Learning objectives:

• Address objections without letting them overwhelm you or avoiding them, by adopting a collaborative approach
• Turn resistance into opportunities for clarification and decision-making using a 4-step method
• Gain confidence, influence, and credibility in sensitive situations by anticipating objections
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Course :

Session 1: Attitude and Relationship
An objection is never a problem: it’s information about what really matters to the customer. The problem is the reaction it triggers. This sequence is based on a scenario where a conversation goes off track: participants identify the 8 attitude mistakes that destroy the relationship (making a proposal too soon, downplaying an objection, defensive arguments, disguised pressure, etc.) and discover the 3 fundamentals that transform an objection into a calm discussion:

• Active listening (letting the speaker finish, rephrasing, acknowledging before responding)
• Professional empathy (acknowledging the client's perspective without necessarily agreeing with it)
• and the right attitude (neither pushy nor passive: credible and committed).

They also learn that behind every objection there is always either a business concern, a fear, or an unspoken expectation: the salesperson’s real job is to bring out what is left unsaid.

Session 2: Handling Objections Assertively
Responding too quickly means missing the real objection. Participants first learn about the five main categories of objections (Need, Risk, Timing, Trust, Price) and how to recognize them in context. They then practice the four-step ACRE method:

• Listen empathetically (show empathy without jumping to conclusions)
• Dig deeper (ask the question that gets to the real reason behind the position)
• Rephrase (check your understanding by varying the style of the rephrasing)
• Engage (respond with facts, examples, and conditional options).

The exercise is conducted as a role-playing activity.

The segment then addresses the issue of anticipating objections: participants analyze a conversation that goes off track due to seven common mistakes (vague statements, justifications based on internal costs, making concessions too quickly, etc.) and rewrite an assertive script that protects the relationship while remaining firm on the value.

Session 3: Preparing When You Can Anticipate
The third session is a hands-on workshop: each group selects two common objections they hear regularly. The groups then share their best follow-up question and their most effective counterargument with the entire class.

The goal: Each participant will leave with a personalized toolkit of phrases to address their most common objections, follow-up questions, and strategies for building rapport.