Sales Objection Handling Guide

A comprehensive playbook for handling the most common sales objections in B2B tech sales. Covers price, timing, competition, internal priorities, and the dreaded 'let me think about it' — with specific language that acknowledges the objection before addressing it.

When to use this template:

Use as training material for new reps and as a live reference during calls. Review and update quarterly with objections from recent lost deals.

In this template:

→The Framework: LAER
→Price Objections
→Timing & Priority Objections
→Competitor & Status Quo Objections

The Framework: LAER

LAER OBJECTION HANDLING FRAMEWORK L — Listen: Let them finish the objection completely. Don't interrupt. A — Acknowledge: Validate that the objection is reasonable. Never dismiss. E — Explore: Ask a clarifying question before responding. R — Respond: Address with evidence, not just reassurance. Example: OBJECTION: "Your pricing is too high." L: [Let them finish, don't jump in with your price justification] A: "I hear that — budget is always a real consideration, and I want to make sure any investment makes sense for where [Company] is right now." E: "Can I ask — is it the total number that's the concern, or is it more about the timing? Understanding where the gap is helps me figure out if there's a way to make it work." R: [Respond based on what they say — price structure, phasing, ROI framing, or honest 'we might not be the right fit at this stage']

LAER works because it forces you to understand the objection before responding. Most reps respond to the surface objection while the real one goes unaddressed.

Price Objections

"It's too expensive." A: "Completely fair concern — budget is real." E: "Is the issue with the total amount, or is it more about timing / ROI clarity?" R (if total): "Let's look at it as cost per [outcome unit]. If we [help you close X more deals / save X hours], what's the payback on [your price]? Most customers are at breakeven in [X weeks/months]." R (if timing): "We do offer [monthly / quarterly] payments to spread the cost. Would that change the math?" R (if ROI): "Let me build you a 5-minute ROI model based on your numbers — if it doesn't make financial sense, I'll tell you." "We don't have budget right now." A: "Makes sense — budget cycles are real." E: "When does your budget reset? And is this a 'not now' or a 'not ever'?" R: "Happy to put this on pause and reconnect in [month]. I'd rather lose the timing than push you into a commitment you're not ready for. Would it make sense to book a 30-minute check-in for [Q+1]?"

Price objections are often timing or ROI objections in disguise. Explore before you respond — most of the time, 'it's too expensive' means 'I don't yet see the value.'

Timing & Priority Objections

"Now isn't a good time." A: "Completely understand — you've got a lot going on." E: "What's driving the timing — is it an internal initiative that takes priority, or more of a bandwidth thing?" R (if initiative): "What's the initiative? I ask because we often work alongside [relevant parallel project] rather than instead of it — might be worth a quick check." R (if bandwidth): "What if we did a lighter kick-off — [smaller scope] in [shorter timeframe]? Some customers prefer to start narrow and expand. Would that be easier to fit in?" "We'll revisit this next quarter." A: "No problem — next quarter might be better timing." E: "What needs to happen between now and then for this to be a priority? Is there a specific milestone or trigger?" R: "Happy to reconnect then. One thing worth flagging: [relevant deadline / pricing change / availability constraint]. Just want to make sure you have all the info before we pause. Still okay to reconnect in [Month]?"

'Not now' is often 'not convinced yet' rather than a genuine timing issue. Explore what would make it a priority — you'll often find the real objection underneath.

Competitor & Status Quo Objections

"We're already using [competitor]." A: "That makes sense — [Competitor] is a solid choice for [their strength]." E: "What's working well with them? And is there anything you wish was better?" R: "The companies that switch to us from [Competitor] typically do it because of [specific differentiator]. If that's not a pain for you, then [Competitor] is probably the right call. But if [specific limitation] ever becomes a problem, worth knowing we're here." "We built this in-house." A: "Building in-house is a real option — especially if the requirements are specific." E: "What drove the decision to build vs. buy? And how's it going so far?" R: "A lot of our customers built a version of this first. The switch happened when [maintenance cost / scaling issues / opportunity cost] started to outweigh the benefits. What would need to be true for you to reconsider?" "We're not actively looking for a solution." A: "Makes total sense — you don't necessarily need to be actively looking." E: "Can I ask — is [specific pain] on your radar at all, or is it just not a priority?" R: "I won't push if the timing isn't right. The reason I reached out is [specific trigger]. Happy to share one piece of relevant info and leave it at that — no obligation."

Status quo is your hardest competitor. Prospects are risk-averse — changing what's working (even imperfectly) feels risky. Your job is to make the cost of staying the same feel higher than the cost of changing.

Pro Tips

✓Practice LAER through role-play, not memorization — you need to internalize the framework, not recite it.
✓Record your calls and specifically listen for how you handle objections — most reps are surprised by how they actually respond vs. how they think they respond.
✓Update your objection guide with real objections from lost deals — theory is less useful than actual language from actual prospects.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗Responding before fully hearing the objection — interrupting makes prospects feel dismissed, not heard.
✗Trying to 'overcome' objections rather than understand them — the goal is clarity, not combat.
✗Using the same response every time regardless of the specific version of the objection — 'too expensive' has 5 different root causes.

Cactus insight: The best closers we've worked with don't overcome objections — they dissolve them by asking better questions. Once a prospect feels genuinely heard, resistance drops. The formula isn't logic; it's empathy first, evidence second.

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