The Objections You Are Not Hearing, That are Costing You Clients

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Show Notes

Objections. We all hide them. We do not want to hear them. But guess what? You should love them because it is the objections that your clients are not saying, or your prospects are not saying, that are going to trip you up. They are the ones that are going to go unanswered, and they are the ones that are going to cause that ghosting. We all know the common type of objections where client find excuses but what about the ones that are not being said?

The one where you almost convinced the client that you already sent over the contract and then nothing. You hear nothing. They vanish. Sometimes that is just how it is going to be.

Self Doubt

Maybe they do not have faith in themselves or they do not quite understand your process properly. Then they start getting worried, “I will not be able to do it” especially if it is a large investment. It is much better to have those objections right out there on the call so you can answer them, ensuring the best outcome for them and for yourself.

I spoke to a health coach recently who had been ghosted. A woman had followed her for months, commented on posts, then DM’d her to book a call. On the call, things seemed to go well until the woman said, “I need to think about it.” The coach let it slide. Later, she found out the woman was worried she would not follow through. She had tried many diets and failed before. It was not a lack of belief in the coach, but a lack of belief in herself.

If that comes up on the call, you can explain why your process is different, how you support clients, and how you help them build confidence. Having that objection in the open makes it so much easier to address and would have saved the client a lot of stress.

Nobody wants a client who does not want to do the work. In coaching, it is all about the client doing the work. If they do not want to be coachable, if they just want to come and have a chat without doing the inner work, they are probably not going to be the best client for you.

Scared of Commitment

Make sure you are asking those more difficult questions. We all dislike confrontation and we often think, “Maybe it is just me.” Have you ever been a client who has not quite understood the process but thought, “I cannot ask that question — I am the only one who doesn’t get it”? That is exactly what your clients may be feeling.

Ask questions like: “Does it sound like the right time?” or “If money was not an objection, is there anything else that is coming up for you?” These kinds of questions help you get to the root of the problem.

Sometimes it is because they have had a coach before and did not get the results they wanted. They were sold an amazing package that turned out to be nothing like what they thought. Or the coaching calls were not actually coaching.

Fear of Vulnerability

Pay attention to hesitations, changes in tone, nervous laughter. Use all your coaching skills in consultations. You might ask, “If price was not an issue, is there anything else stopping you from doing this?” This is especially important when the prospect has had no objections at all. Those enthusiastic “yeses” can sometimes turn into no’s later.

You might say, “That is great, we will go ahead with booking. Is there anything that might get in the way between now and then?” Normalising common concerns can actually reassure them, they see that you understand what they might be feeling.

Validate Their Concerns

Listen for unspoken concerns and address them before they become a problem. Sometimes I have thought after a call, “I should have said this or that.” If those thoughts keep coming up, then yes, you should have said it. This reduces ghosting and can even turn no’s into yeses. This also matters at renewal time. Reminding clients of common objections that come up then can help address worries and boost confidence.