Collection of specific response scripts for common B2B objections - Price, Budget, Timing, Authority, Current Solution, Risk. Includes word-for-word talk tracks, ROI calculations, and follow-up questions. Top performers ask questions 54% of time when handling objections vs. 31% for average reps. Use with laer-framework for structure.
Pre-crafted responses for the most common B2B objections, based on top performer patterns. Use with laer-framework structure. Top performers ask questions 54% of time when handling objections vs. 31% for average.
"Too Expensive"
Explore First:
"I appreciate you being direct. Can I ask—when you say 'too expensive,' what are you comparing it to? What budget did you have in mind?"
Response with ROI:
"Based on your numbers—200 leads per month, 15% meeting rate—our solution would generate 26 extra meetings per month. At your $500K deal size and 25% close rate, that's $3.25M extra revenue per month. The investment pays for itself in the first week. Does that change the equation?"
"Higher than competitor"
"That's good to know. Can I ask—what's driving that price difference in your view? Is it features, or something else? Because when our customers compare total cost of ownership including [implementation time/training/ongoing support], they typically find we're 30% lower over 12 months."
"We Don't Have Budget"
"I hear that. The question isn't whether you have budget—it's whether solving this problem is worth finding budget. If we could show a 3-4x return in 6 months, is that a conversation worth having with your CFO?"
Alternative:
"When you say no budget, do you mean there's no budget allocated for this specific category, or that the budget for the year is fully allocated? Because those are different problems with different solutions."
"Not the Right Time"
"That's fair—timing is everything. I'm curious: when you say 'bad timing,' what would make it good timing? Is it a budget cycle issue, resource bandwidth, or something else?"
Cost of Delay:
"If the current inefficiency costs $75K/month, waiting 6 months equals $450K lost. Our solution costs $18K for 6 months. So waiting costs you $432K more than acting now. How do you think about that trade-off?"
"Let's revisit next quarter"
"I understand wanting to push this. Can I ask—what changes next quarter that makes this easier? Because the problem you described [recap problem] is costing you $[X] right now. What's the plan for the next 90 days while we wait?"
"Need to check with my boss"
Explore:
"Of course—I'd expect you to involve your leadership. Help me understand: what concerns do you think they'll have? What will matter most to them in this decision?"
Support:
"Let's make sure you're armed with everything you need for that conversation. Would it help if I put together a one-page summary addressing [their top concerns] that you can share?"
"Would it make sense for me to join that conversation? I'm happy to present our solution and answer their questions directly."
"Need CFO approval"
"That makes sense for an investment like this. Walk me through what the CFO will want to see. Is it ROI, payback period, risk mitigation, or something else?"
Then:
"Based on what you've shared, I can put together a business case showing [quantified ROI]. Can we schedule 15 minutes with the CFO to walk through the numbers?"
"We're already using something"
"That's great—if you're getting fantastic results and service, you should never think about changing. But just curious—what's the ONE thing you wish was better about your current solution?"
[They answer]
"Interesting. If that one thing was solved, how would that impact your [team/results/numbers]? Would it be worth exploring whether we've solved that problem?"
"Happy with current provider"
"That's actually good to hear—vendor relationships matter. Can I ask: on a scale of 1-10, how happy are you really? Because 'fine' and 'great' are different."
[If 7 or below]
"Got it, so a 7. What would move that to a 9 or 10? Because that gap between 7 and 10 usually represents real operational pain."
"What if it doesn't work?"
"That's a legitimate concern. Let me ask: what specifically are you worried might not work—the technology, the implementation, user adoption, or something else?"
[They answer]
"We address that by [specific mitigation]. And we've worked with [Similar Company] who had the same concern—they saw results within 30 days. Would it help to speak with them directly?"
"Seems risky"
"I appreciate that caution. Let's talk about both sides of risk. What's the risk of staying with your current approach? Because you mentioned [problem costing $X]. That's guaranteed cost. Our solution has a [trial/guarantee/phased rollout] that limits downside while addressing that guaranteed cost."
"Competitor X looks similar"
"That's fair—on paper, solutions can look similar. What specifically about Competitor X is appealing to you? Because once I understand what matters, I can be direct about where we're differentiated and where we're not."
[They answer]
"Got it. Here's the real difference: [specific differentiator tied to their need]. When [Customer] evaluated both of us, that's what made the difference for them because [business outcome]."
"Our team might resist this"
"Change management is always a concern. Can I ask: what specifically do you think they'll resist—learning something new, changing workflow, or fear that this reflects poorly on them?"
[They answer]
"We've found that resistance drops dramatically when users see personal benefit early. With [Similar Company], the biggest skeptics became champions within 3 weeks because they saved 10 hours per week. Can we design a pilot that gets quick wins for potential resisters?"
For price/value objections:
"Compared to what? Your current cost, our competitors, your budget, or the ROI we calculated?"
Forces clarification and reframes the conversation.
When they ask for concession:
"That's a reasonable request. If I could get [concession] approved, are you ready to move forward this week?"
Ties concession to commitment.
"I hear you on [objection]. If we could address that to your satisfaction, is there anything ELSE preventing us from moving forward?"
Surfaces hidden objections.
Universal exploration:
"Help me understand what's driving that [concern/question/hesitation]?"
Non-confrontational, opens dialogue.
| Objection Type | First Response | Follow-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Price | "Compared to what?" | Show ROI calculation |
| Budget | "Worth finding budget?" | CFO business case |
| Timing | "What makes it good timing?" | Cost of delay |
| Authority | "What will they need to see?" | Offer to join meeting |
| Current | "What's ONE thing you wish was better?" | Explore that gap |
| Risk | "What specifically worries you?" | Proof points + mitigation |
Remember: Scripts are starting points, not rigid templates. Adapt based on context and what you learn in the Explore phase.