Tips to Overcome Sales Resistance

It took me 6 years as a commission-only sales rep to make my first $1M in commissions in a single year. If I could go back in time and help my younger self get there faster… I’d tell him to NEVER do these 7 mistakes: 1. Stop being a product pusher You’re not selling the thing You’re selling the results of what your thing does Don’t focus on your product’s features and benefits Focus on the person’s/company's problems and where they want to be. That’s what prospects care about. 2. Sounding needy Sounding desperate will just drive prospects away You don’t want to say things like: “Just tell me what it’s gonna take for you to buy today” (Lowers your status) “If you buy today, we can offer a 20% discount” Etc… 3. Being assumptive too early You don’t want to say things like this too early in a conversation: “When we onboard you, we’ll do XYZ” It will trigger sales resistance with many prospects and cause them to emotionally shut down and throw objections at you. 4. Lowering your status Most salespeople lower their status to “please” the prospect. They build “fake rapport”, say “yes” to everything, and let the prospect have all the “power” You want to do the opposite to come across as the trusted authority, the expert who can solve their problems and get them the results they want. 5. Sounding overly-excited Ever heard “If you’re not excited about what you’re selling, your prospect won’t buy”? That’s a big myth. In fact, there's no data that supports this assertion at all. If you come across as overly-excited and biased, you’ll just trigger sales resistance with many prospects. You want to come across as more neutral, unbiased, collective and detached. 6. Sounding scripted Great salespeople are like great actors/actresses. They know their lines, but they sound natural. You should 100% have a framework/script so you don’t wing it. But you want to understand it so well that everything you say sounds natural. 7. Asking surface-level questions Surface level questions aren’t enough to get your prospect to emotionally open up to you. Don’t ask: “What are your top 3 challenges right now?” Ask: “Off the record, what’s really going on over here that’s caused you to look at possibly changing companies/vendors?” (curious tone)

Sellers - stop chasing "Yes", and start hunting for "No". Human Psychology is on your side. The Psychology of “no” is powerful - it triggers reactance, builds tension, and makes people push back when they feel pressured. But in the right hands, with the right communication finesse, it becomes a tool to create urgency, surface real objections, and move deals forward. Here’s how: 🔹 Negative Reversing - People hate being sold but love to buy. Instead of pushing, pull back: ➡️ “Maybe this isn’t your top priority right now?” ➡️ “Sounds like this might not be the right fit for what you need?” They’ll often defend why they do need your solution. 🔹 Loss Aversion - People fear loss twice as much as they value gain. Instead of just pitching the benefits and upside, highlight the cost of inaction alongside outcomes: ➡️ “What would happen if nothing changes?” ➡️ “If things maintain the Status Quo, would there be any consequences?” Now they’re thinking about what’s at stake if they do nothing. 🔹 No-Oriented Questions - Saying “no” makes people feel in control (Chris Voss talks about this a lot). Instead of, “Do you want to schedule a follow up next week?” try: ➡️ “Would it be crazy to set up 20 minutes next week?” ➡️ “Are you opposed to meeting next week to align our implementation timeline?” Low-pressure, high engagement. 🔹 Control Questions - Most objections aren’t rejections - they’re uncertainty. Guide them with your questions to help them answer their own uncertainty. Instead of countering, reframe: ➡️ “What would need to be true for this to be a no-brainer?” Now they’re selling you on what it takes to close. Great salespeople don’t fear the “no.” They seek it out, and use human psychology to help guide a process.

Old school sales tactics are broken. Nobody responds to a hard sell anymore... The best pitches don't feel like sales calls, they feel like a diagnosis. When I first started Lever, I'd get on calls and try to convince people they needed what we offered. It felt forced and no one cared. But everything changed when I stopped trying to convince and started trying to understand. When you do that, the sale becomes natural. Not because you convince them, but because they can see you get their problem better than anyone else. And there are a few things that make that possible: 1. Define A Clear ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) Know exactly who you're selling to. Figure out: → Who this is built for? → What stage they're at? → What they're struggling with? → Who this isn't for? 2. Understand Their Pain Points Show you understand what they're going through. Ask: → "What's your setup now?" → "What's broken?" → "What's that costing you?" → "What changes if this gets solved?" 3. Create An Irresistible Offer Everything flows from your offer. If it's weak, nothing else matters. Make it valuable, clear, and tied to the outcome they want. 4. Build An Ecosystem That Drives Leads Build systems that generate attention, nurture it, and convert it. → Content, outbound, ads → Newsletters, lead magnets, funnels → Calls, product pages 5. Remove Risk With Proof Don't just talk. Show evidence. → Results with context → The process you followed → Predictable timelines Skip the pitch until you've earned trust with proof. 6. Make The Next Step Easy End every conversation with clarity: → "Here's what I'd do next." → "Want me to map this out for you?" No pressure. Just direction. 7. Ask for Referrals Great work leads to referrals naturally. → Deliver a clear win → Remind them who you help → Make it easy to introduce others Sales get easier when you stop trying to convince people and start helping them see what's possible. If you want more breakdowns on building trust and turning conversations into clients, subscribe to our free newsletter, Building Leverage. Each week, we'll give you quick tools to grow your influence and close more deals without feeling pushy. Subscribe here: https://bit.ly/47q7i9v

10 Barriers to Closing Sales (and How to Break Them) Closing sales isn’t some mysterious art reserved for a select few; it’s a teachable skill. If you’re struggling to seal the deal, it’s time to identify the barriers holding you back. Let’s dive into the top 10 obstacles I've come across and how to overcome them. 1. Not Showcasing the Product as a Solution The best sales reps are their product's biggest fans. However, they often get lost in features rather than focusing on the buyer’s dominant motive (DBM). Nail down the DBM, and your presentations will be shorter and more impactful. 2. Missing Customer Cues Focusing too much on your pitch can make you miss critical customer signals. Pay attention to their reactions; they’ll tell you if they’re ready to buy or if you need to pivot your approach. 3. Avoiding Hard Questions Sales require grit. Asking tough questions might feel uncomfortable, but it’s essential. If your prospect knew what they needed, they’d have already bought it. Don’t shy away from pressing them for answers. 4. Thinking Price Seals the Deal Price is not the primary driver of sales. Instead of discounting, focus on building value around your product. A strong connection to the DBM will overshadow any price concerns. 5. Going In Without Intention Your mindset matters. Approach every prospect with the intention to close. If you believe every customer is a done deal, you’ll project confidence, making it easier for them to say yes. 6. Skipping Soft Closes Remember: buyers are often 57% ready to purchase before they even talk to you. Use trial closes to gauge interest without pressure. Phrases like, “Have you heard enough to make a decision?” can move you closer to the sale. 7. Hiding the Price Until the End Don’t wait to reveal pricing. Being upfront allows the buyer to weigh value against cost from the start, preventing them from fixating on the price alone. 8. Ignoring Influencers in the Decision-Making Process Always identify the decision-maker, but don’t neglect their advisors. Addressing the concerns of influencers will help you gain credibility and close the deal more smoothly. 9. Using Freebies as a Crutch Offering discounts or freebies might seem tempting, but it signals that you don’t value your product. Instead, focus on showing its worth and building value. 10. Failing to Create Urgency Urgency is crucial. Don’t let clients walk away to “think about it.” Instead, emphasize the immediate need for your solution, validating their reasons for buying now. The Key to Overcoming These Barriers: Sales can feel daunting, especially for newcomers. The solution? Practice. Role-play tough scenarios, refine your pitch, and strengthen your sales techniques. Commitment to training is essential if you want to see results. Mastering the close is a powerful tool that will serve you and your clients. You owe it to yourself and your future success. Be Great! #Sales #Marketing

If you’ve heard “let’s revisit next quarter”… If buyers nod in meetings but hesitate to decide… This is why 👇 Your buyers aren’t buying software. They’re buying change. And change triggers fear, uncertainty, and internal resistance. That’s why Lewin’s Change Model fits B2B sales so well. Step 1. UNFREEZE Your buyer is comfortable doing nothing. You help them see the real cost of staying the same. You name the gaps they feel but can’t explain. You align the room on why now, not “why us”. They start thinking: “This problem is bigger than I admitted.” Step 2. CHANGE Now they’re leaning in, but they’re cautious. You guide, not push. You map your solution to how they actually work. You check understanding. You slow things down just enough to keep trust high. They start thinking: “I can see how this would work here.” Step 3. REFREEZE This is where confidence is built. You define success. You reduce post-decision anxiety. You help them replace old habits with new ones. They start thinking: “This was the right call.” Great sales isn’t persuasion. It’s helping someone safely cross from status quo → certainty. If this resonated, it’s because you’ve lived it. And now you finally have language for what your buyers are feeling. Save this. Use it. Sell change.

Buyers don’t resist salespeople. They resist pushy people. People don’t want to be closed. They want to be certain. Especially when: The decision is expensive. The risk is real. The outcome matters. They’re not sitting there thinking: “I hope this salesperson pushes me harder.” They’re thinking: “Am I making the right decision?” And if they don’t have that answer, they pause. Not because they’re being difficult. Because they’re unsure. That’s when everything changed for me. I stopped trying to close. And started helping them decide. Instead of pushing forward—I’d slow things down. Make sure they understood: The problem. The gap. The impact of that gap What happens if nothing changes? Ask better questions. Challenge assumptions. Walk them through it clearly. And I witnessed something significant: Deals began to move faster. Not because I pushed harder, but because they felt more confident. That’s the difference most people miss. In real sales, you don’t close people. You position them to choose. You help them see their future better than it is. You help them navigate their problems being solved. Are you trying to win the moment or help them make the right decision?

Sellers, it's time to come to terms with the fact that obsessively following up with prospects is a waste of everyone's time. 20+ "check-ins" won't make them more interested. Some advice: 1. Change your focus on sales calls from closing at any cost to just giving and getting the truth. When you GIVE nothing but the truth, you're far more likely to GET the truth in return. 2. "Giving the truth" sometimes looks like being the one to call out when there's misalignment between your product and what they need. It can also mean directly addressing when you sense hesitation or concern from your prospect. You're better off calling out "trouble" in the moment than hiding from or ignoring it. 3. Prospects often don't feel comfortable explicitly telling us when they're not going to buy our product; they're afraid we're going to get pushy. You need to make it SAFE for them to tell you they're not going to buy (otherwise you'll never get a chance to hear it directly from them) 4. It's impossible to overcome an objection you don't know about. Hearing the full truth in real-time, even when it's unpleasant (your demo of the analytics module missed the mark, you're way too expensive, your competitor went to college with their CEO), gives you at least a shot at overcoming those objections. 5. Your competitors probably do a pretty good job and your own product likely isn't perfect. When you drop the bravado and stop acting like you're the only offering on the market, you might stand a chance of being seen as a "trusted advisor" buyers actually take guidance from. ^But that doesn't mean you don't believe in your product. ___ If you sell this way, you're far less likely to get "ghosted" But if you do....here's your gameplan to revive a legit opportunity:   1. Calling them > Email 2. Try calling the main line/front desk and asking for them (Sometimes better than a direct dial or cell) 3. Send something to their office (a nice gift or handwritten letter, maybe?) 4. Change the voice (have an Exec from your side reach out to an Exec on their side. This one is better if you do this BEFORE the ghosting occurs, though) 5. Engage with their content on social media 6. Send a calendar invite: "Hey Armand, does this time work for us to reconnect on X initiative?" (tread carefully; sometimes folks are adverse to receiving invites outta the blue) 7. Your messaging on these channels should be pitch-light and casual (Ex. "Did I mess something up?" or "Did I lose you?") 8. Have other stakeholders at the company been involved in the deal? Try contacting them instead. 9. If you hear nothing back after 30 days, you have your answer. It's a no. 

61% of sales reps say selling is HARDER than it was 5 years ago. And that stat came BEFORE the recent tech layoffs, budget freezes and buying committee chaos. According to Salesmate, the top sales challenges of 2024 include longer deal cycles, budget freezes, and decision maker ghosting. Sound familiar? Most reps are panicking. But I’ve seen this before. I sold through the Great Recession. Got promoted 12 times in 8 years. Closed over $700 million in contract value. Hit President’s Club almost every year. Managed a team of 110 before I turned 31 (I’m 41 now). Now I train reps at Google, Zoom, Salesforce, and more on how to thrive in ANY environment… not just when the pipeline’s hot. If you want to be the AE who earns $250K–$500K while everyone else just survives, you have to master this: 👉 How to handle objections without triggering defense mechanisms 👈 (We are in a LOW trust environment in 2025. Layoffs, inflation, interest rate whiplash. People are cautious. Buyers are nervous. Budgets are tighter. That creates friction and with it, skepticism.) Because objections are higher now. Resistance is higher. And if you show up with commission breath, it’s game over. Instead, use this: The HEART Framework This is how top reps turn objections into opportunities. (H) Heard Don’t rush. Don’t rebut. First, make your buyer feel safe. Acknowledge their concern without trying to “solve” it immediately. Example: “I totally appreciate that. Thanks for being honest.” (E) Elaborate Go deeper. Ask questions to surface the root issue, not just the symptom. Use soft tone and pacing to create psychological safety. Try: “Can you tell me more about that?” or “What’s behind that concern for you?” (A) Aside from that Isolate the objection. You want clarity, not confusion. Ask: “Aside from [X], is there anything else holding you back from feeling 100% confident?” (R) Reclarify Value Shift focus. Bring them back to what they liked about your solution. Ask: “Before we dive back into that concern, what stood out to you the most about what we’ve discussed so far?” (T) Transition Now you address the root objection with context. Pull from earlier discovery. Reference past failed solutions. Let them convince themselves. “You mentioned trying X for 6 months with no results. What do you think would change if you kept going down that path?” This isn’t persuasion. It’s precision. Done right, your buyer talks themselves into the close. But here’s the deeper point: If you can stay calm, curious, and service driven when everyone else is pushing discounts, you win. And not just this quarter. You win for life. — Hey Sales Leaders… want to get your team through this TOUGH market? We should talk. I can train your team with our proven repeatable sales systems: https://lnkd.in/eaibeK8q

Dear sales team, Deals don’t die in competition. They die in the buyer’s head long before they tell you “I need more time.” Every prospect hits a point where excitement drops and hesitation takes over. Not because your offer is weak… but because three invisible fears start pulling them backward. 1️⃣ “If this goes wrong, I look stupid.” This is Identity fear. People protect their reputation more than their budget. Show them they’re not taking a risky bet They’re making the same smart move others in their role already made. 2️⃣ “Will my team blame me?” This is responsibility pressure. Buyers imagine worst-case headlines in their head. Give them a clear execution plan where you take the heavy lifting. The moment blame risk drops, decisions move faster. 3️⃣ “Someone important will say no.” This is internal pushback imagination. Prospects rehearse objections from others before those objections even exist. Equip them with simple responses and the resistance melts. When you address these fears directly The prospect stops defending themselves… And starts believing the decision won’t cost them socially, mentally, or politically. Guide them through their fear, and the commitment follows.