Crush Sales Objections: Top 5 Role-Play Scenarios With Lisa Laird

September 22, 2025  by Ewell Smith

Proven Strategies to Turn Objections Into Opportunities With Lisa Laird


Objections aren’t roadblocks!  They’re invitations to prove your value. In this episode, sales trainer Lisa Laird breaks down the top five objections every salesperson faces and shows how to transform them into opportunities that close deals.


Lisa Laird's Top 15 Close The Deal Mindset Success Quotes:


  1. “You’re great at what you do  - but I’m also very good at what I do. You have to let me do my job to solve the problems you hired me for.”
  2. “I didn’t realize how good I was until I had to be.”
  3. “Sales wasn’t easy - sales was the answer.”
  4. “When you’re confident, it flows. And it’s contagious - people want to hear more.”
  5. “The one that’s most prepared wins.”
  6. “You have 30 seconds to earn another 30 seconds.”
  7. “If you don’t show confidence and you don’t show you’re busy, they’ll feel like they’re your guinea pig - and that’s scary.”
  8. “Know the industries, know the timing. If you go in at the wrong time, they’ll remember you negatively.”
  9. “When you listen long enough, people will sell themselves.”
  10. “Just know what you’re saying no to — because a 15-minute meeting could change everything.”
  11. “In networking, set the standard from the beginning — we’re here for business, not just coffee.”
  12. “It’s not my clients’ job to build my business. It’s my job.”
  13. “You can’t be afraid to have the tough conversations. If you’re not getting referrals back, address it head-on.”
  14. “If someone tells you it’s not a good time, keep following up — it often takes seven touches to land the appointment.”
  15. “Don’t pay your bills on luck — pay them on results.”



Learn more about Lisa Laird


https://www.nolapersistence.com/

Close The Deal Podcast Player:

Part 1



Close The Deal Podcast Player:

Part 2




Close The Deal Podcast With Lisa Laird

Owner: NOLA Persistence

The Sales Mindset: Overcoming Objections with Lisa Laird



Every salesperson faces objections. What separates the best from the rest is not avoiding them but mastering them. In this Close The Deal podcast episode, sales trainer and 20-year veteran Lisa Laird shared her top five most common objections — and the mindset shifts that turn them into opportunities.


Why Confidence is Non-Negotiable


Lisa reminds us that confidence is not arrogance; it’s professionalism. Walking into a prospect’s business without setting the standard is handing over control. As she puts it, “You’re great at what you do — but I’m also very good at what I do. You have to let me do my job to solve the problems you hired me for.”


Sales as Survival — and a Calling


For Lisa, sales wasn’t optional. As a single-income mother, her family’s survival depended on her ability to sell. “I didn’t realize how good I was until I had to be. Sales wasn’t easy — sales was the answer.” That urgency gave her a lifelong appreciation for the power of commission-based work to change lives.


Preparation Wins Games — and Deals


Talent matters, but preparation wins. Lisa compares sales to sports: “The one that’s most prepared wins.” That means knowing your prospect’s business, timing your approach, and avoiding “wrong time” impressions. A restaurant at 11 a.m. is chaos; a daycare at drop-off is chaos. Smart timing builds trust before the first word is spoken.


The GET Method: Greet, Explain, Time


Her practical framework for cold approaches is simple:

  • Greet: Introduce yourself confidently.
  • Explain: Highlight the value you bring.
  • Time: Offer a specific follow-up appointment.

By giving direction instead of asking when they’re free, you communicate confidence and competence.


The 30-Second Rule


In sales, time is currency. Lisa teaches that “You have 30 seconds to earn another 30 seconds.” That’s why great openers, confident delivery, and engaging questions matter.


Why Listening is the Ultimate Sales Tool


Objections aren’t barriers — they’re information. “When you listen long enough, people will sell themselves.” Asking smart questions and allowing prospects to articulate problems lets them uncover the very need you’re there to solve.


Networking with Intention


Lisa is clear that networking isn’t about coffee chats. “In networking, set the standard from the beginning — we’re here for business, not just coffee.” Establishing expectations prevents wasted time and creates mutual value.


Generating Referrals the Right Way


One of Lisa’s most powerful tactics is turning vague referral requests into concrete wins. Instead of asking, “Do you know anyone?” she brings a list of 25 companies and asks contacts to highlight who they know. “It’s not my clients’ job to build my business. It’s my job.”


Handling the Top 5 Objections


Lisa walked us through five of the most common objections:

  1. “Can you leave your card?”
    Response: Don’t. Cards go into a pile of 300 others. Set the standard and insist on meeting the decision maker.
  2. “Send me an email with your prices.”
    Response: Prices without context are meaningless. Instead, explain you’ll prepare tailored solutions after a fact-finding conversation.
  3. “I’m not interested.”
    Response: Probe gently. Ask if their team’s follow-up system is really as effective as they believe. Sometimes “not interested” is just a shield.
  4. “It’s not a good time.”
    Response: Keep following up. It can take seven touches to land a meeting. Persistence builds credibility.
  5. “We had a bad experience with another company.”
    Response: Relate as a business owner. Everyone has had unhappy clients. Position yourself as the second-chance provider who delivers 150%.


Why Objections Are Invitations


Objections don’t mean “no” — they mean “show me.” As Lisa puts it: “Don’t pay your bills on luck — pay them on results.” Her resilience is proof that persistence, preparation, and mindset make all the difference.


Ewell Smith, host of the Close The Deal Podcast, discussing sales systems and revenue growth

About the Author

Ewell Smith is the publisher of CloseTheDeal.com and host of the Close The Deal Podcast, where he speaks with founders, sales leaders, and operators about building effective sales systems and scaling revenue. His work focuses on practical sales strategy, marketing execution, and the mindset behind consistent growth.

SMB meaning infographic showing the three pillars of small and medium business: proximity, personal
By ewell smith February 22, 2026
SMB stands for small and medium business — but the real meaning goes deeper. Learn what makes SMBs different, how decisions actually get made, and what it means for your sales approach.
How to create a Google survey infographic showing draft in Docs, build in Forms, and share to close
By ewell smith February 22, 2026
Learn how to create a Google survey using Google Forms, plus the exact questions that help uncover objections and improve close rates.
Close The Deal Podcast episode featuring Ewell Smith and Saul Marquez on building product demand and
By ewell smith February 13, 2026
Saul Marquez shares why most businesses fail and how to build product demand using owned, earned, and paid marketing frameworks that convert.