
1. "It's too expensive."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about price

Price objections are the most common type of objection and are even voiced by prospects who have every intention of buying. Beware — the moment you start focusing on price as a selling point, you reduce yourself to a transactional middleman. Instead, circle back to the product's value.

Example Rebuttal
"I'd love to unpack [product's] features and how it can help with the issue of [prospect problem] you shared with me."

2. "There's no money."
It could be that your prospect's business simply isn't big enough or generating enough cash right now to afford a product like yours. Track their growth and see how you can help your prospect get to a place where your offering would fit into their business.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand. Allow me to explain our other offerings that may be a better fit for your current growth levels and budget."

3. "We don't have any budget left this year."
A variation of the "no money" objection, what your prospect's telling you here is that they're having cash flow issues. But if there's a pressing problem, it needs to get solved eventually. Either help your prospect secure a budget from executives to buy now or arrange a follow-up call for when they expect funding to return.

Example Rebuttal
"Let's schedule a follow-up call for when you expect funding to return. When do you think that may be?"

4. "We need to use that budget somewhere else."
Prospects sometimes try to earmark resources for other uses. It's your job to make your product/service a priority that deserves budget allocation now. Share case studies of similar companies that have saved money, increased efficiency, or had a massive ROI with you.

Example Rebuttal
"We had a customer with a similar issue, but by purchasing [product] they were actually able to increase their ROI and assign some of their new revenue to other parts of the budget."

5. "I don't want to get stuck in a contract."
A prospect with a genuine need and interest who balks at time-based contract terms is generally hesitant for cash flow reasons. Luckily for you, there are workarounds — find out if you can offer month-by-month or quarter-by-quarter payment instead of asking for a year or more commitment upfront.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand. Let's talk about some different contract terms and payment schedules that I can offer you. Perhaps these would be a better fit."

6. "We're already working with [Vendor X]."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about the competition

A prospect who's already working with a competitor can be a gift. They've already recognized a need and identified a solution; much of the education you'd otherwise be responsible for has already been done. You can spend your time doing the one thing you'd have to hold off on with a prospect who hasn't recognized their pain yet — talk about your product.

Just because a prospect is working with a competitor doesn't mean they're happy with them. Probe into the relationship and pay special attention to complaints that could be solved with your product.

Example Rebuttal
"Why did you choose [vendor]? What's working well? What's not? Allow me to explain how [product] is different."

7. "I'm locked into a contract with a competitor."
Perhaps the easiest competitor-related objection to handle, this phrase is worded in a way that broadcasts your prospect's feeling of being trapped. See if you can come up with a creative discount to offset the cost of breaking a contract early, or demonstrate ROI that will make up for the sunk cost.

Of course, your prospect could have simply chosen an overly negative turn of phrase. Ask questions about their relationship with the competitor to determine whether they're actually happy or are itching for a vendor switch.

Example Rebuttal
"How is your relationship with [competitor]? Perhaps I can offer a discount to make up for the cost of switching over to work with us."

8. "I can get a cheaper version of your product somewhere else."
Find out what you're dealing with here. Are you in a competitive situation, and the prospect is playing you against a competitor to drive up discounts? Or is your prospect under the impression that a similar, cheaper product can do everything they need?

If it's the former, lay out your deepest discount and emphasize the features that make your product superior. Walk away if they ask you to go lower. In the second scenario, take advantage of the comparison. Play the differences up and emphasize overall worth, not cost.

Example Rebuttal
"What are the points of differentiation between [product] and your other option? What gives you the most value and support?"

9. "I'm happy with [Competitor X]."
What if your prospect is happy? The same strategy still applies — find out why they believe their relationship with your competitor is beneficial, and identify weak spots where your product could do better.

Example Rebuttal
"That's great. What components of the product or relationship are you most satisfied with? I'd love to learn more and see how we may compare."

10. "Competitor X says [false statement about your product]."
According to the creator of Your Sales MBA® Jeff Hoffman, salespeople should first respond with, "That's not true," then pause.

Hoffman says 90% of the time this reply will satisfy the buyer and they'll move on. You'll seem confident and collected, whereas your competitor will seem desperate and insecure.

If your prospect is still unsure, they'll ask another question. At that point, you can offer more background in your rebuttal.

Example Rebuttal
"We manufacture our products in Canada, not Thailand. I have a map of our factories and distribution routes if you'd like to see it."


11. "I'm not authorized to sign off on this purchase."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about authorization

No problem. Ask your prospect the name of the right person to speak to, and then redirect your call to them.

Example Rebuttal
"Who is the right person to speak to regarding this purchase? Can you redirect me to them, please?"

12. "I can't sell this internally."
Well, your prospect might not be able to, but you can. After all, you sell your product every day. Ask your prospect what objections they anticipate, and help them prepare the business case for adopting your product. Check with Marketing to see if there's any collateral you can leverage on your prospect's behalf.

Example Rebuttal
"What objections do you think you'll face? Can I help you prepare the business case for when you speak with your decision-makers? I may have some enablement materials I can share to help."

13. "[Economic buyer] isn't convinced."
If you've already addressed objection #12 by providing internal selling advice and coaching and your prospect just can't hack it, it might be time to walk away. While it's heart-rending to give up on a prospect who's on your side and just can't convince the higher-ups, it's also a waste of your time to keep butting heads with someone who will never see your product's value.

Example Rebuttal
"That's too bad. If anything changes, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'd love to help you get your team onboard."

14. "We're being downsized / bought out."
This happens rarely, but when it does, there's usually nothing you can do. If there's no more company, there's no more deal. Wrap the relationship professionally so that when your prospect finds a new gig, they'll be more likely to restart the conversation from a new company.

Example Rebuttal
"Thank you for your time and for speaking with me regarding this product. If you're ever in need of [product or service], please don't hesitate to contact me."

15. "There's too much going on right now."
Ask your prospect to define their competing priorities for you. If they can't, it's likely a brush-off and you should press them on precisely why they don't want to engage with you.

If they can offer concrete answers, don't sweat it. Set a meeting time for a follow-up and send over helpful resources in the meantime to stay on your prospect's radar.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand. What are some of your competing priorities? I'd love to schedule a follow-up call for when your calendar clears up."

16. "I'm part of a buying group."
Buying groups enable independent companies to team up and make joint purchases from vendors — usually getting a far better price than they'd be able to secure on their own.

If your company isn't on a prospect’s list of approved suppliers, your prospect probably won't be interested. After all, you can't offer them the same discount for purchasing in bulk.

Respond to this objection by delving into the details of their membership. When you've learned more, you can decide whether it makes economic sense for this prospect to work with you — and if there's an opportunity to become one of their buying group's vendors.

Example Rebuttal
"Are there limits on whom you can buy from? What price are you currently receiving? What companies belong to your buying coalition?"

17. "I've never heard of your company."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about not having heard of the company

Treat this objection as a request for information. Don't give an elevator pitch, but offer a quick summary of your value proposition.

Example Rebuttal
"We're a company that sells ad space on behalf of publishers like yourself. I'd love to speak with you about your revenue model and see if we can help."

18. "We're doing great in X area."
If you hear this objection, ask a few more clarifying questions and do a little more qualification.

Example Rebuttal
"What are your goals? How much progress has been made?"

19. "We don't have that business pain."
This objection is often raised as a brush-off, or because prospects haven't realized they're experiencing a certain problem yet. And while ultimately you might discover they really don't need your product, don't take this objection at face value.

Example Rebuttal
"Interesting. What solutions are you currently using to address that area of your business?"

20. "X problem isn't important right now."
Sometimes, a simple "Oh?" will be enough for your prospect to start talking. Listen closely for real reasons the need has low priority versus platitudes. Keep in mind that excuses can be a sign that your prospect understands they have a problem and is trying to rationalize their inaction. Capitalize on this and instill a sense of urgency.

Example Rebuttal
"Tell me more about that. What are your current priorities?"

21. "I don't see what your product could do for me."
Another request for information packaged as an objection. Reconfirm the goals or challenges you've discussed and explain how your product can solve specific problems.

Example Rebuttal
"Interesting. Can you share what specific challenges you're facing right now? Perhaps [product] presents a solution we have yet to discuss."

22. "I don't understand your product."
If your prospect literally can't wrap their head around your product, that's a bad sign. If your product is particularly complicated or specialized, it may be time to disqualify your prospect lest they churn two months from now.

Don't give up immediately, though. Ask your prospect what aspects of your product they're unclear on, then try explaining it in a different way. Alternatively, bring in a technician or product engineer to answer questions out of your depth.

Example Rebuttal
"What aspects of the product are confusing to you? I'd love to connect you to a customer success technician or product engineer to help you better understand how we can help you."

23. "I've heard complaints about you from [company]."
Word-of-mouth reviews are powerful, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Rather than defending your solution, business, or brand — which will only validate the criticism — thank them for sharing the feedback with you. Then follow up with an offer to add value.

This gives you an opportunity to establish credibility and trust with your prospect. Once you've given them a positive experience, they'll naturally form a high opinion of you.

Example Rebuttal
"Thanks for sharing that feedback with me. I'll pass it along to [relevant department]. While we're on the phone, would you be interested in hearing a few tips for improving your average invoicing turnaround time?"

24. "We don't have capacity to implement the product."
This objection can be a deal-killing roadblock. Depending on what product you sell, it's possible your prospect will have to add headcount or divert resources to fully take advantage of your offering, and if they truly aren't able to, you might have to disqualify them.

Another tactic is to assess your prospect's current duties and day-to-day to see what job responsibilities could potentially be eliminated or made easier by your product.

Example Rebuttal
"I hear you, and I want [product] to add value, not take it away. What are your current day-to-day responsibilities in your job? I'd love to explain how the product, once onboarded, can alleviate some of those problems."

25. "Your product is too complicated."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about the product being complicated

Find out if your prospect is confused about specific features or if the product is indeed over their head. If it's the latter, you might have to disqualify that lead. But if it's the former, remind your prospect that they'll have help from your customer service team should they choose to buy and that you'll be on hand to answer any implementation questions they have.

Example Rebuttal
"What features are confusing to you? Remember, our customer service team will be available 'round-the-clock to help with implementation."

26. "You don't understand my challenges. I need help with Y, not X."
It's crucial to make your prospect feel heard. Restate your impression of their situation, then align with your prospect's take and move forward from there. A lot of misunderstandings and hard feelings can be resolved simply by rephrasing your prospect's words.

Example Rebuttal
"I apologize! Allow me to restate my understanding of your challenges, and please let me know what I'm missing or misstating."

27. "You don't understand my business."
If you sell to a specific industry, chances are you do know a bit about your prospect's business. Let them know that you have experience working with similar companies, and have solved similar problems in the past.

If you simply made an incorrect assumption about your prospect's company or industry, don't be afraid to own up to it. Your prospects will appreciate your candor.

Example Rebuttal
"Sorry — I assumed X was true, but it looks like that doesn't apply to your business. Can you tell me a little more about X?"

28. "Your product doesn't have X feature, and we need it."
Try suggesting a supplementary product that can be used in conjunction with yours. But if that specific need is a must-have and your product can't solve it, your prospect might not be a good fit. Time to disqualify and move along to a better-fit opportunity.

Example Rebuttal
"Have you checked out [partner or conjoining product]? It's a good fit with ours and can be used alongside it to solve for Y."

29. "We're happy the way things are."
Maybe everything really is going swimmingly. But more likely, your prospect is having some sort of challenge (after all, who isn't?). Do some light qualification to determine if they're facing any problems you can solve, then move forward or disqualify based on their answers.

Example Rebuttal
"That's great! Can you tell me how you're currently solving for X?"

30. "I don't see the potential for ROI."
This is a sign that you'll have to prepare a formal pitch for either your contact or their managers, either using internal numbers from your prospect or customer case studies. Nothing sells quite like hard numbers.

Example Rebuttal
"I'd love to show you. Can we schedule a time for me to explain our product's potential to deliver a high ROI to you and your team?"

31. "X is just a fad."
You might hear this objection if your product pioneers a concept that's new to your prospect's industry. For example, social media is now widely accepted as a necessary part of a sound business strategy, but seven years ago many would have scoffed at it.

Now is the time to pull out any testimonials or customer case studies you have to prove the ROI of your product. If you're pioneering a new concept or practice, you'll have to show that it works.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand why you may think that. Let's schedule a time for me to walk through how our product helped some other businesses like yours find success with X — and why it's here to stay."

32. "Your product doesn't work with our current [tools, set-up]."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about integration with current tools

This objection can be a deal-breaker if the buyer is committed to their existing solutions. But sometimes your product will replace these tools or make them obsolete. A workaround may be possible as well.

To find out, ask some questions.

Example Rebuttal
"Which tools are you currently using? How integral are those tools to your [strategy]? What do those products help you accomplish?"

33. "Your product sounds great, but I'm too swamped right now to handle [implementation, roll-out]."
Prospects are often put off by the effort required to switch products, even if the ROI is substantial.

To empathize with them, prove that you're trustworthy, and ensure they do have the bandwidth. Next, combat their reluctance to change by digging into the costs or pains of their current situation.

Calculate what they stand to gain — in time, efficiency, money, or all of the above.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand. It typically takes our customers [X days/weeks] to get fully up and running with [product]. How many minutes a day do you spend on [task]?"

34. "*Click.*"
If your prospect hangs up on you, don't sweat it — it happens to everyone eventually. Try reaching out to a different person at the company using a different approach.

Or you can go on the offensive. Wait a few seconds, then call back. Which approach you choose is purely dependent on how your conversation with your prospect went before the hang-up.

Example Rebuttal
"Sorry, looks like we got disconnected! Do you have a few minutes?"

35. "I'm busy right now."
Of course your prospect is busy — almost every professional is these days. Simply explain that you're not looking to give a full-blown conversation, just have a quick chat about whether or not a longer discussion about your product would be a good fit at their organization.

Example Rebuttal
"I don't want to take up too much of your time. Can we have a quick chat about your challenges with X and how [product] may help?"

36. "I'm not interested."
During a prospecting call, it's far too early for a prospect to be able to definitively say they are or aren't interested in your product. Offer to send over some resources and schedule a follow-up call.

Example Rebuttal
"I understand. Can we schedule a time for a follow-up call? In the meantime, I can send over some resources so you can learn more."

37. "Just send me some information."
Common sales objections and rebuttals about sending information

This is a great opportunity to segue into some qualification questions.

Example Rebuttal
"I'd be happy to send you some materials, but I want to make sure that they're relevant to you. What are you interested in learning about?"

38. "Call me back next quarter."
Prospects will often say this to dissuade you from pursuing a conversation. But don't let them off that easily — it's a vague brush-off uttered in the hopes you'll fade away and disappear. Ask some questions to find out their motivations for brushing you off.

Example Rebuttal
"I'll touch base next quarter. Before we hang up, I'd love to get a sense of how your next quarter will go. Do you feel you'll get the go-ahead from your superiors?"

39. "How did you get my information?"
Hopefully, you're not pulling numbers from lists you got off the internet — because if you are, your prospects have every reason to be annoyed. Don't get defensive — simply remind the prospect that they filled out a form on your site, or signed up for more information at a trade show, or that you simply came across their website and wanted to connect to see if you could help.

Example Rebuttal
"I came across your website in my research and believe that [product] would be a great fit for you."

40. "I hate you."
A disclaimer: Generally, prospects won't actually come right out and say this. And it's obviously not necessary to become best friends with someone to sell to them. But if you and your prospect really just don't get along, consider handing them off to a colleague lest your company lose the deal for good. The upside? This objection has nothing to do with your product or its value.

Example Rebuttal
"I'm sorry you feel that way. Can I hand you off to my colleague [name] to continue the conversation? Perhaps he'll be a better fit."

41. "I'm not responsible for making these decisions."
What your prospect is trying to convey with this objection is that they're not the best person to have this conversation with. And believe it or not, this is a pretty common occurrence that surprisingly has benefits.

For one, the person you need to communicate with is probably busy and won't have time to check their email, let alone book a demo with you. But starting the conversation with someone on the team with less responsibility can give you a direct intro to the decision-maker. In turn, your sales process will move along more quickly than if you had targeted them from the beginning.

Example Rebuttal
"Hi [Name], thanks for letting me know you're not the right person to discuss this with. Who on your team handles these types of decisions? Can you introduce me to them?"

42. "Does your product do X, Y, and Z?"
This isn't so much an objection as an obstacle to closing a call with a prospect and getting them to the next appointment, (such as a demo or a discovery call with the sales rep). But it is one of the most common obstacles that prevent an SDR from converting the lead to an SQL.

Not only does getting into the weeds waste time, but you also run the risk of devolving into a features and benefits conversation when you don't need to. The good news is this generally means the prospect is interested. Use this opportunity to end the conversation on a good note and set up another appointment to discuss it.

Example Rebuttal
"I am glad you asked that. I think it will be helpful to set up a time when we can answer this question and others with a specialist. When is a good day and time for us to talk?"

43. "Sorry, I have to cancel. I'll get back to you with a better time."
People don't like to say "No" — and that includes your prospects. This manifests in ghosting, procrastination (as mentioned above), and asking for more time.

Sales pro Mike Rogewitz swears by Sandler's Negative Reverse Selling strategy to overcome tricky non-objection objections like these. "You want to call out your prospect's lack of interest and get them to admit the answer is 'No' without going too negative," says Rogewitz. Here's the formula:

Prospect: "XYZ fluffy response."

Salesperson: "Typically when I hear someone say XYZ, it really means ABC. Is it fair for me to assume that's the case?"

By using this simple script, you'll nudge your prospect into giving you the final answer you need to move on.

Example Rebuttal
"Typically, when someone cancels and says they'll get back to me, it means they're just not interested in what I have to offer right now. Is it fair for me to assume that's the case?"

44. "Hello, you've reached [Prospect's Name] ... "
Does your prospect avoid your phone calls like the plague? Do they take a while to get back to you and always need approval? Do they give vague answers when you ask about budget and priorities for the year?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you might be speaking with an individual contributor. They're usually not as comfortable talking on the phone as managers or decision-makers, they need a lot of internal approval, and they aren't privy to important budgetary information or company-wide priorities.

It's important to gain the gatekeeper's trust and learn as much as you can from them, but then you need to move on and build relationships with the people in the company who can actually choose your product or service.

Example Rebuttal
"Have you ever purchased this type of product or service before?" "Who will be in charge of this buying process?" "Who else should we bring on board for this conversation?"