Objections are part of the sales process. It means you have an engaged business coaching prospect who is seriously considering what you have to offer.
Of course, how you handle those objections can mean the difference between a high-paying new client and another hard no.
So how should you respond when your prospect offers objections to coaching?
Learn the three A’s and C’s!
Just to mix things up, let’s start with the C’s–the things you should NEVER do.
When you find yourself falling into any of these traps, you’ll know that the window is closing fast on the opportunity in front of you.
The Three C’s
- Contradict: Make them wrong and make the conversation confrontational.
- Cower: Then you stumble, fumble, and bumble because the conversation is no longer pleasant.
- Curse: Now you’re angry at yourself, saying, “How did I mess this up???”
The three A’s, on the other hand, keep the conversation friendly and productive, which will eventually relieve sales pressure and help you have genuine conversations that bring you closer to a sale.
The Three A’s
- Agree: Make them right by agreeing with whatever is true about what they said.
- Answer: Quickly and honestly answer whatever questions they ask.
- Ask: Immediately after answering their question, ask them an open-ended question to take control of the conversation and get them talking.
A Real-World Example
So what does it look like in real life to handle objections to coaching? Here’s an example you can probably relate to!
PROSPECT: Everything is going just fine, why should I bother talking with you?
COACH: Wow, that’s really good to hear! You must be doing a lot of things right. I guess the only reason you’d talk to me is because I may be able to help you make things better. Are there areas where you feel like things could be better?
PROSPECT: Well, things can always be better, I suppose.
COACH: True. What would you say is the main thing you’d like to improve in your business right now?
Remember, just like anything, to get good at handling objections you must practice relentlessly. Write down the most common objections you hear to business coaching, then grab a partner and practice responding. Soon it’ll become second-nature to avoid the C’s and live the A’s!
Just like anything, to get good at handling objections you must practice relentlessly.
What else does it take to become a successful business coach? Check out our FREE ebook, Secrets of a Business Coaching Rock Star.
