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Overcoming sales objections and closing techniques

11 min read

From: alexhormozi

We are all one decision away from changing our lives forever [00:00:00]. To have more power in our lives, we must understand what power is and how to unlock it through our actions and decisions [00:00:10]. If you need to influence others, get people to say yes, or make life-changing decisions for yourself, understanding this topic is crucial [00:00:20]. The ultimate goal is to help others step into the person they want to be and make a decision to own their future [00:05:26].

Understanding Power and Sales

Power is defined as the ability to influence or direct events or people [00:04:59]. It is a neutral force that amplifies who you are [00:02:33]. The more powerful you become, the more impactful you can be, whether for good or bad [00:02:40].

Selling Styles: Logic vs. Emotion

There are different selling styles, including emotional, “not going to let you leave,” and logical [00:03:19]. The speaker generally identifies as a logical seller [00:03:50]. While emotions can drive immediate action, logic makes decisions “stick” in the long run [00:06:16]. Rational decisions provide a stable foundation, much like in relationships [00:06:16]. Higher-level business individuals tend to make more logic-first decisions [00:06:36].

Most people want to believe you and buy from you; your role is to help their logical brains justify the decision they already want to make [00:07:05].

Key Beliefs About Selling

The speaker shares several core beliefs that have served them well in sales:

  1. People want to believe you; help their logical brains justify the decision. [00:07:39]
  2. Selling happens before you ask for the sale; closing happens after. [00:07:45]
  3. It’s easier to handle obstacles than objections. [00:08:06]
  4. Expect and plan for “no.” It’s not failure, it’s expected; your job as a salesperson is to help them when they struggle to decide [00:08:15].
  5. If you didn’t get a gasp from a price tag, you didn’t go high enough. Raising prices creates a price anchor for lower options [00:09:00].
  6. Selling properly is the first step to becoming a coach. How you sell, especially using logic, sets you and your client up for long-term success [00:09:43].
  7. Selling is helping prospects make decisions for themselves. You are helping them help themselves [00:09:56].
  8. Keep the prospect, not the sale, as the priority. Focus on them, as they only care about themselves [00:10:10].
  9. Seek to understand, not to argue. Approach objections with “childlike curiosity” [00:10:35].
  10. Closing is a dance, not a fight. It’s about seduction, not beating them into submission [00:11:19]. Sell from your back foot, demonstrating you want to help them, even if it means they don’t buy from you [00:11:33].
  11. Selling is a transference of belief over a bridge of trust. You must believe in your product and have trust with the prospect [00:11:47]. Cold streaks often result from a loss of belief, not skill [00:12:00]. Conviction is crucial for increasing closing percentages [00:12:38].
  12. You can only build trust if you genuinely want to help. Humans are excellent at sniffing out intention as a survival mechanism [00:12:51].
  13. Belief and trust are a continuum, not binaries. It’s about how much they trust you and how deeply you believe [00:13:06]. Strong conviction can make others question their own beliefs [00:13:17].
  14. Closers ask hard questions because they genuinely care. This is necessary for transformation [00:13:32].
  15. The person who cares the most about the prospect wins the sale. This includes caring more than the prospect themselves [00:13:55].
  16. Record all your sales calls. This helps identify what works during hot streaks and allows for faster recovery during cold streaks, also serving as a training tool [00:14:14].
  17. Power is the ability to direct or influence people; understanding this skill is vital. [00:14:40]

Importance of Closing

Closing, which happens after soliciting the sale [00:15:11], is one of the highest predictors of success in business [00:15:23]. Just like in the NFL where top red zone offenses (those who “close” on scoring) make the playoffs 90% of the time, the ability to close can compensate for many deficiencies and buy you time to learn other skills [00:15:29].

In a sales funnel of 100 people:

  • 10% will never buy, regardless [00:16:29].
  • 10% will always buy; you just need not to mess it up [00:16:36].
  • The middle 80% is what you fight and train for, as they require your help to decide [00:17:06].

The Onion of Blame: Core Distortions of Reality

People often cast their power away to external sources, making excuses for inaction [00:18:10]. According to Dr. Albert Ellis, these are distortions of reality that upset people [00:27:01]. They manifest in three core ways, which can be thought of as layers of an onion:

  1. Circumstances: “I must get what I want when I want it; I must not get what I don’t want, and if I don’t get what I want, I can’t stand it.” [00:27:42]
  2. Others: “Other people must treat me fairly and kindly, and if they don’t, they are no good and deserve to be condemned.” [00:27:56]
  3. Self: “I must do well or else I am no good.” [00:28:06]

These distortions manifest as common excuses, moving from surface-level (circumstances) to the core (self) [00:29:02]. The goal is to peel back these layers to confront the truth [00:29:59].

Overcoming Specific Objections

These are the five most common excuses or “scapegoats” used by prospects:

1. Time (“It’s not a good time,” “I’m busy”)

  • Macro (Busy Season): Ask if they want the solution to last long-term and if they expect to be busy again. If so, starting when busy is best as it teaches them to implement during real-life conditions, providing support when most needed [00:32:50].
  • Micro (No Time in Day): Share a personal anecdote (e.g., wife showing screen time on phone) to reveal hidden time. Emphasize that the program’s goal is to remove non-working activities, freeing up time, not adding more [00:34:04].
  • When-Then Fallacy: Address the belief “When I have X, then I will do Y” (e.g., “When I have time, I’ll start”). This is a logical fallacy, as the program itself solves the problem they are waiting to resolve [00:35:36].

2. Money/Price/Value (“Can’t afford it,” “Too expensive”)

  • Why a Lot is Good: If the price feels like “a lot,” it’s positive because it means they’ll be more committed and go “all in,” increasing their likelihood of success [00:37:50].
  • Relative Value: Frame the cost relative to the outcome. If the program achieves their desired result (e.g., $10k/month income, bikini body), then it’s worth it, shifting the objection from price to their belief in the outcome [00:38:48].
  • Comparison: Anchor the price by comparing it to other, often less effective, investments (e.g., a four-year degree vs. a program that helps earn that degree’s cost in less time) [00:39:34].
  • What’s Money Good For?: Explain they’ll spend the money anyway. The question is whether they pay for it with money (the program) or with time (struggling for years). You’re buying time by learning from others’ mistakes [00:40:35].
  • Resourceful, Not Resources: Self-made millionaires/billionaires started with nothing; their success wasn’t about resources, but resourcefulness. If they found money for unexpected bills, they can find it for themselves [00:43:34]. Encourage them to be as resourceful for themselves as they are for others [00:45:34].

3. Fit (“Not sure if it’s for me,” “I hate broccoli”)

  • New Identity, New Priorities: People vote with their dollars and time. Their current spending reflects their current identity. To achieve new goals, they must step into a new identity with new priorities (e.g., investing in health or education over material possessions) [00:46:44].
  • Change the Change: Their current actions lead to their current results. If they don’t like their results, they must change their actions. The question is whether the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change [00:49:56]. If not, they may need to “hit rock bottom” first [00:50:54].
  • Hypothetical Agreement: Ask: “If this were perfect, would you do it?” [00:52:02]. If they say yes, then ask what’s missing. Often, they can’t articulate it, revealing the real issue is self-doubt, not the program [00:52:41]. If they say no, it reveals a deeper trust issue [00:52:26].

4. Authority (“I have to talk to my partner/spouse”)

  • Isolate the Objection: If the decision-maker isn’t present, ask, “What do you think they wouldn’t like?” This often reveals their own fears or reservations about the program, which you can then address directly, as the spouse isn’t there to object [00:54:39].
  • Support, Not Permission: Frame it as seeking support, not permission. Ask if their partner approves of their current struggle. If the roles were reversed, would they support their partner’s dream? [00:55:00] The real problem is often asking for permission, which can lead to resentment if dreams aren’t realized [00:55:46]. A three-day “no-sweat” guarantee can help them take the leap and discuss it with their partner later [00:57:48].

5. Avoidance/Stall (“I need to think about it”)

  • Past (Not a Fast Decision): Point out they’ve been making this decision for years. All their previous actions (e.g., attending the event, calls) led them to this point, showing it’s not a fast decision, but a culmination [01:01:17]. Address underlying fear: “What are you most afraid of having happen if you buy?” [01:02:01].
  • Don’t Let It Burn You Twice: If they’ve had a bad experience before, don’t let that prevent a good future investment. A past bad decision (like a bad relationship) shouldn’t dictate future opportunities [01:03:01].
  • Past Waffling: Ask if their current position is due to a history of struggling to make decisions or waffling on hard calls. If so, deciding now is the very reason they should change [01:04:20].
  • Cost of Inaction: Are they tired of “another year of almost” reaching their goals? Magnify the pain of remaining in their current state. The cost of inaction is often far greater than the cost of the program [01:04:43].
  • Present (Rocking Chair): Address the false belief that time provides more information. Explain that going home won’t provide new information; they’ll just return to old habits and inaction. Since you are the source of information, decisions can be made now [01:05:46].
  • Three Decision Questions: To help them decide, ask three direct questions:
    1. Do you believe this product/service will help you achieve your goal? [01:07:11]
    2. Do you trust me to fulfill my word? [01:07:46]
    3. Do you think it will work for you? (If no, ask why not) [01:07:55] Once they answer yes to all three, the only remaining question is access to funds [01:08:05].
  • Informed Decision/Guarantee: If they need to “try it,” offer a guarantee. Frame it: they can only make an informed decision on the inside. If after X days it doesn’t meet expectations, they get their money back. This removes pressure and encourages commitment [01:08:52].
  • Etymology of “Decide”: Explain that “decide” comes from Latin “de caedere,” meaning “to cut off” or “to kill off.” Ask which future they are killing off today: their dreams, or their past of inaction? Indecision is still a decision [01:09:37].
  • Future (Magnifying Pain): Project their current trajectory five years into the future. If they don’t change, they’ll be in the same undesirable place. This reinforces the need to act now [01:10:29].
  • Consider the Options: Present logical options:
    1. Do the thing, get the result.
    2. Don’t do the thing, don’t get the result.
    3. Do the thing, don’t get the result (covered by guarantee). This highlights that inaction is the only risk-free option that guarantees no progress [01:10:56].
  • Urgency (Won’t Struggle Forever): They won’t struggle forever; they’ll eventually fix the problem. So, why not start now and enjoy the fruits of labor sooner? [01:11:44]
  • Reframing the Question: Shift focus from “Is this program perfect?” to “Will making this decision get me closer or further from my goal?” [01:12:35] It doesn’t need to be the savior, just a step in the right direction [01:13:06].

Bonus Technique: The Reason You’re Telling Yourself Not to Do This Is the Reason You Do It

Whatever objection they present (time, money, spouse, fit), it’s often the very chain that enslaves them and the reason they need to take action [01:13:38]. Breaking that chain returns power to them [01:14:07].

Final Thoughts

Fortunes are created by taking a lot of risk with a little bit of money [01:14:37]. Investing in your own education, skills, and experiences yields far higher returns than other investments [01:15:00]. Skills cannot be taken away by external forces like governments or divorces [01:15:19].

Each investment in yourself adds “bricks on a bridge” towards your goals [01:17:12]. You don’t need a perfect solution, just one that gets you closer [01:17:47]. The “time tax of ignorance” is the biggest cost you pay – the cost of not knowing how to achieve your goals [01:19:13]. By investing in education and experiences that build skills, you pay down this tax and increase your capacity for life and income [01:19:46].

Remember:

  • Make decisions to help yourself [01:20:01].
  • Implement intensely [01:20:03].
  • Take ownership; external excuses are distortions of reality [01:20:05].
  • There are no silver bullets, but opportunities can move you closer to your goals [01:20:25].
  • Either you win or you learn, both move you forward [01:20:35].
  • Every decision is a vote for or against the person you want to be [01:18:09].

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