TL;DR
The best objection handling is prevention through better discovery — most objections reveal that you didn't fully understand the prospect's situation, concerns, or alternatives. When objections do arise, acknowledge, isolate, and address: don't argue, don't dismiss, and always ask what it would take to resolve the concern.
Objections are a buying signal — a prospect who's fully disengaged doesn't bother to object. When someone objects, they're still in the conversation. Your job is to understand the real concern beneath the surface objection.
The four most common B2B objections and how to handle them:
"We don't have budget right now." Don't argue the budget. Ask: "Is this a budget issue or a priority issue? If we could show clear ROI in the first 90 days, would this be worth creating a budget exception for?" If it's genuinely budget timing, ask: "When does your next budget cycle open? Can we have a conversation before that window so you're ready with a decision if the timing works out?"
"We're happy with our current solution." Ask: "That's great — what's working well about it?" Listen carefully. Then: "What's the one thing it doesn't do that you wish it did?" Every current solution has gaps. Find the gap that your product fills.
"Send me more information." This is often a polite way to say 'I'm not interested but don't want to say no.' Clarify: "Of course — to make sure I send what's most useful, what's the biggest question you're hoping to answer?" If they can articulate a specific question, they're still interested. If they can't, they're not.
"Your competitor is cheaper." Don't get into a price war — you'll lose. Ask: "Is price the deciding factor for you, or is it a concern about value for the price?" If they're purely price-sensitive, you may not be the right fit. If it's value-for-price, walk through the specific ROI calculation: "At your scale, we typically see $X in value vs. $Y in cost. Does that math change the picture?"
The universal objection framework: 1. Acknowledge: "That's a fair point." 2. Clarify: "Can you help me understand what's behind that concern?" 3. Address: "Here's how I'd think about that..." 4. Check: "Does that address the concern, or is there something else underneath it?"
From Cactus: Cactus documents objection handling frameworks for clients based on their specific competitive landscape and buyer personas — standard objections get scripted responses that reps can deploy in real time.
Cactus Marketing embeds with B2B tech startups to turn strategy into pipeline. We've worked with 60+ companies, supported 12 exits, and contributed to $7B+ in client valuations.
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Book a free strategy call →How do I hire my first SDR?
Hire your first SDR only after you've personally closed 5–10 customers and can articulate exactly what messaging, ICP, and objection handling worked. An SDR hired before the founder has figured out the sales motion will fail — they need a playbook to follow, not to build one from scratch.
What should an SDR quota be?
A typical SDR quota in B2B SaaS is 8–15 qualified meetings booked per month, or $150–300K in pipeline generated per quarter. The right number depends on your ACV, lead source, and market. Set quota based on what's achievable from proven activity metrics, not what would be convenient for the business.
How do I onboard an SDR?
Build a structured 30-60-90 day plan with clear milestones: product mastery in week 1, ICP and messaging training in week 2, supervised calling in week 3, and independent ramping with quota from day 31. Document everything — the SDR should have a playbook on day one, not six weeks later.
What is a good SDR conversion rate?
A good SDR conversion rate is 2–5% of outbound contacts to qualified meeting, and 25–40% of qualified meetings to SQL (sales accepted opportunity). Below these benchmarks suggests targeting, messaging, or qualification issues — not necessarily SDR execution.