Objection Responses

 Recruiters: The Real Secret to Mastering Objection Responses

By Carla Cross
Carla Cross Seminars, Inc.

One of the biggest concerns recruiters have-even seasoned, experienced recruiters-is answering objections. They are fearful that they won't know the 'magic words' to say when the recruit throws them an objection. In fact, it's such a fear, causing such anxiety, that managers unwittingly avoid situations where they may get an objection! This causes them to avoid making a contact (and usually that first contact) with some candidates who may be looking for them right then! (I've found this out firsthand in coaching managers. They will give me very creative excuses regarding why they can't make those recruiting calls. I'm starting to think that they just need to be that clever in making the calls, instead of avoiding the calls!)

You know good agents are the biggest key to your profitability. So, it's extremely important to your company bottom line that you learn the communication skills necessary to handle those objections.

Now, I don't want to disappoint you. This article isn't about giving you all the right answers. That's not the most important aspect to answering objections (but you thought it was!). Here's the principle:

It's not the answers that allow you to control the objection-handling process. It's applying a communication process to work through your candidate's concerns.

How NOT to Handle an Objection

When a manager doesn't know better, she spends lots of anxious hours memorizing what she feels are snazzy, clever answers to all the objections she can think of. Then, she waits impatiently until an unsuspecting recruit throws that objection at her. Ready with the answer, the recruiter provides the answer even before the objection is out of the candidate's mouth! This does get a response, but, not the one this manager wants-or probably expects!

The Effect of a Poorly Communicated Objection 'Answer'

Jumping in with the "right" answer right on top of the candidate's objection makes the candidate feel as though he's in an argument. And, you know what happens in an argument. Each person really takes 'goes into his corner' to take sides! So, when you don't use a process to handle that objection, you actually make an enemy, rather than solve the problem.

It's Better NOT to Know the Answer!
Managers/recruiters would get a better result with candidates to not answer the objection at all, than to answer in a way that creates adversaries. That can make the candidate feel dumb or pressured. You don't want that.

Grasp and Practice a Process to Handle Objections

There are several process approaches to handling objections. Being a simple person, I created one I call the "Triple A" Method. So help you learn the process easily, I've created a CD and flashcard series. There's a series for buyers, one for sellers, and one for recruiting. They're called Objection Busters, and they will help you avoid creating adversaries. They'll also greatly lower your anxiety and fear in finding and working with your recruit candidates. I've not only shared the Triple A Method on the resource, I've also role played with a recruiter and written many answers to objections for you to study. See Recruiters' Objection Busters, part of Cross's Recruiting Mastery System.

Mastering your sales communication skills is a 'must' for managers who want to recruit agents who are right for them. Start the process now, and practice until you have mastered not only the 'answers', but, more importantly, the process. You'll recruit better and easier, and see your profits soar.


Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is a real estate leadership coach and speaker, and is president of Carla Cross Seminars, Inc. and Carla Cross Coaching. She's author of six internationally published books on real estate sales and management, and ten systems. Carla's recruiting, training, and coaching systems are used by thousands of real estate professionals, and many are endorsed by CRS and CRB. Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com.

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