How to handle common sales objections

Objections are inevitable in sales. It doesn’t matter how well you perfect your pitch or how well your product or service can perform. Sometimes, customers aren’t convinced. Maybe they have another solution lined up or are dealing with other priorities. Maybe they don’t have the authority to move forward.

For salespeople who don’t know how to deal with objections and pushback, talking with hesitant prospects can feel like hitting a dead end.

But here’s the truth: Most of the time, objections aren’t roadblocks. They’re signals. They show that your buyer is interested, engaged, and thinking critically. They’re weighing their options and trying to fit the pieces together.

Fortunately, reps don’t have to go it alone. Proven strategies exist to help reps navigate these tricky situations and find the best path forward.

In this article, we’ll break down the most common sales objections, explore why they happen, and show you how to handle them.

What are sales objections?

Sales objections are any concerns, hesitations, or barriers raised during the sales process that prevent a prospect from saying “yes” right away. While they aren’t direct rejections of the product or service, they’re clear hurdles that will need to be addressed before the deal can close.

Objections can take many forms, and you’ve probably used some of them in your personal life when evaluating a purchase. Here are a few common examples:

• “This [product/service] is too expensive.”
• “We already have a product that does this.”
• “It isn’t a good time to buy right now.”
• “I’m not sure we actually need this.”

While we’ll break these down into their actual categories in later sections, objections can either be viewed as roadblocks or invitations to dig deeper with open-ended questions that address a prospect’s concerns.

Why buyers raise objections

Most sales objections stem from uncertainty, not opposition.

The buyer might be unsure if your solution will deliver ROI, align with their needs, or work within their timeline or budget. Objections are a natural response to risk, and every purchase with a new product or vendor comes with serious unknowns.

But raising questions or even rejecting a sales pitch doesn’t mean prospects won’t buy. In fact, about 60% of customers say “no” at least four times before they finally accept.

However, that doesn’t mean that every objection can be overcome for every customer. Some customer objections will be too much, and no amount of sales training will change it.

Objection vs rejection

It’s easy to mistake a rejection for a flat-out “no.” Knowing the difference between the two and how to spot it can make or break your sales conversation.

A rejection is a firm no without room to explore further. It might sound like one of these:

• “We are not interested.”
• “Take us off your list.”
• “We’ve decided to go in a different direction.”

On the other hand, objections signal that the buyer still has questions or concerns they need to resolve before moving forward or abandoning the opportunity. These may be disguised as doubts, pushback, or delays, but there is still room for progress that sales professionals can use.

Making this distinction is more important than ever, especially when a sales representative is involved. According to Gartner, roughly 33% of all buyers desire a seller-free sales experience.

When a rep is included in the conversation, they need to deliver value beyond just selling. Websites and marketing already do most of the heavy lifting in delivering product knowledge and raising brand awareness.

Instead, sales reps can deliver value by getting into the trenches, addressing specific needs, and emphasizing the value of the product in a tangible and relatable way.

5 types of sales objections

Most objections can be broken down into a small collection of categories. Knowing those details can help you pinpoint where a prospect’s hesitation is coming from and worhttps://www.pandadoc.com/blog/what-is-bant-in-sales/k to solve it.

If you’re familiar with the BANT framework, you’ll notice that most of these objections are closely aligned with the same evaluation criteria used when assessing prospect viability. The two are closely connected, since reps need to assess whether or not the prospect is a good fit for the product and then work with them to overcome objections that might prevent a sale.

Budget

Common phrases:

• “This is too expensive.”
• “We don’t have the budget for this.”
• “I can’t justify the cost.”

Budget and price objections are one of the most common types of deal blockers. Either the cost is entirely out of the prospect’s budget, or the price is so high that the prospect won’t have enough money left over to purchase the other products and services required to achieve their objective.

In B2B sales, the problem may be systematic, rather than preferential. It’s possible that the project stakeholders like your product and want to buy it, but the finance team or the higher ups have a proposed budget allocation that can’t be overcome without a lower price. These entanglements can make a lack of budget one of the most difficult problems to overcome.

Authority

Common phrases:

• “I’m not the decision-maker.”
• “I’d have to get this approved by my boss.”
• “Finance would have to look at this.”

Especially on first calls, it’s common to encounter objections around authority. Interns or administrative assistants may be making the first round of calls to gather basic information that they can take back to their supervisors.

While they may not have the power to buy, non-authority figures can still become strong advocates and may be able to influence the final decision. However, you’ll need to consult with others in order to push the deal forward.

Note: If the prospect asks you to submit a proposal without having first spoken to a decision maker, it’s possible that you’ll “meet” these individuals within your sales documentation. In that case, consider using collaborative tools like PandaDoc’s inline commenting and virtual deal rooms to close that gap.

Need

Common phrases:

• “I don’t see a need for this.”
• “We already have something that does this.”
• “That isn’t a problem we’ve experienced.”

Of the objections that reps are likely to encounter, a lack of need is one of the most complex to solve. This objection occurs when a prospect doesn’t see the value of your product or isn’t convinced that it addresses their specific use case.

Especially for multi-faceted products and services, this is a major hurdle to overcome.

For example, PandaDoc offers end-to-end document handling for sales docs. That includes from-scratch document creation, capturing legally binding e-signatures, and more. In our case, if a prospect thinks that we’re only an e-signature platform, they’ll miss the rest of what we can do to help them.

If need is an issue, it’s possible that a competitor has already solved this need or that they don’t see the gaps and pain points that your solution might resolve. In almost every case, additional questions will be required to determine if the objection can be overcome.

Timing

Common phrases:

• “Now isn’t a good time.”
• “We’ll revisit this next quarter.”
• “We’re in the middle of a transition right now.”

When a prospect feels like the current moment isn’t ideal for making a purchase, timing objections are common. Often, this is due to factors like internal budget cycles or company restructuring around key goals and initiatives.

Timing may also indicate a lack of urgency, as other priorities have taken precedence over the problem your product or solution is trying to solve. Fortunately, B2B sales cycles tend to run long (although you can try to speed them up), and it’s possible to call on a prospect later, when the timing is right.

Credibility

Common phrases:

• “We’ve never heard of you.”
• “What makes you different from other vendors?”
• “Who else have you worked with?”

These phrases usually come from prospects who aren’t sure about your company’s ability to deliver value. Often, this specific objection can be overcome with a strong marketing presence or with sales collateral like case studies, testimonials, or client lists.

But the presence of a sales rep is equally important. In a survey by Sana, two-thirds of respondents said that a relationship between their company and their supplier was either fairly important or very important during the buying process. Sales professionals can quickly become the face of the company during the sales process, and strong rep-to-customer relationships can heavily influence how buyers perceive the brand.

How to handle objections like a pro

Objection handling is a natural part of the sales process, and how you respond can make or break a deal.

Inexperienced reps often fall back on a hard sell when trying to beat objections. Rather than acknowledging or addressing the buyer’s concern, they lean into the product’s features or talk about ROI and product fit.

The reality is that overcoming objections isn’t just about having the right answer. Validating a buyer’s concerns and learning to handle those conversations with empathy and confidence can be more important than pushing a value proposition and product performance metrics.

Here are a few core tactics that top-performing sales teams use to handle — and overcome — most common objections.

Active listening

When a prospect raises a concern, many reps want to jump in and immediately address the issue, often before the buyer has even finished speaking. Unfortunately, this often makes a prospect feel unheard, and reps end up trying to address a problem that doesn’t actually exist.

Ignore that initial instinct. Take a pause, actively listen, and let the prospect fully explain their concerns before responding. Show them that you’re fully engaged and making an earnest attempt to address their concerns.

When you take that extra step back, it shows — and it’s a hallmark of top-performing reps. According to Gong, top reps have a talk-to-listen ratio of about 46% (talking) to 54% (listening) on sales calls. Average reps talk about 68% of the time, while low performers come in at about 72%.

That’s a huge difference, and learning how to speak more by saying less is critical when addressing a prospect’s needs.

Reframe the objection

An objection doesn’t mean that a deal is dead. More often, the buyer is trying to make sense of your solution in the context of their world.

When a prospect says that a solution is too expensive, they aren’t necessarily saying that the product or service isn’t worth it. However, they may not understand the value your solution brings when compared to the price tag.

Internally, reps need to parse the objection and decipher what it actually means before trying to address it. For example, a customer explaining that they already have a similar product may be inviting you to explain how your solution is better — even if they don’t say so directly.

Check for understanding

Before attempting to address any concerns, take the time to check for understanding by asking a few clarifying questions.

A prospect might say that they have a similar tool but, upon digging a little deeper, the truth is that they don’t want to go through the pain of switching platforms. (This is a common one we hear at PandaDoc, even though switching is easy.)

Similarly, budget concerns might mean that they don’t see your solution as a priority.

But you won’t know unless you ask.

Some clarifying questions might include:

• Can you walk me through how you’re currently solving this?”
  
• Is the concern more about price, or are you worried that the product won’t deliver results?
  
• What would it take for this to become a priority within your operation?

Keep in mind that follow-up questions can put prospects in an awkward position, especially if they were voicing concerns to try and end a call or stall a deal. This is common for prospects who have a hard time saying no.

Stay sensitive to that. Use clarification to determine when an objection is real and when it’s actually a rejection in disguise.

Ask permission

Before launching into a rebuttal or addressing a concern, give control of the conversation over to the buyer.

Ask if it’s okay to share your perspective, and let them decide whether or not to stay in the conversation with you. Especially on cold calls and scenarios where a lack of trust is already low, asking permission signals respect and invites the prospect to explore solutions with you.

Remember: The goal isn’t to bulldoze the buyer’s concerns. Finding great solutions is a team effort. By asking permission and inviting them along for the ride, reps can position themselves as product experts and guides rather than sharks looking for the next deal.

Discover, don’t pitch

When the numbers are down and reps are looking for a big win to hit their metrics, it’s easy to get pushy about a product and why it’s better. More features, better functionality, great benefits, etc.

Often, that backfires. If a buyer already feels overwhelmed or skeptical, throwing more information at them won’t help.

Instead, take a step back, take it slow, and focus on discovery rather than features. Studies show that top performers discuss product features about half as much as the average rep during discovery calls.

Why? Because they’re focused on understanding first.

Rather than defaulting to a sales pitch, lean back into discovery. Ask questions, explore pain points, and get curious about what the prospect is trying to do. Once you have a clear understanding, then you can tailor your response in a way that lands

Common frameworks and techniques

While every sales conversation is different, there are plenty of frameworks that can help reps stay grounded and on track when dealing with objections.

Most sales conversations are flexible, but having a loose set of steps to follow when handling objections can make a big difference in high-pressure moments.

Below, you’ll find a few options. Think of them as mental checklists rather than must-follow steps.

LAER

In sales, the LAER framework is a widely used and popular solution to help reps stay consistent when handling objections.

How it works:

• Listen. Fully hear an objection without interrupting.
• Acknowledge. Validate concerns and show understanding.
• Explore. Ask questions to find the root cause.
• Response. Offer a response that addresses the issue.

While deceptively simple, this framework works well when you feel that there’s more behind the objection than what was said out loud. When the surface concerns are a symptom, rather than the true problem, LAER can help reps dig a little deeper to find the real problem and offer a better solution.

Feel, felt, found

This approach attempts to overcome objections by validating concerns and providing an empathetic response.

How it works:

• Feel. Acknowledge the prospect’s concern.
• Felt. Point out that others feel the same way.
• Found. Share what they discovered after moving forward.

Using this framework allows reps to approach objections from an emotional angle, rather than attempting to tackle problems purely with numbers and data. It’s a sort of quasi-social proof that allows reps to inject past experience into the conversation and use that to effectively address customer concerns.

Ask, acknowledge, advise

Ideal in consultative selling, this framework is conversational and very easy to adapt.

How it works:

• Acknowledge. Note that the concern is valid.
• Ask. Ask follow-up and clarifying questions.
• Advise. Offer a solution based on what you’ve learned.

This approach encourages more conversation, which is helpful in the early stages of a conversation. Because the framework is so fluid, it fits seamlessly into almost any conversation and can be used to tackle concerns as they arise.

Acknowledge, respond, confirm

This framework is popular in scenarios where objections arise in the middle of something else, like a short sales conversation or a product demo.

How it works:

• Acknowledge. Clarify that you’ve heard the objection.
• Response. Address the objection directly.
• Confirm. Check for understanding.

This approach is useful when working in a transactional setting or when you’re addressing concerns in a crowded environment. When reps need to address a group of decision-making stakeholders, they may not have the time to have a deeper conversation about each concern. This framework keeps everything at a high level while maintaining momentum and keeping the conversation on track.

What not to do

Even experienced reps can trip up when a tough objection catches them off guard.

While frameworks and techniques can help, it’s just as important to know what not to do when handling common objections.

Here are a few common missteps to avoid:

• Don’t argue or get defensive. Turning an objection into a debate puts you at odds with the prospect. Stay calm and build consensus toward a common solution.
  
• Don’t interrupt. Give buyers the bandwidth to finish their thoughts and fully raise their concerns. Cutting them off early is a clear sign that you aren’t really listening.
  
• Don’t rush to respond. Quick answers can miss the real issue, and it’s more important to be correct than fast. take a moment to clarify before offering a solution.
  
• Don’t dismiss the concern. Brushing off an objection without addressing it doesn’t make the problem go away. If it’s a concern for the prospect, take the time to properly handle it.
  
• Don’t over promise or mislead. Stretching the truth to save a deal will damage your credibility and lead to headaches down the road. While you should stand by your solution, be clear about what it offers and what customers should expect.

Avoiding these pitfalls won’t guarantee that you’ll overcome every objection, but it will help you become a more effectiv communicator.

Beat objections fast with PandaDoc

In most scenarios, overcoming objections happens in the moment. Reps are likely to be on a sales call or in a meeting when objections arise, and having the knowledge to address them on the fly is a core competency in the role.

But that’s not always the same. Sometimes, objections are best addressed with sales collateral like case studies and testimonials. And, once the objection is beaten, you’ll need documents like sales proposals and quotes to seal the deal.

When that happens, PandaDoc is here to help you get the deal over the finish line.

With PandaDoc, you can send professional and personalized sales proposals in minutes. Build customized, branded templates, collaborate with customers in specialized deal rooms, and capture legally binding e-signatures in one place.

Sign up for a free demo, and learn how you can get to “yes” faster with PandaDoc.