![[Video] 6 Buyer Objection Handlers + Examples From Real Cold Calls](https://theclose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FeatureImage_Buyer_Objection_Handlers.png)
It seems as though every internet lead received a memo on what to say to get you off the phone.
“I’m just looking.”
“I already have an agent!”
The funny thing is we get angry with leads who say “No, I am just looking.” But let me ask you this question. What do you do when you walk into a retail store and the salesperson says, “Is there anything I can help you with today?”
Exactly. You say “No thank you, I’m just looking!” Why? Because you don’t want to be sold to, right?
Calling leads is no different. We just have to get a little more information and focus on the details and we can overcome objections like this. In this article, I am going to tell you exactly what to say to overcome this and five more common buyer objections.
1. “I’m Just Looking—I’m Good.”
This is the most common objection inside sales agents (ISAs) hear.
There are several ways the conversation can go, but remember, the most important objective is to find out where they are in the process of making a move.
The best way to achieve this is to keep asking questions. Here are a few key questions to get more information from your lead and deal with their objections before they come up.
Lead: No thanks, I was just browsing.
Agent: Do you have any future plans?
Lead: I don’t know, maybe next year.
Agent: Oh, when do you think, spring, summer, or fall?
Lead: Probably fall.
Agent: Perfect, what would be the reason for the move if you were to move?
Lead: Kids will be out of school and we will be downsizing.
Agent: Are you going to sell or keep your current home?
Lead: We are not sure yet.
Agent: No worries. What information can I be getting into your hands while you are in the information-gathering stage? We want to be your resource to stay up to date with the market.
Lead: We would be looking for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath, probably around 300 or 400 thousand.
Agent: Great, I will make sure to keep you updated. Do mind if I just check in every now and then in the meantime to see if you may have any questions or want me to revise anything within the search? Oh, and your email address that I have is _________?
Notice the focus was finding the time frame and reason for the move. These two points are the most important because it helps the lead tell their story, and everyone secretly wants to tell their story.
We need to know their pain (the reason for the move) and also understand their urgency (if any), as well as the timing and reason for the move to qualify the lead based on priority.
Let’s take a look at that same conversation if they had answered your question about future plans differently:
Lead: I really don’t know, I really was just looking.
Agent: What about future plans?
Lead: Well, yes maybe future plans.
Agent: What does the future look like 1, 2, or 5 years from now maybe?
Can you see the difference between conversations and the priority of nurturing a lead? The more questions you ask, the more layers of the onion you are able to peel back to know how and when to follow up with them.
Of course, this was just a hypothetical conversation. Here is an example of how I handled the “I’m just looking” objection on a recent phone all with a lead:
2. “I Already Have an Agent.”
This is my favorite objection! Of course, if they are angry or impolite right away, I just let them go with an: “OK, thank you!”
However, most people are not angry or impolite right away. Here’s how that conversation usually goes:
Agent: Hello, [First name], this is [Your Name]. I saw you were online looking at homes in [where they were looking]. I am just checking in to see what your plans are, or what you might be looking for.
Lead: Oh yeah, yes. I am looking.
Agent: What is your current situation right now? Do you own, rent, or live with family?
Lead: I am renting.
Agent: Are you in a lease term? Or month to month?
Lead: Month to month.
Agent: So, when would you like to be in a home?
Lead: ASAP.
Agent: How long have you been looking?
Lead: 3 months.
Agent: Have you just been looking online, or have you been in any homes?
Lead: We have been in a few homes.
Agent: How did you see them? Are you calling the listing agent, or are you committed to someone?
Lead: This agent has shown us a few.
Agent: And how has that experience been for you so far? Why haven’t you found anything?
Lead: By the time we see it, it already has offers on it.
Agent: I don’t want to step on toes, but let me ask you. Has that agent sat down with you and asked you what your expectations are in a home, what you are comfortable spending, and helped you understand the market?
Lead: No, she just shows us what we want to see.
Agent: Again, I don’t want to step on toes or take business from anyone, but this is a big investment you are taking on, right? Don’t you owe it to yourself to know you have someone who is working proactively for you in your best interest? When would be a good time for us to just meet and talk? I would just appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.
Now if someone says “I have an agent” right away, it may go much differently. My favorite go-to line for that conversation is:
Agent: Great, I don’t want to step on any toes, but I do have to sleep tonight. It is 2022 and it seems as though everyone has their real estate license. Are you 100% certain the agent you are working with is protecting your future investment and doing everything they can to be proactively looking for a home for you?
Try it! You will be surprised at the responses
Please remember just because they say they have an agent, it doesn’t mean they really do! Ask questions like they are doing business with the worst agent in your market and you have to save them from a bad experience.
Here is an audio recording of exactly this conversation, and my agent followed up with me after this call and said she had a buyer agency agreement signed the next day! Success!
3. “I Just Want to See This One Home.”
Don’t be the Real Estate Taxi Driver! These Zillow leads will be the death of you. They don’t understand the process when they request information and almost none of them know their phone number goes to multiple agents. They think they’re contacting the listing agent! It is the ISA’s job to educate and qualify.
Here’s how an “I just want to see one home” conversation usually goes:
Lead: I was just interested in seeing that one home. Why are there not any more photos online?
Agent: What is it about this property that makes you want to see it?
Lead: It is the right price and a neighborhood I like.
Agent: How long have you been looking?
Lead: A while.
Agent: And why haven’t you found anything yet?
Lead: It hasn’t been the right home.
Agent: And what makes you think this one will be?
Lead: I don’t know, I have to see it to know.
Agent: Well, tell me, what is your current situation? Do you own or rent?
Lead: We own.
Agent: Are you going to be selling your current home, or keeping it?
Lead: We are not sure yet.
Agent: In regards to financing, will you be paying cash or obtaining financing?
Lead: Financing.
Agent: If this is the perfect home for you, are you prepared to write an offer with a pre-approval letter?
Lead: My credit is fine, I am not worried about that.
Agent: I completely understand and respect that. However, the market is moving so fast and most homes have multiple offers I don’t want to get you into a situation where you fall in love with a home and are not prepared. And also, if I found any other homes that met your specific criteria, would you be interested in seeing those too?
Lead: Yeah, I suppose.
Agent: I will tell you what, I have to make arrangements to get into this home anyway. In the meantime, do you mind if I have my lender contact you to get that process started just in case this is the home that is perfect for you? This way, we will be a few steps ahead. I promise there is no obligation and I am not trying to push you. I just don’t want to see you potentially lose something that works perfectly for you. It’s rough out there! All I want to do is protect your investment and have the opportunity to earn your business.
The key to handling this objection is to take it away from them. What I mean by that is to make it clear there is no obligation, and that you are not forcing them into anything. Make it about them; convince them you want to protect their money and their future investment.
If they don’t see that, you probably don’t want to work with them anyway. Take it from me, the leads you force end up being your biggest nightmare and you can’t wait to say goodbye at the closing table.
4. “I Am at Work, I Can’t Talk Now.”
This one drives me absolutely bonkers. Finally someone answers the phone, AND they are in a hurry. There are a couple ways to approach this objection. Of course, no matter how you choose to handle it, just remember the most important objective:
Find out where they are in the moving process!
The last thing you want to do is to call someone back who may have NO intentions of making a move.
Here are my two favorite ways to handle this objection:
Agent: Oh, I am sorry, when can I call you back, or can you text?
My second approach relies on the assumption that if they can answer the phone, they can answer a few quick questions:
Agent: Gosh, I don’t want to keep you, I just wanted to know if you were planning a move in the next six months to a year? One last thing, I have your email address as _____________, is there anything specific you want me to set up before we talk again?
5. “I Just Wanted to Look But I Had to Sign Into Your Website to Look.”
Leads get really aggravated with the process of having to register to look at homes. Remember, most don’t understand the process. So don’t fall into their unhappiness or feel guilty for capturing their information. Just go with it and have empathy for them.
Lead: I don’t want to talk to anyone, I just wanted to look at homes.
Agent: I totally understand, I know it is frustrating. But guess what? Now you don’t have to take another call because we are talking now.
OR
Agent: I totally understand. I know it is so annoying; we just want to make sure you find what you are looking for. Our job is to make your online experience as easy as possible. How can we continue to help with market information so you don’t have to register anywhere else again? What exactly might you be looking for?
Lead: I don’t know, I am just looking for now.
Agent: Awesome! What kind of homes would interest you most?
Lead: I have to have a single family. I don’t want any HOA.
Agent: Got it, and do you have a price range in mind?
Lead: 250-400K.
Agent: Perfect! Oh, and one last thing, do you have a timeline that you would like to be in a home?
And there you go. It is really not difficult to shift the conversation off the negative. Just roll with it and empathize with their frustration.
6. “I Am Just Looking to See if There Is Anything I Can Afford.”
The main objective with these leads is convincing them to meet with a lender ASAP. You can show homes all day long, but if they don’t have any buying power, what’s the point? Here are a few strategies to do get them interested in talking to a lender:
Agent: Have you spoken with anyone about how much a mortgage payment would be on a particular price property?
Lead: No, I haven’t.
Agent: I want to make sure we are staying within your budget, and that is the best place to start. We can look at homes all day long, but I want to be sure you are comfortable with the payment first. Does that make sense?
Lead: Yes, it does.
Agent: Great, do you mind if I have (either my lender or agent) reach out to you? What is the best time for them to reach you?
Here is a great example of a call helping her understand the process and how to get them talking to a lender before seeing a home. Qualifying and setting expectations is the key to a successful close.
Bonus Cold Calling Video: Asking the Right Questions Will Get You Everything
Don’t be afraid to dig deeper with questions and have real conversations with leads. Everyone wants to look at homes, but you don’t have time for that. I wanted to share this conversation as an example of just having fun with leads and have a conversation like you would with your friend.
My favorite questions:
- If I had a magic wand and everything aligned perfectly, what would a move look like for you?
- What has to happen for you to make a move?
- What are your future plans?
- If I could make something happen for you that met your expectations, would you move sooner rather than later?
- What can I be doing for you in the meantime while you are educating yourself on the market? What is most helpful for you to know?
Here is a live conversation of a lead that truly is a ways out from a purchase and how to dig a little deeper.
Over to You
Have a buyer objection you’re not sure how to handle? Let me hear it in the comments! I’ll tell you how I’d handle it.
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