Every entrepreneur hears the same two objections, and they always come down to time and money. “How long is it going to take for me to see results?” or “Oh wow, I didn’t think it was going to cost that much to work with you.” 

Sound familiar? Of course they do. I’m almost certain you’ve heard these before—and even said them yourself. You’re not alone. But here’s something you may not realize: objections aren’t just something to overcome; they’re open windows into your audience’s fears, doubts, and desires.

Take Cynthia, for example. A full-time middle school teacher and wellness coach, Cynthia had a passion for helping others transform their lives through yoga, healthy eating, and mindfulness techniques. In our first conversation, she said, “I’m not quitting my teaching career. I have eight years until retirement. I earned that money, and I want it all. Can you help me sell out my group program and retreat? And how long is it going to take?” 

I remember sipping my latte, looking at Cynthia, and saying, “About two years.” 

“Why so long?” she asked, surprised.

My reply was simple. “I only teach sustainable business growth strategies. You started by saying you have no desire to leave a demanding career. You’re going to build a business that earns three times your salary around that. You have a wife and two kids. You need to plan on at least two years to see the results you desire.” 

I was honest. Cynthia was selling $2,000 1:1 coaching packages, but the constant hustle left her drained. Every attempt to launch her $5,000 group program failed. Her audience kept opting for her 1:1 offer, leaving her stuck in a cycle of overwork and frustration.

And although she kept hearing the time and money objections, here’s the truth: neither time nor money was the real problem.

The Truth About Objections 

Objections aren’t rejections. They’re reflections—windows into the fears, doubts, and desires of your audience. But to truly understand objections, you have to shift your approach. That’s where my sales-first philosophy comes in.

Most entrepreneurs over-focus on marketing, believing that more visibility will solve their problems. But visibility without alignment leads to increased objections. Sales-first thinking flips the script: instead of focusing solely on attracting leads, you prioritize creating offers and messaging that align so deeply with your audience’s desires that objections start to dissolve before the sales call even happens.

Why focus on sales first? Because in the age of conscious consumerism, business is no longer transactional. It must be mutually beneficial—built on trust, alignment, and clear value. When you address objections early, you create a business model that thrives even when algorithms shift, economies fluctuate, or markets evolve.

Every objection is laced with a fear. If you can identify the fear, you can start having a completely different conversation with your audience long before they’re even considering a purchase. Here are the three core issues that increase objections:

 1 Lack of Clarity: Your audience doesn’t fully understand the value or outcomes of your offer.

•  Example Fear: “What if I invest and don’t get the results I expect?”

 2 Fear of Failure: They’re worried they won’t achieve the results you’re promising.

•  Example Fear: “I’ve tried programs like this before, and they didn’t work.”

 3 Misaligned Messaging: Your content isn’t addressing their deeper needs or aspirations.

•  Example Fear: “This sounds nice, but does it really solve my specific problem?”

The good news? You can address all of these issues long before your audience reaches your sales page or schedule link. In fact, you can start reframing objections from the very first time someone interacts with your brand. That’s the power of alignment, and it’s why objection handling isn’t just a sales skill—it’s a strategy for building trust and authority at every touchpoint of your business.

Cynthia’s Breakthrough: Eliminating Objections with the AOS System

Cynthia’s transformation didn’t happen by chance. She applied the AOS System—Audience, Offer, Sales—to realign her business and eliminate objections before they could derail enrollments into her $5,000 group program.

But before we could dive into audience and offer alignment, we had to go back to the core issue: why wasn’t her $5,000 group program selling?

Step 1: Review the Sales Conversations

In a sales-first mindset, everything starts with understanding the sales process. For Cynthia, this meant reviewing her sales conversations—both recorded calls and notes—to uncover the recurring objections her potential clients voiced.

She believed the primary objections were about time and money:

• “I can’t afford it.” 
• “I don’t have time for the retreat.” 

But by analyzing her conversations, we realized something deeper: it wasn’t about affordability or scheduling. If clients were willing to pay $2,000 for a six-week 1:1 coaching package and often stayed for up to a year, they had the financial means. The real issue was a lack of clarity around the value of her $5,000 group program.

Step 2: Understand and Reframe the Objections

Once we identified the true problem, we shifted focus to reframing her messaging and addressing the objections proactively:

• Affordability: Instead of focusing on cost, we emphasized the outcomes and long-term value. Clients needed to see how the $5,000 group program provided a deeper transformation than the 1:1 coaching model they were familiar with.
• Time: The retreat was a key part of her program, but clients didn’t see how it aligned with their busy, professional lives. We repositioned it as an opportunity for rejuvenation and collaboration with like-minded women, making it a desirable feature rather than a hurdle.

Step 3: Align the Audience and Offer

Cynthia’s audience already included professional women who were career-driven, family-oriented, and craving community. However, her messaging wasn’t speaking to their aspirations or addressing their deeper needs.

We helped her:

1. Focus on Her Ideal Clients: Cynthia shifted her content to specifically target busy professionals who wanted to be part of a supportive community.
2. Highlight the Collaborative Nature of the Group: Instead of pitching the program as just a series of coaching sessions, we framed it as a team-like experience. These women, who often led teams in their careers, would now have the chance to collaborate, share, and grow in a community of peers.

Step 4: Differentiate the Offer from the Product

Cynthia’s product—a transformational group coaching program—was solid. Her results spoke for themselves: clients stayed with her for nearly a year. The issue wasn’t the product itself but how she framed the offer.

To bridge this gap, we focused on:

• Presenting Clear Outcomes: We clarified the transformation clients would experience, from achieving wellness goals to cultivating balance and community.
• Building Trust Through Messaging Shifts: Cynthia’s content began to address objections directly. She shared stories of past client successes, broke down the benefits of the program, and positioned the retreat as a critical part of the journey.

The Result: A $5,000 Group Program That Sold Out

By realigning her audience, offer, and sales strategy, Cynthia transformed her $5,000 group program into a sought-after experience. She eliminated objections before they arose, making it easy for her audience to say yes. With these shifts, Cynthia didn’t just sell out her group program—she scaled her business to $300K without burning out or leaving her teaching career.

Actionable Steps to Master Objection Handling

If you’re ready to turn objections into opportunities, here’s how to get started:

•  Identify Your Audience’s Fears
  Every objection is a window into your audience’s mindset. Review the most common objections you hear and ask yourself:

•  What fear might be driving this response? 
•  What does this tell me about my audience’s priorities? 

•  Understanding these underlying fears allows you to address the real issues behind the objections.
•  Address Objections in Your Content
  Your content is your first sales conversation. Use posts, videos, or emails to speak directly to your audience’s fears, offering solutions and proof points that build trust.

•  Example: Share a case study or client testimonial that highlights how you’ve successfully guided someone through a similar concern.

• Reframe Your Messaging
  Position your offer as inevitable, not optional. Your audience needs to see your offer as the natural next step in their journey. Focus on:
•  Outcomes: What transformation will they achieve?
•  Aspirations: How does this align with their deeper goals?
•  Messaging: Speak to where they want to go, not just where they are today.
•  When you reframe your messaging around transformation and alignment, objections begin to dissolve before the sales conversation even happens.

It’s Your Turn To Make Objections a Thing of the Past

Imagine building a business where “I can’t afford it” or “I don’t have time” are no longer barriers to your growth. That’s what happens when you master objection handling—and it’s exactly what Cynthia did to scale her business to $300K.

Objections don’t have to be obstacles. They can be opportunities to build trust, align with your audience, and create offers that feel irresistible. Are you ready to do the same?

The SELFmade Success System® is here to guide you. Let’s turn your objections into opportunities and create a business where every “yes” feels effortless. 

Tap here to learn more about SELFmade Success System®.