Objection handling: examples and answers that work
Objection handling is how you respond when a buyer pushes back, with lines like “it's too expensive” or “send me an email”. The method that works: agree with the objection, redirect to what you do better, and be honest about what switching involves. Never argue, and never run down the buyer's current supplier.
What is objection handling?
An objection is anything a buyer says to slow down or stop a sale: “it's too expensive”, “send me an email”, “we're happy with what we have”. Objection handling is how you respond, so that the conversation keeps going and you earn the next step.
This guide uses the method from our sales training guide, written by ShiftMate's founder Mike Steenkamp: agree and redirect.
Why objection handling is important
The buyer's default answer is no. They didn't ask you to call, and they're thinking “convince me”. So almost every sales call meets an objection, and what you say next decides whether the call ends there.
Most objections aren't a final no. They're the buyer telling you what's missing: a reason to listen, proof that it's safe, or a number that makes the price make sense. Handle that, and the objection becomes the moment the call turns.
The method: agree and redirect
- 1
Agree
Agree with the objection, or with the feeling behind it. “That's fair.” “You're right, we're not the cheapest.” Arguing makes people dig in; agreeing lets them listen.
- 2
Redirect
Move to the one thing you do better, shown on one of the six value principles below, with a number or an example the buyer can check.
- 3
Be honest about switching
Say what changing involves: the paperwork, the notice period, the first month. Buyers trust the seller who mentions the hard part first.
- 4
Ask for the next step
Don't push for the sale. Agree a small next step with a day and a time: a comparison, a sample, a call with the person who decides.
Redirect with the six value principles
The six reasons businesses buy. Pick the one that matters most to this buyer, and prove it.
Safety
Show it's at least as safe as what they use now. In money, health and data, nothing counts until you do.
Quality
Show a better product, service or result, with a sample or a number.
Ease
Show less effort and fewer hassles, step by step against how they do it today.
Speed
Show the time it saves. “Faster” on its own just gets “Faster than what?”
Volume
Show how it brings in more leads, sales, customers or capacity.
Price
Show it costs less over a year, but never sell on price alone: cheaper doesn't mean better.
Objection handling examples: the 8 you'll hear most
Each one with what the buyer usually means, an example answer, and the value principle or step it uses. Change the numbers to your own; never make them up on a real call.
“I'm not interested.”
What it usually means: You haven't given me a reason to listen yet.
“That's fair; you didn't ask me to call. Can I ask one question? If it doesn't apply to you, I'll leave it there. How do you handle your monthly payroll at the moment?”
“It's too expensive.”
What it usually means: I don't yet see enough value for the price.
“You're right, we're R1,500 a month more. That's R18,000 a year. What we include is a same-day call-out. What did your last full day without systems cost you?”
“Just send me an email.”
What it usually means: Get off my phone, or: I'm interested but busy.
“Happy to. So I send the right thing: is it the price or how it works you'd most like to see? And can I call you on Thursday at ten to go through it, so it doesn't sit in your inbox?”
“We're happy with our current supplier.”
What it usually means: Changing feels like risk and effort.
“That makes sense, and I'm not asking you to change anything today. The one thing we do differently is deliver the day after you order, not later in the week. Would a side-by-side comparison with what you get now be useful?”
“I need to think about it.”
What it usually means: Something isn't clear, or I'm not sure it's safe.
“Of course; it's a real decision. So I can help: is it the cost, or whether it'll work for you? Let's book fifteen minutes on Friday, after you've had time to look at it.”
“I don't have time.”
What it usually means: This doesn't sound important enough yet.
“Understood. One question, then: how long does your team spend capturing invoices each month? If it's more than a day, I'd like five minutes later this week to show you how we take that off their hands.”
“We tried something like this before. It didn't work.”
What it usually means: I've been burnt, and I don't want to look silly twice.
“Thanks for telling me; that's useful. What went wrong? … Then here's what's different, and we can start with one branch for a month, so you can see it working before you commit.”
“I need to ask my partner.” (or boss)
What it usually means: I'm not the only one who decides.
“Good idea; it affects them too. What will they want to know? Let's set up a short call with both of you on Tuesday, so they can ask me directly.”
One objection, start to finish
Here is “we're happy with our current supplier” handled across a whole exchange, so you can hear how agree and redirect flows in a real call.
Look, we're happy with our current supplier.
That makes sense. If they're reliable, I wouldn't change either. Can I ask: when you order, how long does it take to arrive?
Agree. Then ask about the one area you know you're better at.
Usually four or five days. We just order early.
So you have to plan a week ahead. We deliver the next working day, at the same prices on your top twenty items. Switching is one form, and your first order comes with a credit account, so nothing changes for your finance team.
Redirect to Speed and Ease with a number. Be honest about what switching involves, and make it small.
I'd have to see the prices side by side.
Of course. If you send me your last invoice, I'll put our prices next to it, line by line. Can I call you on Wednesday at two to go through it?
A next step with a day and a time. Not a close.
What not to do
- Don't argue. “But you haven't even heard the offer” makes the buyer defend their no.
- Don't run down their current supplier. They chose them, so you're insulting their judgement.
- Don't ignore the objection and keep pitching. The buyer will stop listening.
- Don't drop your price as the first answer. It tells the buyer the first price wasn't real.
- Don't invent urgency. If the price isn't really going up on Friday, don't say it is.
- Don't promise what you can't deliver to win the call. It loses the customer later.
A practice drill for objection handling
- 1
List your five
Write down the five objections you hear most in your job.
- 2
Write one answer each
Agree, redirect with one value principle and a real number, then ask for a next step. Keep each answer to two or three sentences.
- 3
Get them fired at you
A colleague reads them out in random order. You answer straight away, out loud. Record it.
- 4
Fix one thing and repeat
Listen back, fix the weakest answer, and go again until every answer sounds like you, not a script.
Want a buyer who pushes back harder? See the sales role play examples, or practise on an AI buyer with ShiftMate's sales call simulator.
Questions people ask
What is objection handling?
Objection handling is how a salesperson responds when a buyer pushes back, such as “it's too expensive” or “we're happy with our supplier”. Done well, it keeps the conversation going and earns the next step; done badly, it ends the call.
Why is objection handling important?
Because the buyer's default answer is no. Almost every sales call meets an objection, and how you respond decides whether the call ends there or moves to a next step. An objection is often the buyer asking for a better reason to listen.
What are the most common sales objections?
Not interested, too expensive, send me an email, we're happy with our current supplier, I need to think about it, I don't have time, we tried something like this before, and I need to ask my partner or boss.
What is the best objection handling technique?
Agree and redirect. Agree with the objection, because arguing makes people dig in. Then redirect to the one thing you do better, backed by a number or an example, and be honest about what switching involves.
How do you handle “it's too expensive”?
Agree that you're not the cheapest if that's true, then ask what the cheaper option leaves out. Show the difference over a year and compare it with what a problem would cost them. Never drop your price as the first answer.
How do you handle “just send me an email”?
Say you're happy to, then ask which part matters most so you send the right thing. Before you hang up, agree a day and time to call back and go through it together.
How do you practise objection handling?
Write down the five objections you hear most and one agree-and-redirect answer for each. Have a colleague fire them at you at random, record yourself, and repeat until each answer sounds like you. An AI sales simulator lets you do the same on your own.
Practise your answers on an AI buyer
The AI buyer raises real objections and starts at no. You get a report after every call on how you agreed, redirected and earned the next step.
Keep going
The six value principles of selling, step by step.
Eight scenarios with secret buyer briefs and scripts.
Four full scripts and how to write your own.
Every rep practises on AI buyers and gets a scorecard after every call.