Common B2B sales objections and how to overcome them

Key takeaways:

• Every sales rep faces objections on a regular basis; it’s how you respond to those objections that separates top sellers from the rest of the pack
• Many of these objections are common, and you’ll encounter them over and over again as you move through your career
• By preparing for common sales objections and knowing what you can do to overcome them, you can build trust and win more business

If B2B SaaS sales were easy, reps would sell to every prospect they reached out to without encountering any friction in the sales process. Unfortunately, as sales professionals know too well, it takes an average of eight touchpoints to achieve prospecting success. 

By understanding the most common B2B sales objections and how to overcome them, reps can move conversations forward when they get stuck and win more business.

What is a sales objection?

A sales objection is a concern, hesitation, or resistance a prospect expresses during the sales process. These objections typically arise when prospects have doubts or questions about the product or service being offered, which may prevent them from making a purchase.

While prospects can object to a sale for any number of reasons, there are several sales objections that reps see time and time again. Common sales objections include issues related to price, product features, perceived value, timing, and trust, for example.

The most effective sales reps are able to handle sales objections with ease by addressing a prospect’s concerns, providing additional information, and ultimately guiding the prospect toward a buying decision.

What is objection handling?

Objection handling is the process of addressing and overcoming the sales objections a prospect expresses. This involves actively listening to the prospect’s objections, understanding their underlying concerns, and responding with appropriate information, reassurance, or solutions to alleviate any concerns they may have.

Effective objection handling is a crucial skill for sales professionals; it helps build trust by demonstrating the value of a product or service. By skillfully addressing objections, sales reps can turn potential barriers into opportunities to strengthen their pitches and close more deals.

Top 6 sales objections and how to overcome them

No matter your offering, you’re bound to see the same kinds of sales objections pop up every so often. Preparing for these common sales objections is important because it enables you to respond confidently and quickly when recurring concerns arise. 

By anticipating sales objections, you can develop well-crafted responses that can address a prospect’s doubts, demonstrate product value, and build trust. At the same time, preparing to overcome objections makes it easier to maintain the flow of the sales conversation, reducing the risk of being caught off-guard while increasing the likelihood of successfully closing the deal.

With all this in mind, let’s take a look at 14 common sales objections — and what sales and marketing teams can do to move past them. 

1. Budget constraints

In today’s tricky economic climate, it’s only a matter of time before reps hear these words: We don’t have the budget for this right now. Addressing this objection involves demonstrating the value and ROI of your offering, highlighting cost-saving benefits, and exploring flexible pricing options or financing plans. By effectively addressing budget concerns, sales teams can help prospects see the purchase as a worthwhile investment instead of a financial burden. 

Sales play

Offer flexible pricing plans, discounts for longer contracts, or a trial period to demonstrate value before the prospect needs to make a big commitment.

Marketing play

Create ROI calculators or case studies that showcase the cost savings the prospect will achieve with your solutions along with the long-term financial benefits that come with it.

2. No interest

Not every prospect is going to be interested in your products in the first place. In fact, most won’t be! To overcome this objection, sales reps can focus on uncovering the prospect’s pain points and demonstrating how the product can address specific challenges or enhance their operations. Personalizing the pitch to highlight relevant benefits and sharing success stories can help generate interest and show the value of your solution.

Sales play

Highlight a compelling success story from a similar customer showing how the product solved a key problem.

Marketing play

Create content that addresses common pain points and showcases the product’s benefits, using social proof like testimonials and case studies to generate interest.

3. Not the right person

When a prospect tells you they’re not the right person, it usually means they lack decision-making authority. There’s an easy way to move past this objection: asking that person to refer you to the appropriate decision-maker while providing a brief value prop that the prospect can pass along. You may also be able to find out the right person to talk to by building rapport with gatekeepers and leveraging their influence.

Sales play

Empathize with their position and politely ask for an introduction to the decision-maker while concisely explaining how your product addresses key challenges.

Marketing play

Develop content aimed at gatekeepers that explores your solution’s value, and encourage those folks to share it internally.

4. Already have a similar tool

Sometimes, prospects are locked into contracts they can’t get out of and might object to talking to you because they already have a similar tool. To overcome this objection, reps can emphasize the unique benefits and superior features of their product, with a side-by-side comparison, and discuss potential cost savings or performance improvements. Highlighting a flexible transition plan — like helping them migrate data, for example — can also influence their decision.

Sales play

Deliver a compelling comparison that showcases how your product outperforms their current tool and offer as much help as you can to get them to migrate.

Marketing play

Create content highlighting the unique benefits of your product and how it stacks up against the competition. 

5. Timing issues

We need more time to decide. When you hear these words, a prospect might tell you they’re not ready to implement any new solutions at the moment. To address this, sales reps can emphasize the urgency or long-term benefits of acting now, offer flexible implementation schedules, or present limited-time incentives. By aligning the solution with the prospect’s timeline and demonstrating immediate value, sales professionals can overcome time-related objections effectively.

Sales play

Establish a follow-up schedule and provide value during the wait period, such as educational resources or industry insights.

Marketing play

Use retargeting ads and email drip campaigns to keep your product top of mind until the prospect is ready to buy.

6. Send me an email

Sometimes, prospects will tell you to send them an email to delay a decision or avoid a conversation. Move past this by acknowledging their request but suggesting a brief call to discuss how your solutions can address their specific needs. Better yet, tell them you’ll send an email summary to them after the call to ensure that they have detailed information they can use to make a more informed decision.

Sales play

Propose a short call to tailor the discussion to their needs before sending a detailed follow-up email.

Marketing play

Develop concise email templates that address common pain points and invite prospects to schedule a brief call for a more personalized experience.

More tough objections you might encounter

Lack of need

Thinking they have all the tools they need to succeed, some prospects will tell you that they are perfectly fine with their current solutions and don’t see how your offerings can help. Addressing this involves understanding the prospect’s current situation and challenges and then demonstrating how your offerings can solve their problems and improve their operations. By highlighting relevant benefits and potential improvements, sales reps can help prospects recognize a need they may not have initially perceived — transforming disinterest into interest.

Sales play

Conduct a needs assessment to uncover pain points and show how your product addresses specific business challenges.

Marketing play

Develop content that highlights common problems in the industry and how your solution solves them — like white papers, blog posts, ebooks, and webinars.

Concerns about ROI

In today’s economic climate, organizations understandably want to ensure they’re getting the biggest return on every dollar they spend. To overcome objections over ROI, reps can provide case studies, testimonials, and data that demonstrate proven ROI. They can also outline clear benefits of offerings and potential cost savings, along with risk mitigation strategies like trial periods or satisfaction guarantees. By showcasing tangible results, reps can reassure prospects of an investment’s value and profitability.

Sales play
Present detailed ROI projections and success stories from similar companies.

Marketing play

Publish ROI-focused case studies and customer testimonials highlighting tangible benefits and metrics achieved.

Preference for competitors

We’re already using a competitor’s product — why should we switch from our current provider? Addressing this sales objection involves understanding the reasons behind the prospect’s preferences and highlighting your offering’s unique advantages and differentiators. By presenting case studies and customer testimonials — and demonstrating superior features or better value — sales professionals can shift the prospect’s perception and showcase why their product is a more compelling choice than the competition.

Sales play

Highlight the unique differentiators and superior features of your product and offer competitive analysis to show advantages.

Marketing play

Create comparison charts and competitor analysis content that clearly demonstrates your product’s strengths. 

Product fit

Some prospects object to sales pitches because they don’t think that the product being offered fits their specific needs or is customizable enough to eventually get there. Reps can overcome this objection by doing everything they can to thoroughly understand the prospect’s unique challenges and demonstrate how the product can be customized or adapted to fit their situation. Providing tailored examples, use cases, and testimonials can illustrate the product’s flexibility and relevance, reassuring prospects that the solution suits their needs.

Sales play

Offer a personalized demo or a proof-of-concept tailored to the prospect’s specific needs and use cases.

Marketing play

Develop industry-specific content and solutions pages that address unique needs and demonstrate product adaptability.

Skepticism about effectiveness

We’ve tried similar solutions before. They didn’t work. How do we know your offering will actually solve our problem? Reps can conquer this objection by providing evidence of past success stories, case studies, and testimonials that showcase tangible results achieved by previous customers. By offering proof of effectiveness and demonstrating how the solution addresses specific pain points, sales reps can build trust and alleviate the prospect’s doubts, making the sale more likely.

Sales play

Share customer success stories and case studies. While you’re at it, provide references from satisfied clients as more social proof.

Marketing play

Use video testimonials and detailed case studies to illustrate the real-world effectiveness of your products and the positive outcomes customers have experienced from using them.

Internal approval processes

Reps might think they’re honing in on a sale when all of a sudden they hear some variation of this: We need to get approval from other stakeholders; I need to discuss this with my team. Get past this objection by providing guidance and support throughout the approval process, offering resources like ROI analyses, product demonstrations, and customized presentations tailored to the needs of different stakeholders. By facilitating a smooth and transparent approval process, reps can help prospects navigate internal challenges and move toward a successful purchase decision.

Sales play

Equip your champion within the prospect’s company with comprehensive resources — like ROI analysis, case studies, and detailed product information — to present to stakeholders.

Marketing play

Create content that speaks to various stakeholders (e.g., IT, finance, and operations) and addresses their specific concerns and benefits.

Complexity and implementation

Sometimes, prospects might balk at a pitch because they feel as though the implementation process is overwhelmingly complex and would take a while to complete. Addressing this objection involves providing comprehensive support, clear implementation plans, and training resources to ensure a smooth deployment. By offering guidance and assistance every step of the way, sales professionals can alleviate concerns and demonstrate their commitment to making the implementation process as seamless and straightforward as possible for the prospect.

Sales play

Offer a clear implementation plan with timelines and dedicated support to ensure a smooth transition.

Marketing play

Produce a variety of content — like implementation guides, customer onboarding stories, and video tutorials — that demystify the deployment process.

Security and compliance

We’re concerned about data security and compliance. How does your product handle our compliance requirements? In an age where the average data breach costs $4.45 million to mitigate, it makes sense that prospects would be concerned about security and compliance. Reps can overcome this objection by highlighting their products’ robust security features, certifications, and compliance measures. Providing evidence of successful audits, industry-standard encryption protocols, and data protection policies can reassure prospects of a solution’s reliability and your organization’s commitment to safeguarding sensitive information, ultimately overcoming their objections and building trust.

Sales play

Provide detailed information on security measures and compliance certifications. Better yet, offer to conduct a security audit if the customer deems it necessary.

Marketing play

Develop content highlighting your organization’s commitment to security and compliance, with best practices, certifications, and other relevant achievements featured prominently. 

Lack of trust

If a prospect’s never heard of your company, they might be hesitant to put their proverbial eggs in your basket due to a lack of trust. To address this, build rapport, demonstrate expertise, and provide social proof through testimonials, case studies, and industry credentials. By demonstrating transparency, honesty, and integrity throughout the sales process, you can establish trust and credibility — making it that much likelier you ease the prospect’s concerns and end up with a successful sale.

Sales play

Build trust through personal relationships, offering direct contact with your team and providing access to current customers for references.

Marketing play

Emphasize brand authority by showcasing awards, media mentions, and partnerships. Use testimonials and case studies from reputable clients to further establish your credentials. 

Feature gaps

Your product lacks some of the features that we need. Overcome this objection by carefully listening to the prospect’s requirements and emphasizing your product’s existing features that meet their needs, along with potential for customization and a sneak peek of the product roadmap. By highlighting the benefits of current features and offering solutions to bridge any gaps, sales reps can demonstrate their product’s suitability and relevance to the prospect’s needs.

Sales play

Identify workarounds or integrations that can fill the feature gaps and communicate future roadmap plans that include features the prospect is requesting.

Marketing play

Highlight your overall value proposition and show how your product can solve critical business issues regardless of any perceived feature gaps.

Support and training

The last thing any prospect wants to do is invest in a product that takes forever to learn only to find out the hard way the vendor lacks support and training resources. You can overcome this objection by outlining the support and training services your organization offers, including onboarding assistance, user guides, documentation, and ongoing customer support. By emphasizing your organization’s commitment to customer success and providing assurances of dedicated support resources, sales reps can alleviate concerns and instill confidence in your prospect with respect to post-purchase assistance.

Sales play

Emphasize your robust support and training programs, offering free training sessions during the initial phase of the contract.

Marketing play

Create detailed documentation, video tutorials, and success stories to highlight your strong customer support and training initiatives.

Market conditions

Given the current market conditions, we’re hesitant to make new investments because they’re risky. In a challenging economy, it’s obvious why some organizations may hesitate to make a purchase. Even so, you can overcome this objection by demonstrating how your products and services can help the prospect navigate challenging market conditions, offering solutions tailored to current industry challenges and opportunities. By showcasing your product’s adaptability and value in unpredictable markets, you can position your offering as a strategic investment — making you that much more likely to make a deal.

Sales play

Position your product as a cost-saving or efficiency-improving solution that can help businesses navigate tough market conditions.

Marketing play

Develop thought leadership content that addresses current market challenges and positions your solution as an offering that provides stability and growth opportunities regardless of broader economic realities.

Overcoming sales objections: The LeadIQ framework

Whenever a new rep starts at LeadIQ, I use this four-step framework to coach them on successfully overcoming objections:

1. Acknowledge the prospect’s objection
2. Emphasize with their situation
3. Challenge the assumptions behind their objection to get their true objection
4. Question whether they’re interested in learning more

The goal of objection handling isn’t to overcome but to understand.

No matter what type of objections our reps encounter, this framework helps reps move passed objections and move closer to a deal.

Ready to breeze through the next sales objections you encounter?

Prospects often use the same sales objections because companies that fit your ideal customer profile (ICP) often share the same concerns. That being the case, it’s important for reps to anticipate those objections and know what you can do to address them effectively.

By preparing responses and mastering sales plays designed to help you overcome these common objections, you can build trust, demonstrate expertise, and tailor your approach to each prospect’s specific needs — ultimately winning more business through successful objection handling. 

Stay connected to LeadIQ for upcoming sales workshops and panel discussions designed to help you uplevel your sales game.

Until then, happy prospecting!