Objection Handling for B2B Service Firms

Objections Are Not Rejections

When a prospect says "it is too expensive" or "we need to think about it," most salespeople hear rejection. But objections are not rejections — they are requests for more information.

An objection means the prospect is engaged enough to push back. That is a good sign. The key is knowing how to respond.

The LAER Framework

We teach every MAVEN client the LAER framework: Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond.

Listen

Do not interrupt. Let them finish their objection completely. Often, the real concern is not the first thing they say.

Acknowledge

Show that you understand. "I completely understand that concern." This is not agreement — it is empathy.

Explore

Ask a follow-up question to understand the root cause. The surface objection is rarely the real one.

Respond

Address the real concern with evidence, logic, or a reframe.

The 5 Most Common Objections (And How to Handle Them)

1. "It is too expensive"

What they really mean: I am not sure the value justifies the cost.

Explore: "When you say too expensive, are you comparing it to something specific, or is it a matter of the overall budget?"

Respond: "I understand. Let me put it in context. The average cost of a bad hire is £30-50K. Our engagement is a fraction of that, and you get a system that works with any team member you hire. What would it mean for your business to have 10-15 additional qualified meetings per month?"

2. "We can do this ourselves"

What they really mean: I am not sure we need outside help.

Explore: "What has held you back from doing it so far?"

Respond: "You probably can — you clearly understand your business better than anyone. The question is how long it will take and what you will miss in the meantime. Our clients typically compress 12-18 months of trial and error into 90 days. How much revenue are you leaving on the table during that learning curve?"

3. "We have been burned by consultants before"

What they really mean: I do not trust that this will be different.

Explore: "I am sorry to hear that. Can you tell me what happened? What specifically did not work?"

Respond: "That is exactly why we built MAVEN the way we did. We do not deliver strategy documents and walk away. We install working systems alongside your team. And our engagement is 90 days with clear deliverables — not an open-ended retainer. Would it help to speak with a past client about their experience?"

4. "Now is not the right time"

What they really mean: This is not urgent enough to prioritise.

Explore: "What would need to change for the timing to be right?"

Respond: "I get it — timing matters. Here is what I have seen though: the firms that say 'not now' often come back 6 months later having lost 6 months of potential pipeline. What is the cost of waiting? If you start now, you could have a fully operational sales system by [date 90 days from now]."

5. "I need to discuss this with my team/partner"

What they really mean: I am not the sole decision-maker.

Explore: "Of course. Who else would be involved, and what would they need to know?"

Respond: "Happy to help with that. Would it be useful if I joined a brief call with your team to answer any questions directly? Or I can send over a summary document they can review."

Practice Makes Permanent

Reading frameworks is not enough. You need to practise them until they become natural.

How to practise:

Role-play objections with a colleague for 15 minutes per week

Record your sales calls and review how you handled objections

After every lost deal, write down the objection and how you could have responded better

Build Objection Handling Into Your Sales OS

At MAVEN, objection handling is a core component of our sales coaching. We create custom playbooks for your specific market and train your team through live call coaching and role-play sessions.

Book a Virtual Coffee to build your objection playbook.