Handling Objections: The Objection Wheel

One of the many ways to overcome a prospects objections is something called the “Objection Wheel.” Let me walk you through it:

1. Confirm the reasons for their objection. State your understanding of the objection and use cushioning statements like “I understand” and “It makes sense why you have that concern.”

2. Ask questions to clarify what their true objection is so you know what you have to sell against. Sometimes the objection you hear is actually a cover for a hidden objection. To draw out hidden objections and to confirm the specific reasons, ask questions like:

   • “Outside of this concern, is there anything else we should discuss?”

   • “Suppose this isn’t a concern, is there anything else that would prevent you from making this decision?”

3. Once you’ve isolated the objection, respond. Your response should specifically address and resolve the reason for their objection. Be clear, be concise, and be compelling.

4. Finally, after you’ve presented your response, close on it! Get agreement that your response addressed the prospect’s concern. If it doesn’t, the process starts all over again.

You may not always need to go through the entire wheel to respond to an objection. You may only need to clarify, listen, and respond. The benefit of the wheel is that it forces you to probe a little deeper for reasons and hidden objections while buying you some time to think about your response. Just make sure you don’t overuse it and have it come across as too “sales-y.”