you might say, "In today's environment, effective leadership is more crucial than ever. Waiting to develop these skills can mean missed opportunities for you and your team. Many of my clients have found that they can leverage new opportunities and navigate challenges more effectively by taking action now. Let's identify the immediate benefits coaching can bring to your leadership style and how it can positively impact your team's performance and morale."

Understanding the Psychology of Indecision

The Harvard Business Review offers invaluable insights into the nature of customer indecision. It distinguishes between a preference for the status quo and the omission bias—the latter being a customer's fear of making a decision that could lead to loss.

This bias is responsible for 56% of "no decision" losses. With 87% of sales opportunities containing moderate to high levels of indecision, the importance of addressing this issue becomes unmistakably clear. This means that potential customers are much less worried about FOMO than they are about messing up.

Strategic Solutions: Overcoming Objections on Multiple Fronts

In the process of nurturing leads and converting them into loyal clients, understanding and addressing the common objections they face is crucial. For coaches in the health and wellness, business, life, and leadership sectors, these barriers often boil down to four main areas: lack of money, time, need, and urgency, which we addressed above. However, recognizing these objections is merely the starting point. The true art lies in crafting strategies to dismantle these barriers, creating a seamless path to conversion. Here’s how you can tackle objections across various customer touchpoints.

FAQs on Your Sales Page

Your sales page is often the first impression potential clients have of your coaching services. A well-designed FAQ section anticipates and addresses their concerns and demonstrates your understanding of their challenges. This preemptive approach can significantly ease the decision-making process.

Lack of Money: Include questions that speak directly to the value and ROI of your coaching, such as "How does the coaching process work to ensure I see a return on my investment?" or "Can you explain the payment plans and options available?"
Lack of Time: Address concerns about time commitment with FAQs like "How much time do I need to dedicate to see results?" and "What scheduling options are available to fit coaching into my busy lifestyle?"
Lack of Need: For potential clients unsure about the necessity of coaching, include "How do I know if I need a coach?" or "What specific outcomes can I expect from your coaching program?"
Lack of Urgency: Tackle the urgency objection with FAQs such as "Why is now the right time to start coaching?" and "What risks do I face by delaying my decision to begin coaching?"

Sales Email Sequence

Email communication is a powerful tool for building relationships and guiding potential clients through their decision-making journey. In a sales sequence, I often dedicate one entire email to FAQs, many times copying and pasting what’s on the sales page and letting them know something like, “Since opening up this program, I’ve been fielding a lot of questions, and so I thought you might have some of the same Qs too. I’ll share the top four I’ve been fielding repeatedly.”

Tailoring your email content to address common objections can further reassure and engage your leads.

Personal Stories: Share success stories or testimonials highlighting how past clients overcame similar objections to achieve their goals. This provides social proof and illustrates the tangible benefits of your coaching.
Value-Driven Content: Include segments that detail the unique aspects of your coaching philosophy, the methodologies you use, and the specific benefits clients can expect. Highlighting the personalized nature of your coaching can alleviate concerns about cost and time.

Actionable Tips: Offer practical advice or insights about common challenges your target audience faces. This showcases your expertise and addresses the need for your services and the urgency to act.

On Sales Calls

The direct interaction of sales calls or discovery sessions provides a unique opportunity to address and overcome objections in real time. It also allows you to hear in real time what people’s objections are. Take note of everything you hear on your sales calls. This knowledge enables you to refine your offer and messaging, ensuring your solution meets their needs. Many times, objections come up that you might not have thought about.

Here’s how you can use these conversations to your advantage:

Active Listening: Start by genuinely listening to your potential client's concerns. This builds trust and provides crucial insights into their specific objections.
Customized Solutions: Use the information gathered to tailor your responses, highlighting how your coaching program can address their unique needs and concerns. For instance, if the objection is about affordability, discuss the long-term value and potential ROI from investing in themselves. You can offer payment plans to make it as easy as possible for them to say yes.

Follow-Up Strategy: After the call, follow up with an email summarizing how your coaching can help overcome the objections discussed. Include any relevant resources or testimonials that reinforce the value of your services.

By implementing these strategic solutions across different touchpoints, you can effectively dismantle the barriers to conversion. Remember, every objection is an opportunity to deepen the connection with your potential clients and demonstrate the transformative power of your coaching services.

As your dedicated conversion copywriter and messaging strategist, I'm here to guide you through the process, ensuring that your message speaks directly to the customer's fears and paints a picture of their desired future. By focusing on clear, approachable communication, we can transform potential obstacles into opportunities for growth. Remember, overcoming objections isn't just a sales tactic; it's a strategic imperative for your business's success.

By embracing the challenge of addressing customer objections head-on, you can prevent the loss of sales that affects many growing businesses. Understanding the nuances of customer indecision and proactively countering common objections will position your business to succeed and excel in the competitive online landscape.

What objections do you typically face in your business? Comment below!

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