A sales objection is when you, as a salesperson, want to sell something to a potential customer, but the customer says they dont want it, showing some reasons like already got one, too high price, not in budget, interested in something else, etc.
Objection Playbook (Top 15)
There are countless reasons for a prospect to say âNOâ to a sales representative. You can’t be mad at them because of their denial. This is how things happen in sales. In today’s objection playbook, we will walk through the top 15 sales objections below.
1) No Budget / Too Expensive
Probably the most common sales objection you will face. When your prospects say that the price is too high, they do not have a budget for this, then think about the price. Is this really too high, or is the prospect seeing the value of the product or the service? If the prospect does not recognise the value of your product, let them know how your product or service can mitigate their pain and bring solutions to their issues. Remember not to offer a discount immediately, but rather focus on describing the value your product can add to ease your customers’ work or life.
2) Not Now / Bad Timing
Not now or bad is also a common reason for saying âNO,â but in this case, you need to probe the prospect to find out the root cause.
Acknowledge and empathize:
- I get it, it’s a busy time of the year
- My own schedule is packed, I’m sure yours is too
Ask probing questions:
- Totally understand, would you mind if I ask you what your priorities are right now for your company?
- Is it just a matter of time, you are not interested? If yes, when is the perfect time to reach you?
Now, depending on those replies, you can go forward with follow-up calls for a quick appointment setting for later consultation.
3) âJust Send Me Infoâ
When someone says Just send me the information then dont just say okay and drop the call or end the conversation.
Acknowledgement and pivot: agree to send the information and ask for âwhat specifically are you hoping to learn about our product or service?â
Identify the pain point: your most important task is to find out why the prospect just told you to send information. May the prospect is too busy or already concerned about your product, or it’s just a better way to say no, to find the actual reason, ask:
- Is this a bad time to talk about the deal?
- What if we fix a quick meeting and discuss in more detail?
- What bothers you? Is there anything I can help you with?
Even if you don’t find the actual root cause, you may need to ask the lead qualification team for a re-check about cold or lead inclusion in your list.
4) Gatekeeper Blocking Access
If you are contacting a high-value prospect, then it’s normal to face a gatekeeper who usually asks many details, and for salespeople, most of the time, they block you for several reasons.
Strategies to handle a gatekeeper:
- Don’t treat them as a blocker; show them that they are someone valuable, and respect the blockage.
- You can say, âI completely understand they are busy,â like that, and acknowledge their position of busyness.
- For example, “Could you suggest the best time to connect with the prospect?”.
- If you try to sell to the gatekeeper or lie to them, they can throw you on the block list because gatekeepers do deals like this every day, so be authentic.
Use a concise and calm tone, gather information, don’t use a generic script, avoid giving a sales pitch, etc Those are the most important weapons to get past a gatekeeper and reach your prospect.
5) Already Using a Competitor
If your prospect says they are already using your competitor’s product, then appreciate and ask permission to ask a few questions.
- What are the best features or things you like most about the product or service?
- Why did you choose them over others?
- What are the dislikes?
- Did you ever think of shifting to another brand?
According to the responses, you can offer your product with a comparison of the better side of your product or services.
6) We Do This In-House
Appreciate the prospect’s ability to build the product or service in-house for their own work.
Response strategy for âwe to do this in-houseâ:
- Acknowledge their capability: Thatâs great to hear you have internal resources.
- Probe gently: Out of curiosity, what challenges do you face managing this internally?
- Offer value: Many of our clients also have in-house teams but use us to fill gaps or accelerate results. Would it be helpful to explore where we might complement your efforts?
If your prospect gives some drawbacks of their own product, you can use a strategy to set an appointment for a discussion on how they can overcome these issues. This process also drags your prospect into your sales funnel, even if they are using their in-house product.
7) Not Interested
Several times you will hear this not interested feedback, but don’t end the conversation right then, keep talking, and follow the strategies below.
Response strategy for not interested:
- Respect their stance: I understand, it might not be a priority right now.
- Reframe: Just so I donât miss the mark, is it the timing, the offering, or something else?
- Offer a soft next step: Would it be okay if I sent a quick summary of how we help companies like yours, just for future reference?
For his specific case, if all responses go away on your side, your lead listing has some issues. Re-check the list because you might have unfit leads in your list.
8) Call Me Next Quarter
Response strategy for call me next quarter:
- Absolutely, I will make a note to follow up. Just so I am prepared, what might change between now and then?
- Would it be helpful if I sent a brief overview or case study in the meantime?
Set a calendar reminder and personalize the follow-up.
If you get a positive response, then you need to have a multichannel appointment setting capability to ensure that in any channel, the prospect feels better. So you can reach the prospect later and consult them to pitch the sale.
9) Too Busy / No Time
Your prospect can be in a busy situation, which is totally normal.
Response strategy for too busy or no time:
- Empathize: You can say, Totally understand, your time is valuable.
- Offer brevity: Would a 5-minute call next week work better? I can adjust it to your priorities.
- Provide async options: Alternatively, I can send a short video or summary you can review when itâs convenient.
This is how you deal with a busy prospect.
10) Not the Decision-maker / Need Approval
If you find the person is a non-decision maker, then the person can be your gateway to reach your prospect.
Response strategy for non-decision makers:
- Respect the hierarchy: start by saying, Thanks for letting me know.
- Ask for access: Would it be possible to loop in the decision-maker, or could I send something you can forward?
- Empower the contact: I will make sure you have everything you need to present this internally.
11) ROI Not Clear
If you can make the prospect visualise the ROI, then it will create a clear opportunity, but if you see an objection, then follow the e strategy for ROI; it is not clear.
- Acknowledge and clarify: You begin by saying, I completely understand. ROI has to make sense.
- Probe for context: Is there a specific metric or outcome you would like to see tied to the investment?
- Quantify value: Many of our clients see [X% time saved / Y% cost reduction / Z improvement] within [timeframe].
- Offer proof: Would you like me to share a short case study or example that shows the measurable results others achieved?
12) Security / Compliance / Legal Review
Response strategy for Security / Compliance / Legal Review can be different depending on the company’s internal policies, but you can start by saying:
- Acknowledge and reassure: Thatâs a very valid concern; most teams we work with have a similar review step.
- Provide documentation: We can share our security, compliance, and data protection details upfront to streamline that process.
- Simplify next steps: Who on your team typically handles these reviews? I can coordinate directly to save you time.
- Stay proactive: In the meantime, I can send over our standard security documentation and FAQs for your review.
13) Integration With Existing Tools
This is a critical sales object among all, and you need to really 100% reply, or you can’t just influence someone. Let’s see some response strategies for integration with existing tools:
- Empathize and explore: Totally fair, no one wants another tool that doesnât fit the stack.
- Clarify systems: Which tools are you currently using most day-to-day?
- Show fit: We integrate seamlessly with [tool names / CRMs / APIs], and can often set up a quick demo to show how it works in your environment.
- Offer proof: Would you like me to share a quick integration walkthrough or customer example?
14) Contract Lock-in / Procurement Barriers
This is also a complex denial from a prospect that has a 50/50 chance to take your side. Response strategy for contract lock-in:
- Got it, many companies have similar procurement or vendor review policies.
- We offer flexible engagement options, short-term pilots, month-to-month, or proof-of-concept trials to make it easier.
- Whatâs the usual process or timeline for new vendors on your end?
- I can adjust a proposal that aligns with your internal approval structure.
Those are the most effective responses you can use to a contracted lock-in prospect.
15) Can You Discount? / Pricing Pushback
Most of the interested prospects will ask you for a discount, but your job is to handle the situation without instantly offering a discount. Response strategy for discount or pricing pushback:
- Acknowledge without conceding immediately: I hear you, budget is always important.
- Reframe value: The real question is making sure the return exceeds the investment.
- Offer flexibility: We can explore different package options or phased rollouts to match your budget.
- Hold value: We have priced this to ensure you get a result. I can walk you through how clients see ROI quickly.
- Optional close: Would you like me to outline a few cost-effective options that still deliver full value?
Focus on how much the prospect can make a return on their investment, so their focus shifts from discount to business ROI or long-term benefits.
Conclusion
Sales objection handling is a regular challenge for salespeople, so as a salesperson, if you can deal with the potential customer as you have learned in this blog, then your sales pitch will bring better results compared to previous records. While handling a sales objection, don’t deliver your approach like a robot; be smooth, empathetic, and friendly if needed. Sales is the biggest industry, and every industry is correlated with sales. So once you become a master of this, you are the leader.
FAQ
How Do You Handle Sales Objections Without Sounding Pushy?
Without sounding pushy, you can handle sales objections by validating their concern, listening actively, and then asking clarifying questions to understand the root issue before offering a tailored solution.
What Are the Most Common Sales Objections and Responses?
Common sales objections are: no budgets, not interested, busy, too expensive, gatekeeper, send me info, and responses for each objection can be a little different, and you find them above in the guide.
How Do You Respond to âWe Already Have a Solutionâ?
You can ask if the prospect finds any drawbacks to their solution. If yes, then offer yours, and if no, then approach how your solution impacts in a better way.
What is the Best Way to Talk to a Gatekeeper?
The best way to talk to a gatekeeper is to treat them as an ally, use empathy, ask for help, and don’t pitch or lie.
How Do You Overcome Pricing Objections in B2B Sales?
You can overcome pricing objections by emphasizing features that impact the prospect’s ROI in a positive way and make a difference from other products or solutions.
What Questions Should You Ask After an Objection?
Depends on the objection type, but for all objections, you can ask for the root cause of the objection to your sales pitch.
How Do You Handle âNon-Decision-makerâ?
You can handle a non-decision maker by respecting the hierarchy, asking for access, and empowering the contact.
What Framework is Best for Objection Handling?
There are several frameworks to handle sales objections, but widely used and effective methods are LAER (Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond) or LAVA (Listen, Acknowledge, Verify, Address), etc.
How Do You Turn âNot Nowâ Into a Next Step?
You can take note now to take the next step by asking when is the best time to reach them, and if the time is only an issue, say no or something else.
What is a Good Follow-up Email After an Objection?
A good follow-up email after a sales objection should be prompt, positive, and provide value by directly addressing the concern.
