The 6 Most Common Sales Objections and How to Overcome Them
Among the skills that separate good salespeople from great ones is the ability to overcome sales objections.
But even the best sales representatives have to deal with certain barriers imposed by clients that send a chill down their spine just hearing them.
When they arise, you already know: argumentation and negotiation will be challenging.
To help you navigate any sales objection, we have prepared this article.
We will cover the most common objections and discuss those that are not so obvious or frequent.
And, of course, we will also share tips to resolve these issues, featuring insights from our own sales team, sharing the experiences that taught them how to overcome these challenges.
How to Avoid Sales Objections?
Practicing Active Listening
Knowing how to speak and argue is important in sales, but what truly sets you apart as a salesperson is the ability to listen.
By practicing active listening, you will more easily understand your prospect’s profile and needs.
Additionally, letting the consumer speak will make them feel more comfortable in the conversation, which is another advantage for you.
Asking Open-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions shut down conversations quickly. Simple as that.
Open-ended questions can be objective while allowing the conversation to flow naturally.
Besides open-ended questions, try asking sequential questions within the topic the consumer is most open to discussing.
Allow them to express their thoughts about your offer and use this opportunity to not only guide the conversation but also gather relevant information that can help you close the sale.
Validating the Prospect’s Concerns
Your prospect’s objections reveal valid insecurities and doubts.
Moreover, they are useful for improving your sales process and qualifying your lead.
Validating concerns means listening to them, understanding them, and addressing them by providing the information your potential customer needs.
Balance the consumer’s perspective with the company’s to find the right equation.
Anticipating Objections
An exceptional salesperson quickly identifies the consumer profile they are engaging with.
By understanding how their mind works and which sales objections they are most likely to raise, you can anticipate strategies to overcome them before they even arise.
To develop this skill, observe which objections are most common in your daily interactions and relate them to the consumer profiles that present them.
- Are there similarities between cases?
- Are there behavioral patterns?
- How could you respond to each of them?
- What can you do in advance during a prospecting call to prevent them?
With time, practice, and study, you will be able to apply this strategy more effectively.
🔎 Read also: What is a Sales Funnel? Stages, Methods, and 9 Tools
Presenting the Product
Before choosing which movie to watch, we check the trailer and read the synopsis. The sales process is no different.
Consumers value familiarity: well-presented products or services prevent surprises and issues—and allow for prior planning.
In other words, by showcasing your product—through free trials or sample offerings—you prevent objections arising from lack of knowledge and excessive skepticism.
This is even more crucial in the SaaS (Software as a Service) model. Customers already expect a well-structured and presented demo.
What Are the 6 Types of Sales Objections?
We are sure you are already familiar with many of the most common sales objections listed here, but it never hurts to review them so you know what to expect when entering a sales or contract negotiation.
1. Price
Price can indeed be a decisive factor in closing a purchase or deal.
If your prospect truly does not have the financial capacity to do business with your company, this means you are targeting the wrong audience.
However, many times, price objections serve as a cover for other concerns the client may have.
That’s why investigating and offering alternatives is essential.
2. Timing
The right timing for approaching a potential customer makes all the difference in a sales process.
If you offer the client what they need at the right moment, the chances of closing a deal are huge.
Similarly, if you approach the right person but they have no urgency or priority in solving their problem, the chances decrease.
3. Competition
If your prospect’s objection is the competition, it means they are interested in the type of solution your company offers and are at the right stage to buy.
Your job here is to convince them of your unique advantages and benefits over other options.
4. Lack of Trust
Lack of trust as a sales objection can be related to the solution being offered, the brand or company, or even the salesperson.
In this situation, the potential customer recognizes their problem, wants to solve it urgently, but does not believe your solution is the best option.
5. Reluctance
When a prospect is hesitant to close a deal or switch from their current provider to your offering, you must once again use your persuasive skills to highlight the advantages and unique value of your solution.
6. Disinterest
This category includes consumers who either do not need to solve the problem your solution addresses or have not yet realized that the problem exists.
As a result, your offer does not seem appealing to them, and interest still needs to be cultivated.
This type of lead still requires qualification for purchase and may need to be nurtured through marketing actions and materials.
13 Examples of Sales Objections to Practice
“I Need to Think About it More.”
In most cases, this objection arises when a potential client still has doubts about the solution or company but wants to research further on their own.
A little more information might help them reach a purchasing decision.
To overcome this, a great salesperson would ask about their doubts and provide supporting content such as e-books, online demos, or success stories for them to review at their convenience.
“I’m Considering Other Options.”
Encountering this sales objection is actually a great opportunity.
After all, if your prospect is researching options, it means they are at the right buying stage.
Your job is to use the right arguments to convince them that your solution is the best on the market.
“…” (Dead Silence)
And what’s worse than sales objections related to insecurities, competition, or doubts?
No objections at all—just complete silence.
This is the worst situation a salesperson can face.
If a prospect says nothing, it does not mean they have nothing to say.
For some reason, they choose not to share.
A customer who has no questions or clear objections is a major red flag for the sales team.
Try offering options and, in this case, alternate between closed and open-ended questions to encourage a more receptive response and advance the conversation.
“I’m Not the Decision-Maker.”
This objection arises when the prospect lacks the authority to finalize a purchase or contract.
Similar to the “I need to think about it” objection, what the consumer really needs is more information.
Instead of bypassing this contact to approach the decision-maker directly, use the relationship you’ve built so far to your advantage.
Provide supporting materials and a clear explanation of why they should choose your company so they can effectively advocate for the sale.
🔎 Read also: How to Identify and Approach Decision-Makers in B2B Sales
“We’re Using the Competitor, and it’s Working for me.”
This objection is common, but it can be easily overcome. To do so, make sure your sales team is well-trained and understands the differentiators of your product from start to finish.
Another key point is to invest as much as possible in the customer experience. Show that your team is there for the user, strengthen the relationship, and personalize the contact even further.
Finally, offer free trials of your product so the customer can see for themselves that your option is truly the best.
🔎 Also read: [Complete Guide] How to Succeed in Post-Sales
“With a Bigger Discount, I’ll Take it Now.”
If you’re thinking that offering a coupon or running a special promotion is the best way to handle this objection, you might be right.
But you might also be wrong. It all depends on your CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost).
If your CAC can handle a discount, objection successfully overcome! But you need to understand if the reduced price isn’t causing you losses.
To overcome the objection, you need to reinforce the advantages of your product, add even more value to it, justify the established price, and highlight everything the customer will gain by choosing it.
“We’re not Making new Purchases this Year.”
It’s not always the right time to sell your product or service to certain leads, especially since this issue involves other factors far beyond how much your company can help.
Therefore, the best way to overcome this objection is to first ask when the best time would be to close the sale, and then record that specific information in the CRM, keeping in touch throughout the year to ensure you’re not forgotten.
“I’ve Never Heard of your Brand.”
It’s never too late to introduce yourself!
When faced with this type of objection, think of it as an opportunity to sell your company.
Take the chance to show your product in-depth, demonstrating how it works in practice.
To introduce the company, use success stories and customer testimonials.
“I Don’t Think I Need your Product.”
If they think they don’t need you, it’s because they don’t know you yet! 😋
Be prepared and do your homework for these situations. Have ready the arguments that prove the benefits of your product or service and how it fits perfectly into the consumer’s scenario.
“I Haven’t Had Time to get to Know your Product.”
This is a common problem that shows a difficulty in your marketing team: taking your product forward so others can get to know it.
If your lead hasn’t had time to get familiar with it, now’s the time to invest in a guided demo. Open your product during the meeting and ask about specific needs the customer has.
Going from need to need, present all the features of your product. If your lead doesn’t know the product, use the meeting itself to introduce it.
“Your Company is too New, and I Don’t Trust it.”
It’s that saying: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Show those with this type of objection that your company already has success stories and previous experiences with excellent results from other customers.
Also, whenever possible, reinforce your company’s values and repeat all the benefits it offers.
“I’ll Need to Change many Routines in my Company.”
Some changes come for the better! This is the argument you should use to overcome this objection.
Don’t stop there. Show the consumer that your company will be there, by their side, through the entire transition and change process.
“What if I Don’t get Used to the Product?”
Well, not everything is forever, right?
That’s why it’s important to make it clear to the customer that there are exchange and return conditions, and explain how they should proceed if that becomes their choice.
In the case of software, advise them to try signing shorter experience contracts to avoid losses.
How the Best Salespeople Overcome Objections
Want to learn how to overcome sales objections like the best do?
Check out our tips:
Slow Down the Pace
When you identify a sales objection, don’t rush to respond with what comes to your mind.
Pause, don’t interrupt the consumer while they’re speaking, and when it’s your turn to speak, do so calmly, without showing nervousness or haste.
Make the Conversation Clear Through Questions
Have your prospect answer why they’re bringing up that objection.
Asking questions right after an objection is a way to clarify the conversation and issues, and it also helps eliminate any misunderstandings or confusion.
But be careful: the question you should ask is not “why?”
Asking like this won’t clarify anything and may even lead to a confrontational feeling.
Validate the Prospect’s Objections
People feel misunderstood most of the time throughout their lives.
It’s a human thing.
So, showing that you’re listening and understanding what your prospect is saying will help you gain points in the negotiation.
Talk by reinforcing the concerns and feelings caused by the objections, and offer alternatives to address them.
Isolate the Objection
During an approach, it’s common for multiple objections to arise.
But don’t be mistaken, there is usually just one real reason that’s keeping the consumer from making a purchase, not several.
It’s your job as a salesperson to identify the real difficulty of the prospect and work to solve it
Tips from Our Sales Experts
Something we couldn’t leave out in this post is the tips and testimonials from our sales team.
After all, who better than the professionals who are prospecting every day to help us understand how to deal with sales objections?
Check out the testimonials from our experts:
“More than responding to objections, we need to understand the true pain of the customer. Asking questions is always the best way. Ask to understand what leads them to have this pain and clarify how your solution can help, challenge by challenge. The more we understand the customer, the more tricks we have up our sleeve to guide them to closure and show them how we solve their needs.” Rafaela Soares, Sales Manager
“Validating the lead’s pain is, in my opinion, the most important step for effective contact. Without knowing exactly what they’re looking for, it’s hard to guide the conversation focusing on solving the problem. No one really wants to know what features the platform has, but rather, how it will solve the pain they have. Talk about business, not features.” Anthony Rebelo, Pre-Sales Manager
“In fact, salespeople who talk too much early on end up confusing the lead or making them lose focus due to too much information or unnecessary questions. The conversation should flow naturally, always with the goal of validating potential information and applying sales methodologies to progress the process. High-performing salespeople listen more than they speak and, when they do speak, they ask relevant and objective questions.” Lucas Lima, Performance Consultant
“Raising all objections is important to know if the point raised is the only and main obstacle to moving forward in the negotiation. It’s very common to have veiled objections during a negotiation. Mapping all issues that could prevent the deal from closing helps me make the process quicker and more assertive.” Lucas Vianna, Performance Specialist
Conclusion
Now you’re better prepared to handle and overcome sales objections, from the most common to the most challenging.
Knowing how to listen, understand the profile of your contact, and argue the right way will make your work stand out and help you close many new business opportunities.
Be sure to check out other content about sales here on the Leadster blog.
