If you have been in real estate for any period of time, you probably have made the mistake of walking into an appointment a little over confident. Only to find that despite you having more experience, a better process, and more skill they decided to go with a less qualified agent. SO FRUSTRATING!!
The issue is I rushed into the meeting thinking “I’ve got this” and I didn’t consider their feelings. As you already know, it didn’t turn out well. They felt unheard, unseen, and didn;t trust me to help them to sell their home. In order to prevent myself from doing this. When I’m presenting I think of the Trust Funnel.
At the top of the funnel is Curiosity, they don’t know you yet. They certainly aren’t likely to commit to months of working together, In the middle is Comfort. They’re starting to open up. They may even say they like me! But they’re not sure if they trust me to help them yet. The bottom of the funnel is Trust. This is when they begin to trust you enough to start to listen to your advice.
Curiosity
When you ask surface-level questions like, “How many bedrooms are you looking for?” or “When do you want to move?” you’re just gathering data. You’re at the top of the funnel… in Curiosity. They are likely going to answer these questions freely and openly, being careful not to reveal something too personal or that can be used against them later.
That’s the Trust Funnel. Every question you ask should move them one step deeper down that funnel. Keep in mind, it is the customer determines what level they are in, not you. This is why you must be a keen observer.
Listening to see if they are honestly answering your inquiries, deflecting, avoiding, or getting defensive, and watching their body language to determine if they are calm and relaxed, distant and avoidant, or worse frowning and aggressive. These are all indicators of where you are in the Trust Funnel.
When NOT-TO Handle Objections
A true objection isn’t determined by WHAT they are saying, it is determined by WHEN they are saying it. The perceived objection of “I’m not going to pay more than 4% in commissions.” that a seller may say over the phone, is simply a comment at that point in your relationship. Like the person at the bar saying, “I don’t want to be in a relationship” is just a comment.
Here is why: You haven’t made an offer for them to object to. Another way to say it is without asking for their commitment, there can’t be an objection. It is simply a comment. When the person in the bar says, “I don’t want to be in a relationship,” they are not objecting to your proposal because you haven’t asked. Therefore, it is just a statement.
When someone makes a statement or comment, prior to your asking for their commitment, it may be a way for them to position, state their concerns, or share their feelings. These things are all important for you to write down so you can communicate the concerns and overcome them in your presentation, prior to your asking for commitment.
To continue to move through the trust funnel, it is best practice to acknowledge to them that you heard the concern. Often a simple “Okay” is all you need to say at this time. Early in a relationship, anything else can come across as argumentative or worse agreeable. When faced with an early Objection, acknowledge it, write it down, and continue the conversation.
Comfort
Your goal is to create a safe space for them to open up to you by asking a few deeper questions like; “Why is that timing important to you?” or “What happens if you don’t move by then?” you’re discovering motivation. If they answer these questions openly and honestly, you are now at the level of Comfort, and that’s where influence begins.
However, they may not be sharing the full truth to you. You haven’t transitioned into the Trust level until the client starts revealing what’s really driving them beneath the surface. Here’s how to get to the Trust level and when you truly know the client trusts you to help them.
Trust is When you Handle Objections
The ONLY time to handle objections is after your Value Presentation and Ask for Commitment. A commitment to become their agent, a commitment to pay the commission you are offering, or a commitment to price and condition the home accordingly.
Nobody in their right mind will or should commit to work with you without knowing what your value is first. Therefore asking for commitment prior to presenting your value is a sure way to upset the process of building trust and will often leave you empty handed with an unsigned agreement.
Therefore, the way to handle objections is to follow the Trust Funnel. Customers start with Curiosity about you or the service you are providing, they then move to Comfort and are willing to meet with you and hear your “Value Presentation”; about your history, your perspective on the market, and about your process to help them. And then finally, after they show you signs that they Trust you; you can “Ask for Their Commitment” to work with them.
When this process is done correctly, previous objections will be naturally overcome with your presentation, or are intentionally set-up with your presentation (I will share this technique later). In either case if you follow this process, you should never… I repeat… never be surprised or unprepared for an objection.
This is why the Trust Funnel matters so much. When you present your value before asking for commitment, and you will intentionally weave in the answers to the most common concerns sellers and buyers have, the client will feel heard and understood long before you get to the close.
By the time you ask for the commitment, the only objections that surface are the ones you want to surface… the real ones. Not smoke screens. Not stalls. Not “We need to think about it.” Those disappear when trust is built correctly.
Final Thought
The best agents don’t “close” people, they guide them. They move clients gently through the funnel, from Curiosity to Comfort to Trust, by asking the right questions in the right order. And when they finally ask for the commitment; whether it’s to hire them, agree to the price, or even to get a price reduction, it feels natural.
The Trust Funnel reminds us that in real estate, timing is everything. Handle objections too soon, and you look defensive. Wait until trust is built, and you look like a professional who truly understands people.
Because in the end, trust is the only close that matters.
Call to Action
If you’re tired of battling objections and chasing clients who won’t commit, it’s time to rebuild your process around trust.
Start by re-writing your buyer and seller presentations through the lens of the Trust Funnel. Make discovery your first step, comfort your bridge, and trust your destination.
Want help designing a value presentation that builds trust and eliminates objections?
👉 Book a coaching session with me—and let’s rebuild your listing or buyer consultation so objections disappear before they ever show up.
