I sat there in my chair waiting for the team to enter my doorway. I expected the usual team of two. A nurse or tech and a nurse practitioner have always traveled together as a local mobile doctor. Yet I continued to wait after the first person came through the doorway. She finally looked at me, and we both realized an uncomfortable silence had settled into the room. I quickly broke it by asking, “Is the nurse practitioner coming in?” “No,” she answered, “it’s just me, but I’ll get her on video after we take your vitals.” My real life and my virtual world had collided, and I did not like it one bit. Not to mention that I had so many questions and objections. Then, I realized my questions and objections were similar to what my clients and I hear from prospects. Could I move myself and help prospects past these objections?
Making Changes Is Never Easy
I’ve worked virtually for well over 25 years, but I still enjoy real-life (IRL) experiences. This is especially true when it comes to my medical care. I know making changes is never easy.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure I should write this article, but I know others have or will face these same difficulties, so here it is.
The day this happened, I had another upper respiratory infection. I suffer from these very frequently. My reaction, however, surprised even me. I was very taken aback when the tech told me I wasn’t going to ‘see’ a nurse practitioner that day. Tons of questions and objections flooded my mind.
Questioning New Things
Trying new things is never easy for any of us. The tech’s technology was, in fact, rather slow that day. My vitals had to be done twice because the signal was lost(ugh). It makes you feel really confident, doesn’t it? It is common to question new things until you see them in action or see them proven over time.
I know I’m not the first one to question new things, but I almost felt justified in my indignation this time because this was a medical, after all.
Working virtually is a great option as long as you have a good and secure internet connection. I offered her our password to our internet; however, she assured me that their hotspot would work.
Getting used to all the tech, AI, and virtual savviness today isn’t easy. I know it is even less appealing for those who are aging. My mother has trouble seeing any screen, let alone one that makes her sign it, indicating that she read all the information on a 5″x 7″ shiny screen platform! Most of the time, she turns to them and says, “My daughter takes care of that for me.”
Trouble With THIS Technology
Knowing I work virtually in this tech-savvy world myself, I wondered why I had such difficulty embracing THIS technology? We are all aging, but I’m not that old yet. Why did it bother me so much that I was going to be passed off for a few seconds to the nurse practitioner, via video, and not see her in person?
Why It Was A Problem
It was a problem, and I didn’t understand why at first. The longer I reflected on it, the more reasons (and answers) I came up with for ‘why’ I felt it was a problem.
My Objections:
- Trust – I had come to trust those who usually came out to help us, but I did not know this person, let alone her ability to diagnose my condition. Never discount how important Trust is.
- Technology – the tech was having difficulty connecting. I was informed that they had their own internet hotspot they used when I asked her if she wanted the password to ours.
- Face-to-Face Time Together – The face-to-face (on a screen) time together with a nurse practitioner was only seconds, not minutes, this time. How could she tell how I felt or if I was ill?
- Never Done Before – Yes, I’m going to say it: I’ve never done it this way before! Yes, of course, during COVID, I had many virtual doctor appointments, but they always spent several minutes up to an hour with me to determine how I was.
- Not Yet Tested – I also found that she was newly trained and was still in school, taking more courses. What is a ‘health tech’ anyway? How much education do they need? The truth was that I was uncomfortable because I had not yet tested it (this way of doing it).
After looking at my answers, I quickly realized that I had often heard these same objections – in my business, from prospective clients. It made me consider how I approached them and helped them move past these objections.
Move Past Objections
For those of you who do not know who I am or what I do, let me explain. I am a business coach, speaker, and course creator. Over the years, however, I have moved from a virtual assistant and bookkeeping services to creating a VA agency which I transitioned into a digital marketing agency.
Today, I am a business coach helping women grow their businesses by adding a subcontractor and building a virtual dream team, or I help them build an online agency. So, I know a little something about moving past objections.
When you discuss your services with prospective clients, you can face many objections.
Moving Your Prospects Past Objections
- Trust is a big thing, and if you have not Earned It, they will not buy. That’s the bottom line.
- Technology will be one of the objections for many prospective clients who need your help because they are tired of having to learn programs and just want someone else to take care of it for them.
- Face Time means that some clients like their VA or Freelancer to be local. They want to meet in person and have face time.
- Never Done Before is the big, “I’ve never done it that way before!” objection. Trying to convince others to do it a different way is difficult.
- Not Yet Tested is one of my favorite terms. You will understand why when you read below about overcoming this objection.
Ways You Can Move Prospects Past Objections
1. Trust
The first one is trust. As I said, this is a big one to find your way past. One of the best ways to build trust is share tips with your audience.
How to move past this objection:
Produce content that gives them helpful information. Write a blog, create a video, or do whatever works best for you, and then post it on the platform you are on most often.
What works great for me, because I enjoy writing, is to write one blog article a week. Then, from that article, I create five to seven tips. Using the numbered or bullet points to create the tips. I create a graphic for each one on Canva and schedule them on Social Pilot (the scheduling software I use). This is an easy system to use and follow.
Next, you will need to interact with those in your audience. Go to their profiles and comment and like their posts also (as long as they are not a competitor. This does not take a lot of time, but is something you need to do. Don’t forget to answer comments and like them on your threads.
2. Technology
Technology can be a stumbling block for so many people. There are so many programs out there that professionals have to use today. And if you are speaking with a prospective client and they ask about the programs you use, the answer could overwhelm them.
How to move past this objection:
If they inquire into the programs you use, keep it simple. Speak only to the ones that this prospect uses or would need to access with your work. Let them know that you will help them through it if needed. Reassure them that you are available if they have a problem.
They want to know you are confident in the programs you use because they may not be. Having confidence in what you use and how you will help them goes a long way to converting them into a client.
3. Face Time
Yes, some business owners still want face-to-face meetings, meaning local sit-downs. If you are not local, don’t panic. Reassure them that you’ve worked with clients all over the world, so you know you can help them as well.
How to move past this objection:
Tell them you’re happy to meet via video and will spend the time together that is needed. Ask one of your clients if they are willing to take a 5-10 minute phone call with your prospective client (do this ahead of time so that you don’t suddenly call them and put them on the spot). Ask them if they are willing to be available for calls like this if needed.
4. Never Done Before
Another great objection is, “I’ve never done it before” or “I’ve never done it that way.” This can stem from a need to hold on to antiquated processes. The other reason could be that they are fearful of changing their ways and are unsure what it will look like if they do change.
How to move past this objection:
Be confident that you can help them. You need to come across as confident if you want their business and want to help. Encourage the prospective client and let them know that you know it can be a little scary to change, but you will be there to help them through every step.
Many of these objections require you to bring your confidence. Without it, you will not be able to move them through the objection.
5. Not Yet Tested
I love this term, not yet tested. In the biblical story of David and Goliath (I Samuel 17), it is one of my favority versus. King Saul, so impressed that David wants to fight this giant when no one else will, takes his armor and puts it on David.
39 And David strapped on his sword over his military attire and struggled at walking, for he had not trained with the armor. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, because I have not trained with them.” And David took them [y]off. 40 I Samuel 17: 39-40
(Bible Gateway NASB)
How to move past this objection:
Basically, David said, “I cannot go with this armor, King Saul, because I have not tested them yet.” (I Samuel 17)
David is saying that he HAS tested the Lord, and he knew all he needed was God and his sling (along with a few smooth rocks), not big heavy armor that didn’t fit him.
Saul probably thought he was doing a good thing, bestowing an honor, really, to give David, a small shepherd boy, the King’s armor. To David, however, it was a heavy burden he was unfamiliar with, because he had not yet tested it.
David never fought with it or even trained in armor. He couldn’t take a step in it because it was so big and clunky on him.
David did not need the armor because he got the job done with his tested armor: a sling and a few smooth stones. And with that, God delivered Goliath and his head into David’s hands.
Now, I am not saying to go get a sling, but what I am saying is to stick to your guns and stay firm, believing in the work you do and how it can help that prospective client. Know your software and reassure them that you can do what is needed to take the burden off of them.
Final Thoughts
You may wonder what happened after my real life and virtual world collided. It turned out that I received the medications I needed to recover from my upper respiratory infection, no worse for wear. The point, I guess, is that I recovered. I imagine if I needed additional attention, they would have suggested the hospital, but it did make me look at prospective client objections differently.
I surprised myself with the response I had to a health tech with no nurse practitioner. It did help me consider how I could better answer prospective client objections and help them move past them.
To Your Continued Success, My Friend!
Tammy S. Durden is an award-winning business coach who specializes in helping women online service providers grow a business to fit their lifestyle rather than squeeze a life around their business. This generally means she helps women build and grow an online agency or add a subcontractor to their solopreneur business.
She is also a thought leader, course creator, and speaker in the online service industry.
Tammy has established herself as an authority figure over the last 17 years while creating and growing several online service businesses.