Episode #430: Amy Franko

Objections are an inevitable—and valuable—part of the sales process. Amy Franko explains why it’s essential to welcome objections from prospects. Often, objections reflect concerns around value, trust, or priorities. Identifying which category the objection falls into can guide how you respond. In episode #430, Amy offers actionable strategies to help you handle objections with confidence.

Outline of This Episode

• [0:58] Common objections salespeople face
• [3:10] The biggest mistake(s) salespeople make
• [4:31] How to respond to objections
• [7:05] The role of empathy in handling objections
• [9:06] How to handle objections with confidence
• [11:32] Amy’s dos and don’ts for handling objections 
• [15:01] Turning a challenging objection into a sale 

The biggest mistake salespeople make

Amy points out three common pitfalls salespeople fall into when managing objections:

1. Ignoring the inevitability of objections: Sales professionals often overlook early warning signs or assume that silence means no concerns exist. If you sense hesitation, it’s crucial to address it proactively. Objections don’t go away on their own; instead, they fester and create problems later in the sales process.
2. Missing the opportunity: Every objection is an opportunity for the client to open up about what’s holding them back. Amy emphasizes that when prospects voice concerns, it’s a sign of trust. They’re giving you a chance to address their worries and guide them toward a solution. Viewing objections as obstacles rather than opportunities is a missed chance to deepen the relationship.
3. Responding defensively: One of the biggest mistakes is reacting emotionally when objections arise. Amy advises sales professionals to remain calm, curious, and composed. Trust yourself and your ability to navigate the conversation—when you do, the prospect will trust you too.

How to respond to objections

Objections are not roadblocks but stepping stones that can advance the sale when handled thoughtfully. Amy recommends focusing on maintaining momentum and staying in control of the process. When a prospect raises a concern, remind yourself that it’s just part of a conversation, not a confrontation.

Amy takes a problem-solving approach to objections. She suggests being prepared with solutions but remaining adaptable. If a new concern catches you off guard, try responding with, “I appreciate you bringing this up. Tell me what’s on your mind, and I’ll get back to you with a few ideas.” 

This approach acknowledges the concern while giving you time to strategize a thoughtful response. It also reassures the prospect that their concerns matter, keeping the conversation collaborative.

How should new salespeople handle objections? Listen to hear Amy’s thoughts.

Amy’s dos and don’ts for handling objections 

Amy offered up some great dos and don’ts you can keep in mind: 

• Take time to qualify your opportunities. When you do this, you can reduce the number of objections and concerns you’ll have to handle.
• Always make sure that you’re walking with the right people (internally and externally) when resolving concerns.
• Take the time to figure out if a concern is a value issue, trust issue, or priority issue. 
• Don’t give a quick answer to an objection. Allow time and space to process the question. You can take time to research answers.
• Don’t assume that everything is okay if an objection isn’t voiced. You may find out later an opportunity is missed because you assumed there weren’t concerns.
• Don’t internalize those concerns or objections. Know how you react to those objections and concerns (emotionally or physiologically). 

Turning a challenging objection into a sale 

Amy shares a story about working with a CEO who initially resisted investing in sales development. Although the business was successful, the CEO had never made this type of investment before, and it felt risky. Amy recognized that the hesitation wasn’t just about cost—it was about the CEO’s self-doubt. He wasn’t fully confident in his ability to make the right decision.

Rather than push harder, Amy shifted the conversation to help the CEO assess his long-term goals and priorities. She guided him through the decision-making process, ensuring that his concerns were thoroughly addressed. To reduce his perceived risk, Amy proposed a performance guarantee: if the CEO wasn’t satisfied with their progress after 60 days, she would refund the retainer.

This offer gave the CEO the reassurance he needed to move forward. After two months, the results exceeded expectations, and the CEO not only retained Amy’s services but expanded their work together. The story illustrates how a well-handled objection can transform hesitation into enthusiasm—and ultimately lead to a lasting business relationship.

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What was a pivotal moment or experience in your career that fundamentally changed the way you handle objections, and how did it shift your approach?

Viewing objections not as something to “overcome” but to help a prospect or client work through for themselves and their organization. That helped me shift my approach from defense to offense, and I asked about concerns (real and perceived) much earlier in the process. That went a long way in contributing to my being a trusted advisor. 

Can you share a specific technique or framework you’ve used to successfully overcome a tough objection? Please provide a brief example or case study where it worked effectively.

My technique is 3-fold: Why, How, and Alternatives. If I’m faced with a tough objection, I begin with the client’s perspective. Why do you think this is a concern? What would resolve the concern? How do you think this might be best resolved? What alternatives are available to us? The most important thing is a spirit of detached problem solving. It’s about solving a specific problem (or potential problem), without blame, without a defensive stance, and detaching from the outcomes. 

Objections can sometimes feel like dead ends in conversations. Can you share a particularly challenging objection you faced and the steps you took to turn it into a win?

Objections can be rooted in trust, or lack thereof. And sometimes it’s not that the client or prospect doesn’t trust you, it’s that they don’t trust themselves. In one instance I had a CEO who was reticent to approve a large project simply because she had never outsourced the type of work and at the fee levels we were discussing. This person was fearful of the risk, and potentially making a bad decision. I trusted myself to deliver, and so my approach was to offer a 60-day window where at the end we would evaluate progress. We had some specific progress indicators we documented. At the end of that 60 days, we could mutually decide to end the engagement if progress wasn’t being made. That gave this person the confidence to say yes, and we went on to deliver an excellent project. 

What are the top three tools, resources, or training programs you recommend for sales professionals who want to improve their objection-handling skills? 

Book: Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Book: Million Dollar Proposals by Alan Weiss

Training Program: Strategic Selling for Professional Services by Amy Franko 

With evolving buyer behaviors and advancements in AI and technology, how do you see objection handling changing in the coming years, and what advice would you give to salespeople to stay ahead?

There will be an increasing need for educating the buyer where they are and with the right information. All sellers should be continually educating themselves in their industry and proactively sharing that education with their buyers and those connected to their buyers. It’s precisely the advancements in technology and AI that will require sellers to use those AI tools to help them, but to deliver a high-touch experience to their buyers.