Closing Calls: Handling Fee Objections

When a prospect raises fee concerns during a closing call, it's rarely about the actual number—it's about whether they're confident the investment will deliver results. The advisors who close successfully at this stage understand that price objections during closing are final tests of value, not invitations to negotiate. How you respond determines whether you close with confidence or lose the deal to hesitation.

Why This Happens

Closing calls surface fee objections because prospects face the reality of commitment, they're comparing your proposal to alternatives they've researched, or they're experiencing buyer's remorse before even signing. The objection often masks deeper concerns about whether they're making the right decision or whether they could achieve similar results for less. It's a natural part of the decision-making process when stakes feel highest.

The Psychology Behind the Objection

Loss aversion intensifies at the closing stage—prospects focus on the money they're about to commit rather than the value they'll gain. Decision fatigue also plays a role: after weeks of evaluation, they're mentally exhausted and looking for reasons to delay or reduce commitment. Your role is to reframe the conversation from cost to outcome and ROI, reminding them why they started this process and what's at stake if they don't move forward.

How to Handle It

Don't defend your fees or offer a discount—that signals your value is negotiable and undermines everything you've built. Instead, acknowledge their concern and redirect to the outcomes they told you mattered most. Revisit the goals they shared in discovery: retirement security, tax optimization, legacy planning. Connect your fee structure directly to those outcomes, using concrete examples of how your approach delivers measurable value. If they're comparing to a lower-cost alternative, help them understand what they'd be giving up, not what you're charging. Frame the decision as an investment in their financial future, not a cost to minimize.

Example Script You Can Use

Key Takeaway

Fee objections during closing calls are final confidence checks, not deal-breakers. When you reframe from cost to outcome and remind prospects why they started this journey, you turn hesitation into commitment. The best advisors don't negotiate on price at closing—they reinforce the value that brought the prospect this far and confidently ask for the decision.