The Objection That’s Killing Your Deals (And You’re Missing It)

"I need to think it over."

"Let me talk to my business partner."

"It's more than I was expecting. I can't afford it."

A couple weeks ago, I ran a sales training with a group of reps selling IT services. We drilled these—and other—objections until everyone could handle them flawlessly.

The reps did great.

They practiced objection-handling frameworks. They nailed their delivery. Roleplays were strong across the board.

I was impressed—until I watched their actual proposal calls the following week.

And that's when I saw the gap that's probably costing you deals right now, too.

Here's What Happened

One of our top reps, Jason, gave what looked like a perfect presentation. He addressed all the problems and pains he learned in discovery and highlighted why his company was the best solution to address those needs.

When he got to the close, the prospect smiled and said: "This all looks really good. Very much along the lines of what we were thinking. So, let me just look over everything you’ve got here and follow up early next week."

Jason responded confidently: "Sounds great! I'll send you over a copy of everything, and we'll reconnect next week. Looking forward to it."

He left the call feeling fantastic—even reported it as a "high-probability" deal in the pipeline review.

But as I watched the recording, all I could think was: That deal is dead, and Jason doesn't even know it.

He didn't handle the objection... because he didn't even recognize it was there.

The Objection You Don't Notice Is the One That Kills the Deal

In a training room, objections come with flashing neon signs. Reps know they're being tested. They're mentally prepared to respond.

But out in the wild?

The exact same objections are wrapped in nice, polite, believable packaging:

• "Let's regroup next week."

• "I just want to look this over."

• "We're still reviewing options."

It feels like progression. The rep walks away encouraged.

Hell, I've done this myself. Earlier in my career, I was on track for a record-breaking month with five big deals "just about to close."

When my mentor reviewed my pipeline, he asked one question: "Do you have a specific date and time for the next conversation with each prospect? Or know what your specific next step is to execute?"

I didn't. Not a single one.

One month later, just one of those deals closed.

The truth is brutal but simple: If you're walking out of a meeting without:

• A yes,

• A no,

• Or a confirmed next step on the calendar...

Then you just got an objection.

The Real Job of a Closer

The best salespeople understand this fundamental truth:

Your job is to get a decision.

Not a maybe. Not a "next week." Not a "circle back."

Every non-decision is either:

1. An objection the buyer doesn't want to verbalize, or

2. An obstacle in your sales process that you haven't addressed.

Either way, it's your job to recognize it and respond.

So, What Should You Do?

Next time you hear, "This all looks great—I'll take a look and follow up next week," don't get optimistic.

Get curious.

When Jason and I sat down, before reviewing the calls, I asked him how he’d respond if a prospect told him they needed to think it over.

He was quick to respond:

"Totally fair—I know it's a big decision. Typically, when I hear someone wants to 'think it over,' they want to think over one of a few things: pricing, timing, or needing someone else's input. Which bucket are we in?"

Then we reviewed the call.

The lesson was clear: Spotting the objection is half the battle.

Make This Actionable

Here's how to implement this lesson:

1. Review recent calls where deals stalled. Look specifically for the moment when a clear next step wasn't established.
   

2. Identify your or your team’s "blind spot" phrases. Look for the polite declines they consistently miss. Take note of them for future calls.
   

3. Practice the curiosity response: "When people say X, it's usually because of A, B, or C. Which is it for you?"
   

4. Measure confirmed next steps, not "positive feelings" about deals. If it's not on the calendar, it's not real.

Final Thought

If you're walking out of calls feeling great but closing nothing, you're not in a hot streak—you're in a blind spot.

So don't just practice handling objections.

Practice spotting them.

That's where the real sales work begins.