Feel Felt Found Method
Acknowledge concern, normalize it, then show the path to a positive outcome.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 99%
Feel Felt Found is a three-part communication method for responding to a sales objection. First, “feel” acknowledges the prospect's current emotion or concern so they know they have been heard. Second, “felt” explains that the seller or comparable customers experienced the same hesitation, which normalizes the concern without minimizing it. Third, “found” shares the relevant solution or positive result those people discovered after moving forward. The sequence moves from empathy to social proof and then reassurance, reducing the defensiveness that can arise when a seller answers an objection with facts alone. Its effectiveness depends on honest comparisons and outcomes that directly address the prospect's concern. Practicing the structure through role-play helps sellers retain the sequence while delivering it naturally rather than sounding scripted.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show, where Jasmine Star presented Feel Felt Found as a three-step objection-handling response and demonstrated it with a program time-commitment concern.
Core principles
- 01Begin with empathy before introducing evidence.
- 02Normalize the prospect's concern without dismissing it.
- 03Use relevant experience to reduce isolation and uncertainty.
- 04Connect reassurance to a credible outcome.
- 05Keep the response conversational rather than formulaic.
How to run it
- 1
Feel
Acknowledge the prospect's feelings or concerns directly. Demonstrate that you understand why the decision may feel difficult or overwhelming.
Pro tip Reflect the emotion and the specific issue, not merely the words of the objection.
Watch out Do not use empathy as a superficial prelude to ignoring the concern.
- 2
Felt
Share truthfully that you or relevant customers have felt the same way. This normalizes the hesitation and shows the prospect that they are not alone.
Pro tip Choose people whose circumstances closely resemble the prospect's situation.
Watch out Never invent customer experiences or imply universal results.
- 3
Found
Explain what those people found after using the solution or changing their approach. Make the outcome specific to the objection being discussed.
Pro tip Include the practical mechanism that produced the improvement, not just a glowing result.
Watch out Avoid guarantees unless the business can formally and reliably honor them.
- 4
Return the Conversation
Pause and invite the prospect to consider whether the example resolves their concern. Continue listening if another issue remains.
Pro tip Ask an open question such as whether the proposed approach would fit their circumstances.
Watch out Do not assume that a well-delivered response obligates the prospect to buy.
In the wild
A prospect says that joining a program feels like a major time commitment. The seller acknowledges that it can feel overwhelming, explains that other clients felt the same way, and describes how they found that listening to training while driving, showering, or cleaning required less additional time than expected.
→ The prospect receives empathy, social proof, and a concrete way to fit the program into existing routines.
A team leader worries that new project software will interrupt current work. The vendor acknowledges the disruption, notes that similar teams initially felt the same concern, and explains that they found a phased two-week rollout prevented downtime while reducing weekly administration afterward.
→ The leader can assess the purchase through a credible implementation mechanism rather than a generic reassurance.
Common mistakes
Skipping the Feel Step
Jumping directly to evidence can make the prospect feel corrected rather than understood.
Using an Irrelevant Comparison
The “felt” example loses credibility when the previous customer's circumstances do not resemble the prospect's situation.
Overpromising the Found Outcome
Presenting an exceptional result as inevitable turns reassurance into manipulation.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for live sales conversations where a sincere prospect needs emotional acknowledgment and credible reassurance.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when the comparison is fabricated, irrelevant, or used to manipulate someone who has clearly declined.
From the transcript
“This is a three step process that helps you show empathy and understanding.”
“Share that others or yourself have felt the same way. This lets your prospect know that they are not alone.”
“There it is right there. Friends feel felt, found.”
From the episode
Do THIS to Close More Sales