Walk into almost any sales training today and you’ll hear the same thing: “Here are the top ten objections you’ll face—and here’s how to respond.”
It sounds helpful. Simple, even. But it doesn’t work.
The problem isn’t just that no two buyers are alike, or that new objections appear in every deal. The real issue is that the methodology itself is flawed. Teaching sellers to memorize scripts puts them in combat mode, trying to “overcome” the buyer. It frames objections as barriers to defeat instead of concerns to explore.
And that’s exactly why most objection training fails.
Trusted Advisors Welcome Concerns
Great salespeople—trusted advisors—see objections differently. They don’t fear them. They understand that concerns are a natural and healthy part of decision-making.
Think about your own experience making a big purchase or business decision. Did you have questions, hesitations, even doubts along the way? Of course. That’s how people process risk and gain confidence in their choice. Research in behavioral economics (Kahneman and Tversky’s Prospect Theory) shows that as people get closer to making a decision, they tend to imagine potential negative outcomes more vividly—a natural bias toward loss aversion that influences how decisions are made.
For trusted advisors, then, an objection isn’t a problem. It’s an invitation to a deeper conversation. When a buyer voices a concern, they’re engaging. They’re telling us what matters most to them. That’s not resistance—it’s opportunity.
Why Scripts and “Overcoming” Don’t Work
So why do so many traditional training programs lean on objection scripts? Often because it feels easy to package, teach, and scale. Listing common objections and memorized responses gives managers a sense of control and sellers a quick playbook, even though the approach ignores the complexity of real buyer conversations.
- They oversimplify reality. No two buyers—or objections—are identical.
- They break trust. When a buyer senses a canned answer, credibility takes a hit.
- They miss the point. Concerns aren’t something to bulldoze; they’re clues about how a buyer defines value, risk, and success.
Scripts teach sellers to react. Trusted advisors need a way to think.
A Structured Way to Resolve Concerns
There is a better way—we can use a structured six-step model for resolving objections. Instead of memorizing comebacks, we can approach concerns with curiosity, clarity, and confidence.
Here’s how it looks in practice. Imagine a buyer says:
“I’m not sure this is the right fit for us.”
The scripted approach? Offer a canned reassurance or push harder on benefits. The structured approach? Slow down and demonstrate a genuine concern for the buyer and their decision. Research on communication consistently shows that what people want first and most when they have a concern is simply to be heard and understood—validation that their perspective matters before any solution is offered (see Weger, Castle Bell, Minei, & Robinson, The Relative Effectiveness of Active Listening in Initial Interactions, International Journal of Listening, 2014: https://doi.org/10.1080/10904018.2014.968567).
For illustration, here’s how the six steps look in a common scenario:
- Identify what the buyer actually means, and use a simple set-aside to ensure we uncover the real issue or issues rather than just reacting to the first thing we hear (“Help me understand what’s behind your concern.”)
- Quantify how significant the issue is (“If we can’t resolve this, would it prevent us from moving forward?”)
- Relate by showing empathy and connecting with their perspective (for example, acknowledging how a concern could feel genuine given their process or priorities)
- Isolate the concern quickly so it becomes an issue we work together to resolve (“It makes sense—if aside from this issue we truly have what you want, then let’s work together to figure out how we can resolve it.”)
- Qualify by engaging the buyer in a collaborative workshop-like discussion—working together to determine what can realistically be done to resolve the issue, rather than telling them what should be done
- Answer simply and clearly. If in step 5 we determined what must be done from the buyer’s perspective to resolve the issue, then in this last step all we need to do is answer—yes, we can do it, or no, we cannot.
Together, these six steps ensure we can resolve any concern with confidence and consistency. Of course, there is nuance in applying the approach, and practice is required to become truly proficient in having these conversations. What we’ve shared here is only a cursory review—the full application requires deeper exploration and coaching. But the upside is enormous—more wins, and at higher margins. In fact, in one client survey the team estimated that applying the objection handling methodology would allow them to generate or save $16M in margin.
The Bottom Line
Most objection training fails because it teaches the wrong thing. Objections don’t need to be “overcome.” They need to be understood, clarified, and resolved in ways that build trust and confidence.
Trusted advisors welcome concerns. They know that every objection is a chance to deepen credibility and guide buyers toward the best decision.
Consider whether your team is still relying on memorized scripts. A structured, trusted-advisor model doesn’t just prepare sellers for the top ten objections—it equips them to handle the hundreds they’ll encounter across their careers.
Are you and your team prepared to welcome concerns, not fear them?
Axiom provides a unique alternative to traditional sales training. Unlike traditional sales training events, we embed our methodology into your sales cadence, delivering dramatically better sales results. To learn more about Selling the Axiom Way, our comprehensive sales methodology, the Axiom Sales Excellence System, or our Kinetics Sales Excellence Platform, please visit us at www.axiomsaleskinetics.com.
