Handling objections calmly and securing next steps.

This lesson is a practical checkpoint where you bring your earlier skills together under pressure. The situation is the final ten minutes of a discovery or demo call, when objections appear and you still need to leave with a clear next step. Your client raises two common objections: the price feels high and the timing is not ideal. You must respond calmly, explore what is behind the objection, and keep the relationship positive. You will review and recycle key language from earlier lessons: opening and agenda framing, discovery-style follow-up questions, confirmation, and concise summarising. Then you will practise a simple objection sequence that sounds natural at B2: acknowledge, explore, respond or reframe, and check. You will also practise closing language that secures commitment without sounding aggressive. By the end, you will complete a short simulation where you handle objections, summarise the agreed points, and confirm the next step with a date, owner, and clear action.

1. The final 10 minutes: objections appear.

In this lesson we are going to practise a very specific, very real sales moment: the final ten minutes of a discovery or demo call, when you suddenly hear objections and you still need to leave with a clear next step. The pressure is that you cannot sound defensive, surprised, or pushy. Instead, you want to sound calm, curious, and commercially credible. Here is our scenario. You are the account executive. Your client contact is Maya, an Operations Director. You have just finished a short demo and you are trying to agree next steps. Maya raises two objections: first, the price feels high; second, the timing is not ideal because the quarter is busy. As you listen to the model call, do not worry about every word. Listen for the shape of the conversation: acknowledge the concern, explore what is behind it, respond or reframe, then check. After the audio, you will pick out the exact phrases that create a calm, professional tone.

Situation brief: a familiar pressure moment.

You have done the hard work: you have built rapport, asked discovery questions, and shown a short demo. Now, with 10 minutes left, the client puts the brakes on:

• Price: “This feels expensive.”
• Timing: “This quarter is not realistic.”

The goal is not to “win” the argument. The goal is to stay credible, learn what the real issue is, and secure a next step that keeps momentum.

What good sounds like at B2.

At B2, you do not need fancy persuasion. You need four steady moves:

1. Acknowledge (calmly, no panic): “I completely understand why you would raise that.”
2. Explore (ask a sharp follow-up): “Can I ask what you are comparing it to?”
3. Respond / reframe (value, risk, outcomes; or offer a practical approach): “Would it help if we phased it?”
4. Check + progress (confirm and move forward): “If we could solve X, would that change the picture?”

Listening focus.

While you listen, notice:

• How the seller buys time without sounding weak.
• How the seller asks one clear question at a time.
• How the seller ends with a specific next step (date + owner + action).

Mini checklist you can reuse on real calls.

When you hear an objection, quickly check:

• Did I acknowledge it without arguing?
• Did I ask a question to understand the real driver?
• Did I respond with a commercial explanation (value/risk/constraints), not emotions?
• Did I confirm next steps clearly?

In the activity below, you will listen and identify the exact lines that do these jobs.

Practice & Feedback

Listen to the short call extract. Then write four short answers:

1. Which sentence shows acknowledgement?
2. Which sentence is the key exploring question about price?
3. Which sentence addresses timing?
4. What is the next step they agree?

Write in full sentences (you can copy the exact wording). Keep your answers short and clear. Imagine you are taking notes so you can reuse the same structure on your next real call.

2. Noticing the objection-handling sequence.

Now that you have heard a realistic objection moment, we are going to slow it down and look at the language choices that make it work. The most common mistake at this stage of a call is to treat an objection like a fight: you start defending your price, you speak faster, and the client feels you are pushing. We want the opposite effect. You will see the same conversation on screen, but with the lines grouped into four stages: acknowledge, explore, respond or reframe, and check. Your job is to notice the small words that soften your tone and keep you in control: ‘can I ask’, ‘would it help’, ‘just to check’, ‘to recap’. These are not fillers; they are tools. After that, you will do a quick transformation task. You will take direct or risky-sounding lines and upgrade them into calmer, more professional versions. Keep it natural, not overly formal. Aim to sound like someone who is used to commercial conversations.

The four-stage sequence (with real phrases).

When the client says “The price feels high” or “The timing is not ideal”, you can respond with a sequence that protects the relationship and still moves the deal forward.

Below is the model, with functional labels.

Why this works (and what to avoid).

This sequence works because it replaces pressure with curiosity and replaces vagueness with specific choices. You are not ignoring the objection; you are making it discussable.

Avoid these patterns, because they sound reactive:

• “But it’s not expensive.” (arguing about feelings)
• “That’s our standard price.” (no value, no flexibility)
• “If you don’t buy now, you’ll miss out.” (threatening)

“Upgrade” examples (direct → diplomatic).

Notice how the upgraded versions keep the meaning but improve tone.

• Direct: “You’re comparing the wrong tools.”

Upgrade: “Can I ask what you’re comparing it to, just so I understand the context?”

• Direct: “We can’t do it this quarter, then.”

Upgrade: “Understood. What would need to be true for this to move forward early next quarter?”

• Direct: “If you want it cheaper, reduce scope.”

Upgrade: “If budget is the main constraint, we could look at phasing or adjusting scope. Would that help?”

In the activity, you will do your own upgrades so you can reuse them on live calls.

Practice & Feedback

Below you have four ‘risky’ sentences that could sound blunt, defensive, or pushy in the final minutes of a call.

Rewrite each one to sound calm, curious, and commercially professional, using the four-stage sequence from this block. Keep the meaning, but improve the tone. Write four upgraded sentences (one per line). Aim for natural B2 English, not overly formal.

Tip: Use phrases like “I understand”, “Can I ask…”, “Would it help if…”, “What would need to be true for…”, and “Just to recap…”.

Rewrite these:

1. “That price is normal. Everyone pays that.”
2. “If you don’t have budget, we can’t do anything.”
3. “We need a decision this week.”
4. “Next quarter is too late for us.”

3. Asking follow-up questions that uncover the real issue.

Let’s take the most powerful part of objection handling: the follow-up question. A price objection is often not really about the price. It can be about cash flow, internal approval, risk, scope, or even confusion about what is included. A timing objection is often not really about the calendar. It can be about resourcing, stakeholder alignment, or fear of change. Your job is to ask questions that are tactful but specific, so you quickly find the real driver. Notice how the best questions give the client two options to choose from. That keeps the conversation moving and avoids a long, vague answer. In this block you’ll build a small ‘question set’ you can use under pressure. I want you to write questions you would genuinely ask on a call, not textbook English. Keep them short, one idea at a time. After you write, you’ll get feedback on whether each question is likely to produce useful information.

Why follow-up questions matter in objections.

If you respond to “Price feels high” with a long explanation, you may miss the real issue. Instead, you want to diagnose:

• High compared to what?
• High for which budget line?
• High for which scope?
• High because value is unclear?

With timing, you want to find the blocker:

• Is it internal resourcing?
• Is it procurement/legal?
• Is it competing priorities this quarter?

Question patterns that work well at B2.

Here are patterns you can reuse. Read them as “templates”, not scripts.

Price / budget

• “Can I ask what you’re comparing it to?”
• “Is it the overall budget, or the timing of the spend?”
• “Roughly what range are you aiming for?”
• “Which part feels least clear: onboarding, licences, or support?”

Timing / priority

• “What would need to be true for this to move forward?”
• “Who would need to be involved to make this a priority?”
• “Is the main blocker resourcing, approvals, or something else?”
• “If we phased it, which part could start first?”

Micro-skill: one question at a time.

A common mistake is to stack questions:

• Risky: “What’s your budget, who decides, and when do you want to start?”

Better:

• “Can I ask who else is involved in the decision?”
• “And what timing are you working with?”

Mini role note: you are still leading.

Being curious does not mean being passive. You are guiding the conversation towards a decision-friendly next step.

In the activity, you will write a short set of follow-up questions for Maya (Operations Director) that uncover the real driver behind the two objections.

Practice & Feedback

Write 6 follow-up questions you would ask Maya on the call:

• 3 questions to understand the price concern.
• 3 questions to understand the timing concern.

Keep them short (one sentence each). Use a calm, professional tone and include at least two of these starters: “Can I ask…”, “Is it…”, “What would need to be true…”, “Would it help if…”.

Imagine you have 10 minutes left, so your questions must be focused and useful, not generic.

Client context reminders:

• Maya is Operations Director.
• She says: “The price feels high.”
• She says: “The timing is not ideal this quarter.”
• You want to understand the real driver and still secure a next step today.

4. Reframing price and timing towards value and options.

Once you have explored the objection, you need a response that sounds commercial and grounded. That means you do not promise discounts you cannot give, and you do not become vague. Instead, you explain what drives the cost, you connect it to outcomes, and you offer an option that reduces risk for the client. A useful technique is to separate ‘price’ from ‘spend timing’. Many clients can afford the solution in principle, but they cannot spend in the current quarter. If you can offer a phased approach, a pilot, or a smaller first step, you keep the deal alive without sounding pushy. In this block you will practise two short reframes: one for price, one for timing. The key is balance: you acknowledge the concern, then you give a clear, non-emotional explanation, and finally you check if your option helps. Afterwards you will write your own mini responses, and I will look for clarity, tone, and whether you move towards a next step.

Reframing: what it is (and what it is not).

A reframe is not a trick. It is simply changing the focus from “this is expensive / this is bad timing” to “what outcome do you need, and what is the lowest-risk way to get there?”

At B2, the simplest reframes are:

• Price → cost drivers + value + options
• Timing → constraints + phasing + decision-friendly next step

Two model reframes you can copy.

1) Price reframe (commercial, not defensive)

> “I completely understand. From our side, the main driver of cost is onboarding and the support package, because that’s what reduces risk and speeds up adoption. Can I ask what you’re comparing it to? If budget is the main constraint, would it help if we phased it, rather than doing everything at once?”

Why it works: it names a cost driver, links it to risk/outcomes, and offers a practical option.

2) Timing reframe (keeps momentum without pushing)

> “That makes sense. What would need to be true for this to move forward early next quarter? If we can align with your IT lead now and validate assumptions, we can be ready to move quickly when the window opens. Would that be helpful?”

Why it works: it accepts the timing reality and still creates a concrete action.

Small language tools that make you sound calm.

These small chunks do a lot of work:

• “Understood.” (signals composure)
• “From our side…” (signals transparency)
• “Would it help if…?” (signals options, not pressure)
• “What would need to be true…?” (signals problem-solving)

A quick structure you can memorise.

If you want a one-line map, use:

Acknowledge → Cost driver / constraint → Option → Check

In the activity, you will write two mini responses: one to price, one to timing. Keep them short enough to say naturally on a call.

Practice & Feedback

Write two short spoken-style responses as if you are on the call with Maya. Keep each response to 2–3 sentences.

A) Respond to: “The price feels high.”

B) Respond to: “The timing is not ideal this quarter.”

In each response:

• Start with an acknowledgement (e.g., “I completely understand…”).
• Include one exploring or clarifying question.
• Offer one practical option (e.g., phasing) and end with a check question.

Use natural spoken English, not email English.

Useful chunks to reuse:

• “I completely understand why you would raise that.”
• “Can I ask what you are comparing it to?”
• “Is it the overall budget, or the timing of the spend?”
• “From our side, the main driver of cost is…”
• “Would it help if we phased it, rather than doing everything at once?”
• “What would need to be true for this to move forward?”

5. Chat simulation: handle the price objection live.

Now we are going to simulate the pressure of a real objection, but in a chat format so you can focus on the language. You are still on the same call with Maya. You have just heard the price objection, and Maya is a bit sceptical because she has seen cheaper options. In this simulation, do not try to write a perfect essay. Write short, spoken-style messages, as if you are speaking. The key is to keep control of the sequence: acknowledge, explore, respond or reframe, then check. If you jump straight to explaining, you will lose information. I will play Maya. You will answer as the account executive. I want you to ask at least one good exploring question and offer one practical option, such as phasing. At the end, try to move naturally towards a next step, but without rushing. When you reply, keep your messages short: one to three sentences each. Focus on clarity and tone.

Live practice: price objection in real time.

You are still in the final 10 minutes. The client says the price is high and mentions a cheaper competitor. Your aim is to:

1. Acknowledge without defending.
2. Explore what “high” means (compared to what, and which budget line).
3. Reframe towards cost drivers, value, and risk reduction.
4. Offer an option (phasing) that keeps momentum.
5. Check and move towards a next step.

Helpful language you can reuse during the chat.

If you need a safe starting point, use one of these:

• “I completely understand why you would raise that.”
• “Can I ask what you are comparing it to?”
• “Is it the overall budget, or the timing of the spend?”
• “From our side, the main driver of cost is…”
• “Would it help if we phased it…?”

What ‘good’ looks like in this simulation.

Aim for messages that are:

• Short: you sound like you are speaking, not writing a proposal.
• Specific: one question at a time.
• Forward-moving: you create a realistic option, then check.

A tiny example (not to copy word-for-word).

Maya: “It’s expensive. Vendor X is cheaper.”

You: “I understand. Can I ask what you’re comparing it to, in terms of scope and support? From our side, onboarding and support are a big part of the cost because they reduce risk. If we phased it, would that help with budget?”

In the activity, you will run the conversation yourself.

Practice & Feedback

Chat with Maya (I will play Maya). Write 3–5 short messages as the Account Executive.

Start by responding to Maya’s first message in the chat. Keep each message to 1–3 sentences. Your goals:

• Use an acknowledgement line.
• Ask at least one exploring question about what she is comparing the price to.
• Give a brief commercial explanation (cost driver/value/risk).
• Offer a practical option (phasing) and ask a check question.

Do not jump straight to discounting. Stay calm and curious.

Maya (Client): I’m going to be honest, the price feels high. We’re also looking at another tool and it’s cheaper. Why would we pay more?

6. Capstone: summarise and lock in the next step.

You have done the hardest part: you stayed calm during objections. Now you need to close professionally. Closing is not about pressure; it is about removing ambiguity. In the final minute of a call, a good summary does three jobs. First, it confirms what you understood: priorities and constraints. Second, it documents what you agreed: what will happen next and why. Third, it creates commitment: a date, an owner, and a clear action. In our scenario, Maya has concerns about spend this quarter and wants IT involved. Your next step is a session with the IT lead to validate assumptions, and you want to lock a time so it does not drift. You will write what you would say out loud on the call: a short recap plus a direct but polite commitment question. Keep it concise, but include the key commercial detail. If you do this well, you sound senior and trustworthy, even if the deal is not closing today.

Closing language: calm, clear, and commitment-friendly.

After objections, many calls end with something vague like “Let’s stay in touch.” That is where deals go to die. Instead, you want a summary that is easy to agree with and hard to ignore.

A strong recap has four components.

1) Signal the recap

• “To recap, we agreed…”

2) Confirm priorities + constraints

• “The main priority is reducing manual reporting.”
• “The key constraint is internal bandwidth this quarter.”

3) Name the next step with purpose

• “The next step is a session with your team to validate the assumptions.”

4) Lock it in (date + owner + action)

• “Can we lock in a time now so it does not drift?”
• “Would Tuesday at 10:00 or Wednesday at 15:00 work for your IT lead?”

Mini rubric for your final performance (use this to self-check).

Your closing should be:

• Accurate: reflects what the client actually said.
• Structured: recap → next step → time/owner/action.
• Diplomatically firm: confident, not aggressive.
• Decision-friendly: offers a simple path forward.

Model closing (spoken-style).

> “To recap, we agreed the main priority is reducing manual reporting, and the key constraint is bandwidth this quarter. On price, it sounds like the timing of the spend is the main issue rather than the overall budget. The next step is a 45-minute session with your IT lead to validate the assumptions and agree what a phased start could look like. Can we lock in a time now so it doesn’t drift? I can do Tuesday at 10:00 or Wednesday at 15:00.”

In the activity, you will write your own closing for Maya, using the same scenario and aiming for the same level of clarity.

Practice & Feedback

Write what you would say out loud in the final minute of the call with Maya: a short recap + next steps.

Requirements:

• Length: 110–160 words.
• Include: (1) recap signal, (2) priority + constraint, (3) one sentence that captures what is behind the objections (price and timing), (4) next step with purpose, (5) a clear commitment question with a date/time option and an owner (e.g., Maya + IT lead).
• Use at least three phrases from the chunk bank (e.g., “To recap…”, “What would need to be true…”, “Can we lock in a time now…?”).

Write it as a single spoken paragraph, not bullet points.

Scenario details to include:

• Client: Maya, Operations Director.
• Objections: price feels high; timing not ideal this quarter.
• Real driver: spend timing + internal bandwidth; IT resources need confirming.
• Desired next step: 45-minute validation session with IT lead to confirm assumptions and discuss phasing.
• Your aim: lock a time so the deal does not drift.