How To Use The Feel Felt Found Method To Handle Objections Like A Pro
The key to effective objection handling in sales is to empathise with your prospect. If you’ve been in the sales game for a while, you’ve probably heard of the 3 Fs — or the ‘Feel Felt Found’ method — that draws on this narrative. Sales reps employ this technique to overcome objections and ultimately improve their sales performance.
What is the Feel Felt Found method?
The Feel Felt Found method is an effective way to give your client the perfect response to an objection. It’s especially handy when you know you can’t provide them with exactly what they need. You instead focus on fostering a connection by relating to their problem. It’s considered a universal technique as it can be applied to almost any scenario and inevitably helps you close more deals.
It works using the three elements in this manner:
| Feel | This element shows that you understand how the customer feels. |
| Felt | You then tell them about another person who also felt that way. |
| Found | Explain how that other person found the solution to their issues when they bought your product. |
What makes the method a great objection-handling technique?
The Feel Felt Found objection-handling technique has been around for a long time. By using this approach in your sales process, you can build trust with prospects and increase your chances of closing more deals. Here are its key features:
- Customer-focused: The method focuses on the situation and feelings of the client. It enables sales reps to highlight the client’s needs and acknowledge their concerns so they know they’ve been heard.
- Empathetic: Using the ‘Felt’ approach, you’re expressing empathy by letting your client know that this initial thought is something that other clients have shared. Telling them the story of how others have felt the same way validates their concerns and makes them feel like they aren’t alone.
- Persuasive: The art of persuasion is necessary to handle any sales objection. Using the 3 Fs method, you come across as a convincing and trustworthy source. It’s an effective way to establish your credibility and help you close more deals. When you recount how you’ve successfully handled similar issues with previous clients, it helps the client see the value of your offering. They’ll understand that others have found success with your product and that it is worth investing in.
- Universal: The Feel Felt Found method offers versatility — you can incorporate it into a wide range of situations and industries. Whether you’re dealing with a price objection or a quality objection, this method can help you counter them effectively.
How to use this objection-handling method
The 3 Fs method is very easy to incorporate into any sales conversation to handle objections. The basic approach is to let the customer know that you understand how they feel, that you’ve handled similar objections from other clients and the solutions that worked for those clients. Here’s the basic model for applying this objection-handling methodology:
| The 3 Fs | Explanation |
| Feel | As the first step, you have to acknowledge the prospect’s objection. You need to let your prospect know that you relate to how they feel. For example, ‘I can understand how you might feel [objection].’ |
| Felt | The second step involves sharing past accounts of how other clients have felt the same way as them. Explain to the prospect that they are not the only one with this particular concern: ‘I’ve had two other clients who felt the same way as you.’ This will help them realise that they aren’t alone in this situation and that you’ve handled this matter before so you know how they’re feeling. |
| Found | The last step is where you explain how those individuals found success or satisfaction with your product. Let the client know which solutions worked for others who were in this situation. Express empathy towards their situation and come up with a possible solution to their problem:‘We’ve found that [solution] has actually [fixed pain point] and they are 100% satisfied with it.’ |
Examples of using the 3 Fs technique
1. Price objection
Objection: ‘I don’t think we have the budget for your product.’
Feel: ‘I understand that you might feel that way when you consider the initial cost.’
Felt: ‘In fact, we’ve recently heard back from a customer who felt the same way at first.’
Found: ‘After using our product for a few weeks, they found that it actually saved them time and money in the long run. They were very happy with their decision to choose us.’
2. Time objection
Objection: ‘I don’t have time to commit to this product at the moment.’
Feel: ‘I understand that you must have an extremely tight schedule.’
Felt: ‘I worked with one customer who was working 14-hour days and felt like she couldn’t take time out to look at solutions.’
Found: ‘After seeing our product in action, she found that it left her with more time to prioritise important matters. It helped her manage her schedule more efficiently.’
3. Quality objection
Objection: ‘I’m not sure your product will give us the tangible results we’re looking for.’
Feel: ‘I can understand how you might feel about starting a new business relationship. You might have had a bad experience with a similar product.’
Felt: ‘Some of our other customers felt the same. They had previously used [competitor], and it just hadn’t worked out for them.’
Found: ‘To be specific, they found that our product was far more durable than what they were previously using. They were delighted with the decision to switch.’
These are some examples of common sales objections and how to use the Feel Felt Found method to counter them. You can use this technique to handle other types of objections as well, and it is likely to bring you a favourable outcome.
FAQs
Why is it important to handle objections effectively?
Handling objections effectively is important for converting your prospects into customers, closing more sales and achieving sales performance consistency. By addressing objections thoughtfully and persuasively, you can build trust with prospects and demonstrate the value of your product or service.
Can the Feel Felt Found method be used for any type of objection?
The Feel Felt Found method is a versatile objection-handling technique that can be used for a wide range of objections, including price, time, quality, relevance and competitor objections. The key is to subtly redirect the conversation while validating the client’s concerns.
How can I use the 3 Fs method effectively?
To use the Feel Felt Found method effectively, it’s important to pay close attention to the client’s concerns, be a good storyteller and stay motivated. After hearing their objection, acknowledge their reservations and share a relevant account of how a previous client had the same concerns. Highlight that client’s current success with your product to solidify the deal.
How can I practice objection-handling skills?
You can practice objection-handling skills by role-playing with a colleague or mentor. Record and analyse sales calls to identify potential areas for improvement, and seek feedback from your customers and prospects.
Can the 3 Fs method be used in any industry?
Yes, the method can help you counter a wide range of objections no matter the industry of your business. Whether it is healthcare, technology or retail, the key is to discern the common objections in your industry and craft your responses accordingly.
Is the 3 Fs method appropriate for both B2B and B2C sales?
Yes, this method can be used in both B2B and B2C sales, as it employs a customer-focused approach that can help build rapport and trust with prospects.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when using the 3 Fs method?
Some common mistakes to avoid when using the Feel Felt Found method are:
- Sounding too scripted or formulaic
- Failing to truly understand the prospect’s concerns
- Not tailoring your responses to the specific objection or prospect
Can the Feel Felt Found method be used in written communication, such as email?
Yes, the Feel Felt Found method can be used in emails. Just make sure to take your time to craft a thoughtful and personalised response that addresses the prospect’s concerns.
How can I measure the effectiveness of the Feel Felt Found method in my sales process?
You can measure the effectiveness of the 3 Fs method in your sales process by tracking the number of objections that are overcome, the number of closed deals and the feedback from customers and prospects. By gathering these sales performance metrics and analysing the results, you can refine your objection-handling approach and improve performance over time.
Conclusion
The Feel Felt Found method has been around for many years and continues to radically improve the rate of success in sales. When you learn how to incorporate this technique into your meetings without sounding like you’re following a script, it will likely be a game-changer for your overall sales performance.
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References & Further Reading
- How to Create a Sales Rep Performance Scorecard (Easy Guide)
- 9 B2B Sales Time Management Techniques Of Top Salespeople
- What You Need To Achieve Consistency In Sales Performance
- 5 Simple Tips for Storytelling in Sales [+Example]
- [Guide] How To Motivate Your Sales Team When Sales Are Down
- 4 Effective Exercises For Using Role-Playing As A Sales Training Tool
- The Essential Sales Team Performance Metrics To Track