Train Your Team to Counter Objections Like a Pro
If you’ve been in this business for even five seconds you have probably already heard a boat full of objections in all aspects of the home buying or selling process.
Obviously, for your career progression, you want to make the sale. However, clients will lose their trust in you if they feel like you are willing to put closing the house above their own needs and interests.
So how do you make the sale, without seeming like your goal is to make the sale?
There is a lot of uncertainty about what you should do when someone objects. While we don’t recommend that you fold immediately, there are some strategies that you can use to try to overcome those objections without sounding like you are not acting in the best interest of the client.
It is a fine line to walk, but make sure that in order to gain the long-term client you really think about your objection strategy. If someone feels pressured into a situation, they probably won’t be referring their family and friends to you in the future.
Get Your Team On Board
Countering objections is something that many new agents struggle with. Heck, even many seasoned agents struggle with this.
Make sure that once you decide what you believe what your strategy is, teach your team.
One effective way to do this is by having short roll playing meetings. Once a week, make a common scenario and act the part of the potential client with your team countering your objections. While this can be awkward at first, if you really get into the exercise it can help your team to have the counters ready to go before the client utters a word.
Don’t Memorize Objections Scripts!
One method that leaders employ is to have their new agents memorize scripts.
This. Does. Not. Work.
When your people are in the moment of needing that script, it will not sound authentic unless the agent is a Hollywood A-list actor.
Instead of memorizing, teach your people how to develop their own conversation skills and think critically about the issue presented.
This is why we recommend role playing because it will help your team practice reacting to potential issues while not memorizing a script. Learn to think on your feet, and it will pay off when the situation presents itself.
Overcoming Objections: A Real Life Example
If you are looking for how to counter objections that are specific to closing, you can check out our other article with 7 useful techniques here.
That being said, there are more places in the buying or selling process that you can hit objections. Many more.
So we will go over some general techniques that can be applied wherever you might need them.
Instead of just proving the customer wrong when countering the objection, spin the conversation so that they are right.
Ask the questions that get you to the core motivation, goal and then make a plan together.
For example: If a client tells you that they would like to wait to put their house on the market until the summer because they think they will be able to get a higher price… don’t just tell them, “Sorry, Susan that is just not true.” This places people on the defensive, even if you are dead right.
Instead, get to the core of the issue. Why do they think that? Did they hear that from another agent, friend, family member, blog?
Look into giving them the facts after you find our core issue.
The conversation could go something like this: “Yes, Susan, sometimes we do see a hike in the prices in the summer. What ultimately would you like to sell your home for?
If this is a client that you know will need a new house after selling their home, you could ask when they want to be in place in the new house.
“Well, we may be able to sell for 2-3k more in the summer, but I know that you want to be moved to your new location before school starts for your children, right?
“Yes, that is right.” See, you have positioned them to be right instead of just discounting their plan.
Remember, there is some reason that they have the opinion that they do and you need them to decide that there is a better option.
“Great, Susan! So if school starts in August and it takes 30 days to close at least, you want to put down an offer on a house by maybe June or July. Does that sound like it matches your timeline?”
When they agree again, “In order to meet your timeline for move-in, it may help to put it on the market by the late spring since that will take another 30-45 days to close as well.”
See, we are walking them backwards from the goal that they set. They will realize then each step of the process and why you should start working with them sooner than later.
Using this method causes the client to be involved and take ownership of the process. While there are some objections that are silly, there are others that are perfectly understandable. Using those concerns, you can come up with a plan together, all while you are steering the process.
YOU are the expert. Go through each step of the process after you find out what all the concerns are to be able to counter the objection while still remaining a trusted agent for the client.
While we are going through a “script” here to show our examples, as the team leader, make sure that you come up with many of these types of scenarios and teach your agents how to come up with these answers on the fly.
Remember – ask the questions to get to the main motivation. Then work from there.
