What is a sales objection?
A sales objection is a customer's stated resistance to making a purchase or moving forward with a transaction. Sales reps often encounter objections like price concerns, competitor comparisons, doubts about product suitability, and bad timing.
Sales objections are a normal part of the sales process and provide an opportunity for reps to address concerns and keep the deal progressing forward.
Main types of sales objections
While there are potentially dozens (or even hundreds) of different objections that leads might throw at you, they tend to boil down to one of these key categories:
The lead believes your solution won’t resolve their problem.
The lead doesn’t understand how your solution will resolve their problem.
The problem isn’t important enough to solve right now.
The lead isn’t actually the decision maker.
5 essential strategies for handling sales objections
No matter what type of objection you hear, these smart strategies can help.
1. Be an empathetic consultant
Remember: your job is not to make a sale. Your job is to truly understand what the person on the other end of the line needs and recommend the right next step.
If you speak and listen with empathy and focus on the other person’s needs over your own, you’ll reap better results. The lead will be more receptive to what you have to say and will be more likely to choose your company when they’re ready to hire a vendor.
2. Build rapport early on
The more that your lead trusts you, the more willingly she’ll share her reservations and listen to your responses. Real rapport is everything.
You can build trust by:
Asking deep questions
Being a good listener
Not pushing your agenda
Behaving as a consultant
Being more invested in the lead’s success than your own
Providing helpful resources
Adding value even if you don’t win the sale
3. Think of objections as uncertainty (not pushback)
The phrase “sales objectives” frames the customer as the opposition. This is the wrong mindset. The lead isn’t necessarily trying to push back on your recommendations or sabotage your success.
More likely than not, they’re just confused about what you do and uncertain about how it can help them. So make sure to see the questions within their objections and provide the right answers.
4. Prevent objections from happening late in a deal
The most frustrating objections are those that happen in the later stages of the buying cycle. Just when you think you’re about to close, the lead hits you with a major objection, like budget or ROI doubts.
As you progress in your career, try to pay attention to these late-stage objections and resolve them earlier on. Cover important details in your initial calls and encourage your leads to ask lots of questions so you can be proactive.
5. Know when to let go
Oftentimes, objections are valid! Your lead might not be willing or able to budge.
And that’s okay. You’re better off spending your time on deals that are likely to close. Take excellent notes on lost opportunities and follow up with them in 3 to 6 months to see if you can resolve those objections later.
How to handle any objection in 3 easy steps
When you’re handling objections, your goal shouldn’t be to bust through the objection or hop over it as if it were a hurdle.
Your goal should be to keep the conversation going.
If you can keep the conversation going, you’ll have the opportunity to handle the objection in the best possible way, whether that’s to set up a call with other stakeholders, invite the lead to an upcoming webinar, share a buyer’s guide, calculate ROI, or provide a simple answer.
This is why Morgan J Ingram, sales and employee advocacy consultant, recommends a simple framework for handling any objection.
Use this as your go-to objection handling process:
Step 1. Pause
Take a breather and make sure you’ve really listened and understood.
Step 2. Acknowledge the objection
Next, rephrase the objection and state it back to the lead to show them you’ve been listening and you’re on the side.
Step 3. Ask a question
And lastly, ask them a question that will lead to the information you need to collect in order to truly address the objection.
20 common sales objections and how to handle them
To help you upskill, we’ve got 20 of the most common sales objections, plus tips on how to respond to each one.
Here are the objections we’ll be handling below:
It’s too expensive
This isn’t a priority right now.
My boss won’t approve this.
We don’t have the budget for this.
We don’t have the time to implement this.
We’re planning to go with [direct competitor].
We already use [direct competitor].
We already use [indirect competitor].
I don’t think this will resolve [problem].
Your solution is too complicated.
Your solution doesn’t offer this specific feature.
I’m not sure we’ll be able to get ROI.
I’m too busy right now.
I read bad reviews of your company.
I need to speak to some other companies and get more quotes.
I don’t have the authority to make this decision.
We’re happy keeping things the way they are.
Everyone is too busy to learn something new.
[Direct competitor] is cheaper.
This won’t work in my industry.
1. It’s too expensive
Pricing objections are some of the most common—and trickiest to handle. When someone says your offer is too expensive, what they’re really saying is that they don’t think it’s worth the investment.
How to handle this objection:
Ask questions to get to the bottom of what sort of ROI they need and how they expect to measure it. Then, you’ll be able to present how your solution can deliver that ROI and calculate the impact for them.
2. This isn’t a priority right now.
Oof. You probably hear this one all the time. What the lead is really saying is that they don’t even want to consider purchasing what you’re selling.
How to handle this objection:
Ask the lead for details on their current priorities. Try to find synergy with your solution. Maybe your solution is best implemented at the same time as another, or maybe you’ll be able to help them get better results with a current initiative.
3. My boss won’t approve this.
Are you getting blocked by someone who isn’t even the decision-maker? You need to win them over so that they’ll help you sell your solution to the person who can approve it.
How to handle this objection:
Figure out what their boss cares about. What goals are they trying to achieve? What KPIs and metrics are they trying to impact? Once you know these details, teach the lead about how your solution can help, and they’ll be more likely to take it up the chain of command.
4. We don’t have the budget for this.
This is similar to other price objections, but it has a slightly different flavor. When someone says this, they’re probably interested in what you sell and think the price is right, but they just don’t have the money to invest in it right now (or they think they don’t).
How to handle this objection:
Get details on how they spend their budget and when it renews. Also ask them which recent investments have paid off and which ones haven’t. You might be able to help them cancel vendors that aren’t worthwhile and find some extra money to spend.
Worst case scenario, gather the information you need to know when to reach back out again.
5. We don’t have the time to implement this.
Change takes time. Particularly when selling software, you’re not just selling your solution but the customer’s ability to make the most of it. If your customer doesn’t believe they can implement it well, they won’t purchase it no matter how much they love your product.
How to handle this objection:
Sell your custom implementation, onboarding, and training services. Explain what is included with the cost and what is available for an extra charge. Make sure to always circle back to ROI conversations so the customer knows that the money they’ll invest will be worthwhile.
6. We’re planning to go with [direct competitor].
Ouch. You might be deep in the sales cycle only to hear your lead say that they’ve chosen to go with your top competitor.
How to handle this objection:
Ask why they’re choosing that competitor. If they offer a very important feature or service element you don’t have, you might have to gracefully bow out and spend your time on other deals.
If the issue is price, you’ll need to one-up them. Don’t lower the price, because the lead might wonder how much lower you can go while also feeling frustrated that you didn’t lower the price sooner. Instead, throw in some special add-ons, such as enterprise SLAs, onboarding assistance, quality checks, etc.
And if the issue is reputation, send social proof like case study videos or online reviews.
7. We already use [direct competitor].
Is your lead already doing business with one of your direct competitors? Your ability to handle this objection well comes down to your competitive advantages.
How to handle this objection:
You’ll need to offer a good reason for the lead to make the switch. Be honest with yourself. If the competitor is actually more mature, lower priced, or offers better customer service than you, you might be better off ending the conversation and focusing on other leads.
But if you have something better to offer, then highlight it. Tell the lead about another customer who made the switch and the ROI they experienced as a result.
8. We already use [indirect competitor].
Indirect competitors are companies, processes, and things that solve the same problem as you but in a different way. A common example is when companies are using spreadsheets and inefficient processes instead of software intended for collaboration and visibility.
How to handle this objection:
Help the lead see what they’re missing by continuing with that process or solution. Ask questions about what isn’t working and dig into all of the pain points they might not realize they had. Highlight how these issues are costing them time and money, and then showcase the ROI of your solution.
9. I don’t think this will resolve [problem].
The lead knows they have a problem. They know your company solves that problem. They just don’t think it’ll actually work.
How to handle this objection:
Yup, you guessed it: ask them why.
You might find that the real issue is that they’ve been burned by vendors before, in which case you’ll need to describe your superior customer service and onboarding processes.
Or, you might find that they think some fancy new buzzword is the solution. You can teach them that similar customers have gotten great results by ignoring shiny object syndrome and fixing the root of the problem, which is exactly what you’ll help them do.
10. Your solution is too complicated.
When a lead says something like “It’s too complicated” or “It’s too difficult” or “I won’t be able to figure it out,” what they’re really saying is that they don’t believe they’re a fit for what you’re selling.
How to handle this objection:
First of all, you need to pause and consider whether the lead is right. Is the solution too complicated for their needs? Would they be better off using something simpler? If so, recommend another option to them and let the deal go.
If you believe wholeheartedly that the lead really is a fit for what you offer, then you’ll want to proceed in one of three ways. Explain the free training resources you offer, pitch a more expensive deal that includes more implementation support, or send them case studies of similar customers who successfully made the lead and got great results.
11. Your solution doesn’t offer this specific feature.
What do you do when a lead is adamant about purchasing a product with a feature you don’t have?
How to handle this objection:
There might be a reason you don’t offer that feature. Explain to the lead why your company has chosen to be a “master of one” instead of a “jack of all trades” platform, and the value that creates.
For the most part, this sort of objection requires internal conversations. Talk with your product team about getting the feature on the roadmap—so long as the lead requesting it matches your ICP. Then, whenever it’s requested, you can let leads know that it’s on the way.
12. I’m not sure we’ll be able to get ROI.
While this objection might seem straightforward, it can mean a lot of different things.
How to handle this objection:
Even though the lead says they don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve ROI, they might actually be saying that they don’t know if they’ll be able to measure and prove ROI to their boss. Ask questions to get to the root of their concern. Then, present how you’ll help them calculate and report on ROI throughout the service agreement.
13. I’m too busy right now.
While this objection is most commonly heard early on in the sales process (like during cold calls or discovery calls), it can hit you at any time in the sales funnel, because people’s capacity is liable to change at any time.
How to handle this objection:
Lean into what the customer wants to achieve. If you know that what you’re offering is actually what they need right now, help them overcome their doubts by sharing how your company will be there to help every step of the way.
If this is a new lead, ask them about their priorities. Figure out where your product fits in, and find a time to circle back, if needed.
14. I read bad reviews of your company.
93% of customers say that they’ve avoided doing business with a company based on a bad review.
When leads tell you about a bad review, it’s actually a good thing. They’re not just ditching out on you. They’re giving you an opportunity to respond.
How to handle this objection:
Ask them for details about what they read in the reviews. Be honest and own up to the issues. Maybe your company was growing too fast, understaffed, or didn’t have great customer service in place. Talk about how your company has learned from and improved based on those very same reviews.
If you’re not familiar with the issues mentioned, be honest about that too. Let your lead know that the issue is not common and that you will look into it and get back to them on how your company plans to prevent it from happening again.
15. I need to speak to some other companies and get more quotes.
During the middle of the sales cycle, you’ll hear this and similar objections. Some leads might be doing their due diligence, and others might be stalling.
How to handle this objection:
Leads will say this when they have zero intention of actually doing so. They’re just trying to end the conversation. The lead might be hiding the fact that they don’t think your solution is valuable or worthwhile. Ask them how important it is to solve the problem. Get on the same page there and you can start giving them the information they really need.
If the lead really does want to collect quotes, ask them if there’s anything specific they’re hoping for that you haven’t delivered yet.
16. I don’t have the authority to make this decision.
In most cases, when a lead says this, they’re at least mildly interested in what you have to offer. But sometimes, they might state this as a way to stall or avoid talking to you.
How to handle this objection:
You can always ask to be introduced to the decision-maker. But don’t go that route unless you’ve already laid some groundwork with the person to show them the value of what you have to offer.
If you’re not sure if they’d be willing to introduce you, you can always ask, “Do you know enough about my company to introduce me to the decision-maker or would you like me to share how we’ve helped companies like yours achieve [result].”
17. We’re happy keeping things the way they are.
The lead claims they’re fine with the status quo, and you need to figure out whether or not that’s really true.
How to handle this objection:
Ask them for more details about what’s working with their current setup. Then segway into the things that aren’t working. Try to find issues, motivations, or triggers that might make them interested in at least continuing the conversation with you.
18. Everyone is too busy to learn something new.
Maybe the issue isn’t that your lead is too busy. Maybe the issue is that their team or the people who will be affected by the vendor relationship are too busy.
How to handle this objection:
There are a few different directions you could take this. You could explain to the person that your solution won’t actually require as much time as they expect. Or, you could share how your company’s custom services will help augment low availability.
But you’ll usually need to ground the conversation in the lead’s objectives. Help them see why this is worth making time for.
19. [Direct competitor] is cheaper.
Just because the competition is cheaper, doesn’t mean they’re the right choice. What really matters is delivering the experience and results the customer needs.
How to handle this objection:
Ask the lead what matters the most to them when it comes to choosing a vendor. They might say reliability, customer service, etc. Explain to them that your company charges a little extra so you can take care of every element—while your competitor does not.
20. This won’t work in my industry.
Your lead might be concerned that what you’re selling doesn’t apply to their unique situation.
How to handle this objection:
Share case studies from similar companies in their industry. If you’re expanding into a new industry, draw on similarities to help them see how your proven track record still applies.
If you suspect this is just an excuse, go back to asking about their top goals and priorities right now, and take the conversation from there.
Objections in sales are never cut and dry. When in doubt, always lean on empathy and intuition.
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