I have a secret.
I’ve been selling since I was 5. And…
I love Sales and I enjoy all my Sales Conversations with prospective ideal, premium clients – women entrepreneurs and coaches. It’s a 1 relationship at a time kind of game.
It’s a time to learn more about her goals, her vision, her fears, her challenges and frustrations, and her WHAT FORs. An intimate look at the dreams and desires that keep her up at night, and an opportunity for me to see whether we’re a great fit to work together, and how I can support her to create her desired outcome with my Coaching Programs.
That’s one reason why this 5-Part “Sales Tips for Business Owners Who Hate Selling” Series has been so much fun to share with you.
If you’ve been following this blog series, then you’re already familiar with each of the 5 simple steps to Selling with Ease, including, Crystal Clarity in Part 1, Soulful Enrollments in Part 2, Leaning into Foreplay in Part 3 and a 10X Money Mindset in Part 4.
Part 5 is all about curiosity; Dancing with Objections.
If you’re wondering what curiosity has to do with sales objections, then let’s dive in for a different perspective on the phrases, “I Can’t” or “I Don’t Have.”
Whether you’re selling coaching, earrings, bread, fake hair, accounting, yoga, personal training or plastic surgery, there is nothing more natural during sales conversations than objections.
Even after everything we’ve discussed about clarity, soulful enrollments, leaning to foreplay and a powerful 10X money mindset, Sales Objections still come up.
As with the other 4 parts, this conversation is also more about curiosity than convincing or pushing anyone into deciding whether to purchase the thing or work with you.
Objections are like a pair of new glasses with new lens that give you insight into what the prospective buyer or client is thinking or feeling about the vision she clearly articulated for her dream life/outfit/body/business.
Investing time and money in anything or anyone can bring up fears, stories, scarcity and all kinds of feelings.
Perspective is Everything.
Simply speaking, an objection is FEAR masquerading as an EXCUSE.
And this where Part 4’s 10X Money Mindset discussion comes in handy. As the seller/provider, it is important that you’re not stuck in any stories of
Fear of rejection.
Fear of success that has you self-sabotaging every sales conversation to prove your story.
Fear of being pushy or overbearing because someone called you a bully when you were 5.
Fear of upsetting the client by boldly calling bulls*t on her stories.
Fear of appearing sleazy because you have a story of selling being icky.
Let’s STOP and talk about you and your business for a minute.
And it doesn’t matter what service or product you provide. Whether you’re an attorney, an accountant, a salon owner, a baker, a plastic surgeon, a life coach or business coach, personal trainer, consultant or a yoga teacher, these questions should give you some insight into your relationship to sales.
When it comes to sales objections, where are you getting tripped up in your business?
What’s the financial impact on your business?
How much has it cost you in impact, time and service?
How could you have made a difference in your prospective client’s life if you had taken a different approach to the objections?
Now, let’s look at this a little differently.
What if objections were simply just an ordinary part of the sales process?
Merely a place for you to get super curious.
Why Objections Show Up.
I’ve done it. I’m confident you’ve done it too.
What is the “it” I’m referring to?
Getting attached to the reasons we think we can’t succeed- the crappy money mindset responsible for 99% of sales objections.
How does it show up in real life?
I can’t afford it.
I don’t have the time or the money.
I need to check in with my cat, my dog, x, y or z first.
I’m not sure about you, but every time, I’ve uttered those phrases, it was because I was either:
- Scared to succeed because if I changed or shifted X in m life, then Y may have to change too, and I just wasn’t ready to handle that; OR
- Scared to succeed because if I decided to 10X my life and business, I may change, become more authentic, passionate and in love with life, and I may even have to shift the people who drain me out of my life; OR
- Scared to succeed because what if I lose my friends who stick by side and help me complain about how badly things suck every day; OR
- Scared to succeed because I might be forced to create boundaries; OR
- Scared because I had NEVER (at least up to that point) EVER thought of myself as valuable enough to spend this much money on myself.
When we look at what the “I Can’ts” and “I Don’t Haves” really mean, then we truly understand we don’t have to shut down or get stuck when they hear them. All we need is permission to go in and look a little deeper.
Think about this for a minute.
Here’s this person who just described her dream business to me. What life would look like for her in 12 months if she becomes the woman who takes the action to build this dream. The way her face lit up when she talked about her purpose, her mission, her What for, and her Why?
Who would I be if I didn’t get curious?
Who would I be if I didn’t have the audacity and grace to stand in possibility and listen to her in a way she’s never been listened to before AND as a coach, reflect back to her the “story” or “thing” that no has ever dared tell her? The “story” that is standing in the way of her being and having everything she was created to be, do and have.
My heart breaks when I hear and see…
The money block that has her hide behind I can’t afford it, or I don’t have the time.
The limiting belief that has her play small enough to convince herself that she can do it when x, y and z happen first.
The money stories that have her believe that she’s not worth it and does not deserve the investment in herself.
The experience that has her buy the story that she’s not resourceful enough to come up with the funds to invest in the service/product.
The 1x mindset that has her rationalize that suddenly, her dreams don’t really matter anymore. That now is not the right time to step into who God is calling her to be. That someday would be the best time to be the best version of herself.
Alright, it’s time to step off my soapbox. But it so much fun up there!!
As a coach and a creative artist, I love being curious, especially since I know (based on my money stories) that in the past, I’ve said “I can’t afford it” ONLY because it’s easier than giving myself the gift of being resourceful enough and loving myself enough to go do or get the thing I want more than anything in life.
Just Dance.
Dancing with Objections is about being curious about what is really holding her back from making that decision.
Dancing with Objections is about standing for the possibility of what she’s been telling you she wants.
Dancing with objections is about giving her space to relax into the future she desires and has described so eloquently, instead of allowing her to hide inside her desire.
In Part 4, we observed that people don’t invest merely on price and benefits alone. Initial investment is always mostly based on how you make someone feel. Based on the emotion (the problem they want solved), and then later justified with logic (benefits of the investment).
Dancing with the objection allows you to focus on “helping the prospective buyer/client decide,” instead of wondering “what the hesitation means about you.
Bring it back to service. Always.
This “Dancing with the Objection” tip applies whether you’re selling financial planning, candy, bread, jewelry, coaching, or gym memberships. It’s irrelevant whether you’re selling products or service.
All you need is this invitation to consider putting on your dancing shoes the next the time you think the sales conversation is over because she “can’t afford it” or “doesn’t have the time.”
I love hearing from you. Please let me know if this Sales Blog Series has had any impact on the way you relate to sales in your business.
Cheers to your fabulous success!
I’m MiMi Dabo and I support Women Entrepreneurs who struggle with Creating Premium Clients and Charging their Worth, to Confidently Package, Price, Market and Sell their Services to their Ideal Clients in a Profitable Niche.
I help them to ditch the crappy Money Blocks and stories, and package their services into irresistible high-end offers for their ideal clients, raise their prices or charge what they’re worth, and market and sell with ease so they can radically increase their income – while changing the world in the process. Visit www.lifecoachforwomen.com.
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