If you’ve been following anything that we’ve been doing over the past couple of weeks, you know that we recently launched our Sales Objections Playbook free download where we share scripts for the most common objections that travel advisors face with prospective clients.

In a previous post, we shared how to articulate your value as a travel advisor, and this week we are taking this a bit further and discussing how you can overcome sales objections with confidence.

Understand Common Sales Objections

A sales objection is a question in the form of pushback that can make the lead pause before committing to a sale, or even stop the progress of the sale completely. The travel industry faces a large number of objections because a travel advisor’s service, by nature, is a luxury. While we see the value because we know what we add, or even save clients from experiencing, the truth is that no one HAS to have a travel advisor to travel. When a product is a luxury, there will be more objections because the purchase is completely optional.

Prepare For Objections

We recommend writing down your frequently asked question, as well as any objections that you’ve faced, and writing well-articulated responses without the emotion of being asked “on the spot.” Objections are not only inevitable, but they are necessary to prove your value. By knowing that you will face objections and then preparing accordingly, you can move into your sales pitch more confidently.

Strategies To Overcome Sales Objections

Facing objections head-on through your marketing can help “myth bust” before clients ever work with you, which is a great way to avoid them in the first place. You can do this through the copy on your website, stories on social media, blog posts, and any other marketing that you provide. When doing so, it’s best to tackle the three main objections that travel advisors encounter: price, time, and safety. Another key objection to handle is how clients can remain involved and have control over their itinerary.

The LAER Method

When handling objections in real-time, a best practice is to employ the LAER method. This stands for listening, acknowledging, exploring, and responding. Many people believe that sales is largely about talking, but we’d argue that listening is more important. A proven way to get comfortable in overcoming objections is by practicing this method with role-playing.

What are the common objections that you come across as a travel advisor? Share them with us in the comments!