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9 Cold Calling Objections and How to Respond for More Sales - Cognism
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“Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward. “The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex.” Many sales reps ask how to get past the email me objections when cold calling. Ivana has a few ways to respond to this objection, as there are multiple reasons why the prospect might say this. They don’t like phone calls; they prefer to speak over email. They’re busy at that particular moment, so it’s not convenient to talk. It’s a brush-off: they want you off the phone and don’t plan to read your email even though they’ve asked for it. Ivana tries to figure out the reason behind this cold call objection so she can respond appropriately, for example: “Yes, of course I can send you an email! What in particular would you like me to include in the email? Is there any specific information you’d be interested to know?” “Yes, of course - I appreciate you must be very busy. Is there a better time when I could call you back?” Ivana adds: “In this one, you’re directly ignoring their request for the email - but it’s because I feel as though they’re not going to open whatever email I send them. I want to get them back on the phone.” Plus, in this instance, having a scheduled time to speak is beneficial. Why? Because you’re more likely to get your prospects’ complete focus, especially if it’s simply a timing issue in the way. “In my experience, when I call back and say ‘you asked me to call you back’, they’re more open to talk to me.” The last one is a little more controversial and won’t work for every prospect, but Ivana finds that with specific prospects, when the conversation is more lighthearted and jovial, you can say something along the lines of: “Let’s be honest, you’re a very busy person and your mailbox is probably full, you’re never going to open my email. Do you have a minute for me to explain why I called just now?” Ivana tends to judge which of these three objection handling responses feels right to use in the moment, based on the information she can gather. 2. “Our process is working well, we don’t want to change anything.”
You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward. “Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?”” Many sales reps ask how to get past the email me objections when cold calling. Ivana has a few ways to respond to this objection, as there are multiple reasons why the prospect might say this. They don’t like phone calls; they prefer to speak over email. They’re busy at that particular moment, so it’s not convenient to talk. It’s a brush-off: they want you off the phone and don’t plan to read your email even though they’ve asked for it. Ivana tries to figure out the reason behind this cold call objection so she can respond appropriately, for example: “Yes, of course I can send you an email! What in particular would you like me to include in the email? Is there any specific information you’d be interested to know?” “Yes, of course - I appreciate you must be very busy. Is there a better time when I could call you back?” Ivana adds: “In this one, you’re directly ignoring their request for the email - but it’s because I feel as though they’re not going to open whatever email I send them. I want to get them back on the phone.” Plus, in this instance, having a scheduled time to speak is beneficial. Why? Because you’re more likely to get your prospects’ complete focus, especially if it’s simply a timing issue in the way. “In my experience, when I call back and say ‘you asked me to call you back’, they’re more open to talk to me.” The last one is a little more controversial and won’t work for every prospect, but Ivana finds that with specific prospects, when the conversation is more lighthearted and jovial, you can say something along the lines of: “Let’s be honest, you’re a very busy person and your mailbox is probably full, you’re never going to open my email. Do you have a minute for me to explain why I called just now?” Ivana tends to judge which of these three objection handling responses feels right to use in the moment, based on the information she can gather. 2. “Our process is working well, we don’t want to change anything.”
You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward. “Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.”” Many sales reps ask how to get past the email me objections when cold calling. Ivana has a few ways to respond to this objection, as there are multiple reasons why the prospect might say this. They don’t like phone calls; they prefer to speak over email. They’re busy at that particular moment, so it’s not convenient to talk. It’s a brush-off: they want you off the phone and don’t plan to read your email even though they’ve asked for it. Ivana tries to figure out the reason behind this cold call objection so she can respond appropriately, for example: “Yes, of course I can send you an email! What in particular would you like me to include in the email? Is there any specific information you’d be interested to know?” “Yes, of course - I appreciate you must be very busy. Is there a better time when I could call you back?” Ivana adds: “In this one, you’re directly ignoring their request for the email - but it’s because I feel as though they’re not going to open whatever email I send them. I want to get them back on the phone.” Plus, in this instance, having a scheduled time to speak is beneficial. Why? Because you’re more likely to get your prospects’ complete focus, especially if it’s simply a timing issue in the way. “In my experience, when I call back and say ‘you asked me to call you back’, they’re more open to talk to me.” The last one is a little more controversial and won’t work for every prospect, but Ivana finds that with specific prospects, when the conversation is more lighthearted and jovial, you can say something along the lines of: “Let’s be honest, you’re a very busy person and your mailbox is probably full, you’re never going to open my email. Do you have a minute for me to explain why I called just now?” Ivana tends to judge which of these three objection handling responses feels right to use in the moment, based on the information she can gather. 2. “Our process is working well, we don’t want to change anything.”
You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward. “Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.”” Many sales reps ask how to get past the email me objections when cold calling. Ivana has a few ways to respond to this objection, as there are multiple reasons why the prospect might say this. They don’t like phone calls; they prefer to speak over email. They’re busy at that particular moment, so it’s not convenient to talk. It’s a brush-off: they want you off the phone and don’t plan to read your email even though they’ve asked for it. Ivana tries to figure out the reason behind this cold call objection so she can respond appropriately, for example: “Yes, of course I can send you an email! What in particular would you like me to include in the email? Is there any specific information you’d be interested to know?” “Yes, of course - I appreciate you must be very busy. Is there a better time when I could call you back?” Ivana adds: “In this one, you’re directly ignoring their request for the email - but it’s because I feel as though they’re not going to open whatever email I send them. I want to get them back on the phone.” Plus, in this instance, having a scheduled time to speak is beneficial. Why? Because you’re more likely to get your prospects’ complete focus, especially if it’s simply a timing issue in the way. “In my experience, when I call back and say ‘you asked me to call you back’, they’re more open to talk to me.” The last one is a little more controversial and won’t work for every prospect, but Ivana finds that with specific prospects, when the conversation is more lighthearted and jovial, you can say something along the lines of: “Let’s be honest, you’re a very busy person and your mailbox is probably full, you’re never going to open my email. Do you have a minute for me to explain why I called just now?” Ivana tends to judge which of these three objection handling responses feels right to use in the moment, based on the information she can gather. 2. “Our process is working well, we don’t want to change anything.”
“Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’.” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
“They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation!” You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way. Keeping things as positive as possible is always a good idea, but it’s smart to note that you may have more cold call objections coming. Ivana elaborates on this: “If you say, for example, ‘Hi Jack, how are you?’ and you get back a flat ‘I’m good’, without asking how I am in return, then that is essentially the first roadblock.” “They have their guard up, and you can tell the conversation might be a little more tricky.” “Your positive intonation can usually turn the conversation around, and I have a strategy to lead the conversation on for any common cold call objection.” Why do prospects push back? It also helps to understand the reasons why prospects push back so that you can help put them at ease and open a productive conversation. Objections aren’t just rejections—they’re often signs of uncertainty. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices, internal red tape, and concerns about making the wrong decision. Instead of focusing solely on overcoming objections, the best salespeople act as trusted advisors—guiding buyers toward clarity and confidence. There can be a number of reasons why you might be feeling pushback. Here are a few to keep an eye out for: 1. Fear of making the wrong decision Your buyer might think, “Last time we bought a tool like this, it didn’t work out. I don’t want to waste our budget or look bad internally." 77% of B2B buyers described their last purchase as complex or difficult. Prospects may choose to stick with what they have to avoid the pain of another complex buying cycle where they risk putting their neck on the line if they make a bad decision. How to handle it: De-risk the decision: “I completely understand—no one wants to make a decision they regret. That’s why we work closely with companies like yours to ensure this fits your needs before moving forward.
One of the toughest parts of B2B sales is undoubtedly dealing with cold calling objections. Knowing what to say to someone who has hinted (or said very blatantly) that they don’t want to talk to you. It can throw off your confidence. But the truth is, objections are not rejections. There is a difference between ‘take me off your list and never call me again’ and ‘I’m busy, I can’t talk right now’. We spoke with sales expert Ryan Reisert and Ivana Ivanova, a Cognism SDR who loves cold-calling objections. They and other Cognism SDRs have a list of common sales objections and ways to respond at their fingertips. A list of notes they can refer to during the call to stay level-headed and continue the conversation! Keep reading to learn their top tips on objection handling. While you’re here, check out our Objection Response Generator.👇 TL;DR Before you even start to consider the words that come out of a prospect’s mouth, you should analyse their tone as they answer the phone. So much of human-to-human communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about how interested your prospect is simply from the tone of their voice. Say they answer your cold call with a sunny-sounding ‘hello’; you should try to match this upbeat energy and intonation with an equally sunny reply. Calls that start this way will likely be easier to manage. Generally, you’ll have less resistance when moving into your sales pitch. Ivana shares that when she first started as a sales development representative, she was taught to always make calls with a smile on her face. You’ve surely heard of this - the old “smile and dial”! The idea here is that prospects, even over the phone, can tell you’re smiling. They can hear it in how you speak, which can help get conversations off on the right foot. Not all calls will start off with rainbows and fairies, unfortunately. Sometimes, you can tell the person receiving your call isn’t instantly happy you phoned. “You shouldn’t try to match any negative energy with equal negativity. It’s unlikely you’ll get far that way.” Would it help if I shared how similar teams have successfully implemented this?” Use social proof: Provide examples of companies that had similar hesitations but later saw success. 2. Lack of internal consensus Another common reason that deals are slow or get dropped altogether is because you don’t have enough internal buy-in from important decision-makers: “I like what I’m seeing, but I’m not the only decision-maker. I need to get buy-in from my team." Individual stakeholders may not feel they have enough authority to complete the deal. The average B2B buying group has grown from 6 to 12 stakeholders, making decisions more complex. How to handle it: Help them build the business case: “It sounds like internal alignment is a key factor here. Would it be helpful if I shared resources or a template that could make that conversation easier for you?” Offer to assist in multi-threading: “Who else would need to be involved in this decision? I’d be happy to tailor a conversation for them.” 3. Scepticism of salespeople Unfortunately, no matter how good a sales rep you are, your prospect has likely been burned by previous reps who haven’t offered them a valuable experience. A lot of prospects say: “I don’t trust sales reps. I’d rather do my own research than be sold to." A study by Brevet highlights that only 13% of customers believe a salesperson can understand their requirements, further emphasising the disconnect between buyers and sales representatives. How to handle it: Lead with insight, not a pitch: “I completely understand. My goal isn’t to sell you something that doesn’t fit—I’d rather help you figure out if this is the right solution for your needs.” Show expertise: Instead of jumping into a demo, share industry trends, case studies, or data-backed insights. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the top 9 most common objections you’ll face from prospects, and how to respond! 👇 1. “Can you send me an email?”
“We don’t need it/we only do inbound.” The next cold call objection and response are industry-specific for SaaS sales, but the underlying objection, ‘We don’t need it,’ can be applied across the board. Ivana tells us that she sometimes hears, ‘We only do inbound lead generation, so a tool like this wouldn’t work for us. We don’t need it. We don’t do outbound.’ “I still won’t end the conversation saying ‘oh no worries, goodbye’. “Instead, I ask them more questions. Such as:” "Where do you get these inbound leads?""Where do you get your data from?""How do you keep your data fresh?" “I’m likely to learn something by asking these questions. That allows me to show them how our tool would work for them.” “I won’t end a call after a prospect objects to me the first time - unless they ask me to remove them from my prospecting list. I always try to get into a conversation and learn more in case a fit isn’t initially obvious.” Even if this cold calling example doesn’t perfectly fit your industry, you can apply this same logic. If a prospect raises this objection when cold calling, ask them more questions about their current set. You’ll soon discover if there are features to your product or service that do fit their requirements. 7. “The timing isn’t right.” Maybe your prospect has already allocated their budget for the quarter. Maybe they’re bound by a contract for a few months. Maybe the circumstances mean the stars don’t align for you to make a deal at this moment in time. So, this prospect is a no-go for the time being. But they could be a future opportunity. Ivana suggests trying to find out more about their organisation. Things like: What do they do? What systems do they have in place? How might their environment change in the coming months? This way, she gauges how long to leave it before trying to contact them again in the near future. “When you call the right person, you already have an in.” You can always acknowledge the previous attempt to call, too, saying something along the lines of: “Seems like the last time I called, I caught you at the worst moment - is now a better time to talk?” Top Tips to Handle Rebuttals 1. Reframe how you view cold call rejection A sales rejection isn’t really rejection - it’s information. You shouldn’t take no for an answer. Sales development reps must recognise when they’re wasting their time with someone who isn’t interested and won’t ever be. Ryan said: “Part of the role of an SDR is to go out on a fact-finding mission, learn about the prospect’s pain points and see if they might have a solution to help.” In other words, an SDR is a scout venturing ahead of the group to look for routes worth taking. Ryan continues: “So cold call rejection, in reality, is data to inform you on their situation and circumstances at that moment.” “It isn’t permanent. Things change. You can follow up another day. Sometimes, it’s just an issue of timing.” For example, let’s say you call your prospect on a busy Monday afternoon. They don’t know who you are, and you’ve interrupted them in a flow - they’re busy preparing for a big meeting. They might tell you they’re not interested in speaking to you or are too busy to talk. But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want to hear what you say under less pressure. Your window to ask questions is short. Ryan advises gathering as much information as possible about why they might reject you. “Try to understand it. If they tell you ‘it’s just not for us’, then ask questions like: Is it just not for you right now? Do you have an alternative solution? Is this something that isn’t on your radar?” “And from this, you can understand how to process the sales rejection and what is holding them back. Maybe you can send them some follow-up information. Some might engage. They visit the website, now [they’ve accepted cookies], they get ads so that they might come back someday.”
When she does, she has new information to guide her should there be any further objections that need answers in the next conversation. For example: “Hey, I spoke to you in June and this was your situation - this is what we spoke about. What’s going on for you now?” This cold call objection is simply kicking the can a little further down the track so you can pick it up later. 8. “I’m the wrong person to speak to - this isn’t in my remit.” Oops, so maybe your list was a little off. Or your research came up with the wrong decision-maker within an organisation. But don’t worry; this is your opportunity to get a referral to reach the right person. And the best thing about this? When you call the right person, you already have an in. You can say: “I gave (name) a ring earlier today and they said you’d be the best person to speak to about this.” A prospect is far more likely to be open to talking if you name-drop someone else in their business. So what do you say when you reach the wrong person? Ivana suggests: “Oh sorry to bother you, do you happen to have the phone number for the best person placed to speak to me about this? Who in your organisation manages (x)?” Then off you go! Get back on the phone and call the right contact 🙌 9. The prospect is grumpy, moody or emotional This isn’t precisely a verbal objection, but if you’ve spent any time in outbound sales, you’ve probably had someone who’s obviously having a bad day on the other end of the line. This might mean they’re not in the right headspace to talk to you or willing to make any decisions quite yet. They may even hang up the phone. But that doesn’t mean they won’t feel differently at a later date, especially if you research the best time to call them. Ivana says: “In cases like this, I’d always call back in 2 or 3 days. You’d be surprised at how different their mood can be.” ““Part of the role of an SDR is to go out on a fact-finding mission, learn about the prospect’s pain points and see if they might have a solution to help.”” Knowledge is power, after all. The more you can understand where your prospects’ heads are at, the easier it is to follow up with them later, hopefully when it’s more convenient to talk. 💡You might also be interested in our article on the best time to cold call to reduce sales rejections. 2. Consider the buyer’s pyramid Another helpful way to reframe how to process rejection as a cold caller is to put your calls in the context of Chet Holmes’ Buyer’s Pyramid. Ryan explained the framework more thoroughly. It shows what percentage of your audience will likely buy at any given moment. Only 3% of the people on your call list are buying now. About 7% are open to buying. Roughly 30% are not thinking about it. The other 30% don’t think they’re interested. And the final 30% know they’re not interested. “So by that logic, 6/10 of your cold calls will almost definitely end in rejection - just by simple statistics.” “Only 1 in 10 are in that ‘buying now’ or ‘open to it’ category. And some of them may have already been researching a competitor.” “Your winning zone is the 30% that aren’t thinking about it yet. These are the prospects you are most likely to influence.” “Most people starting cold calling will fall into the 3-10% conversion rate range.” You can see how understanding the math lets you visualise what’s realistic regarding success. Ryan said: “Most SDRs aren’t getting as many rejections as they should be. They don’t make enough dials and give up after one or two cold call rejections because it feels tough.” “But if you want to be a successful SDR, you have to be willing to make the nine calls where you get rejected to get the tenth call where you book the meeting.” 3. Prepare, prepare, prepare We asked Ryan if you could do any sales call prep work before the call to reduce your chances of cold call rejection. He told us: “Of course, skill matters to an extent.
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