Change Your "But" To "And" To Overcome Objections

If you've been selling for long, you already know the first rule of overcoming an objection - empathize and understand where they are coming from and agree that the objection exists. A lot of agents start this process off on the right foot but then screw it up because of their "buts." If you agree with a prospect about an objection and then finish the statement with a "but", you negate everything that came before it and let the prospect know that you think they are wrong for objecting at all. "Buts" mean there is something bad coming. For example, if a guy asks a woman out and hears, "You are a really nice guy, but..." we all know that guy is toast!

If  a prospect tells you "it costs to much", a good way to get on the same team as your prospect is by saying "I understand how you feel, it is a large investment. A lot of my clients have felt the same way AND that is why..." or you can say "I can appreciate that AND it makes sense to..."

By changing your "but" to an "and" you are no longer negating your agreement with them. You are giving their thinking validity AND getting on the same side as them to work out the objection together. It is much better to working with your prospect towards a solution you will both be happy with than arguing with them over their incorrect thinking. Even if you win the argument, you'll probably lost the sale!

Once you've agreed and empathized, don't forget to isolate the objection to make sure there is nothing else holding them back. "I understand how you feel, it is a large investment and a lot of my clients have felt the same way. Is there anything else about my proposal that you don't like or is it just the price that is holding you back?" Once you know what the true objections are and if there are any hidden objections, it is a lot easier to work through them and close the sale.

After you've isolated the objection you can now reframe it and put it into a new perspective. If the price was the only objection, you can now reframe it and focus on the value or extra benefits that make the price less relevant in the decision. Of course, if you're trying to sell a $10,000 per year product to a $1,000 per year buyer, nothing will help you get it done. But if you are working with a qualified prospect and you are confident that your recommendations will make their lives better, you have a responsibility to be a professional and make sure the sale closes. Changing your "but" to an "and" will help you get that done!