Objection Handling: A Framework for Real Conversations

10 min read

Most objection handling training teaches scripts. Memorize the response to "it's too expensive" and the response to "we're not ready" and deploy them robotically when triggered. This approach fails because it treats objections as problems to overcome rather than information to explore.

The Real Purpose of Objections

An objection is a gift. It tells you what's standing between the prospect and a decision. Without objections, you're flying blind—you don't know what concerns exist, so you can't address them.

The goal isn't to "overcome" objections. It's to understand them fully, validate the concern, and provide relevant information that helps the prospect make a good decision. Sometimes that decision is to buy. Sometimes it's not. Both outcomes are fine if they're right for the prospect.

The LAER Framework

Listen: Let them finish. Don't interrupt. Don't mentally prepare your response while they're talking. Actually hear what they're saying.

Acknowledge: Show you understood. "That makes sense" or "I hear you" or "That's a fair concern." Validation before information.

Explore: Ask questions to understand the root of the objection. "Too expensive" might mean budget constraints, might mean they don't see the value, might mean they're comparing you to a cheaper competitor. You need to know which.

Respond: Only after you truly understand the objection should you address it. And your response should directly address what you learned in the exploration phase.

Common Objections Decoded

"It's too expensive."

Rarely about absolute price. Usually about perceived value relative to price, budget timing, or comparison to alternatives. Explore: "Too expensive compared to what?" or "Help me understand—is it that the budget isn't there, or that you're not sure it's worth this much?"

"We need to think about it."

Translation: something's not resolved but they're too polite to say what. Explore: "Absolutely. What aspects are you still weighing?" or "What would help you think it through?"

"We're happy with our current solution."

May be true, may be a brush-off. Explore gently: "What do you like most about it?" Their answer reveals whether they're genuinely satisfied or just haven't considered alternatives.

"Now isn't a good time."

Timing objections can be real or convenient excuses. Explore: "Is it that you're focused on other priorities, or that this particular quarter has constraints?" If real, ask what would make the timing right.

"I need to run this by [someone else]."

The someone else is a stakeholder you should have identified earlier. Now you need to equip your champion: "What do you think they'll want to know?" or "Would it help if I prepared something for that conversation?"

What Not to Do

Don't argue. Resistance creates resistance. The harder you push against an objection, the more they'll defend it.

Don't dismiss. "That's not really a concern" or "Other customers don't mind that" invalidates their perspective. Even if the objection seems irrational to you, it's real to them.

Don't rush. Pause after they state an objection. Let the silence do work. They might elaborate without prompting.

The Mindset Shift

Stop thinking about objection handling as a battle you need to win. Start thinking about it as a collaborative exploration of concerns. Your job is to help them make a good decision, even if that decision is "not right now" or "not us."

Paradoxically, this mindset closes more deals. Prospects sense when you're trying to help versus trying to sell. Trust follows, and trust enables buying.