22 Proven Responses to "It‘s Not a Good Time to Buy" That Work in 2024
It‘s no secret that rejection is a fact of sales life. There‘s no controlling that. What you can control is how you respond to it, especially when it comes to the dreaded "It‘s not a good time for us to buy" objection.
According to sales strategist Marc Wayshak, 50% of deals are lost due to budget, timing, or need. As difficult as it can be to swallow, "bad timing" is a very real factor that derails countless otherwise promising opportunities.
However, giving up at the first hint of hesitation is a rookie move. In many cases, timing is simply a knee-jerk excuse hiding the real concern. It‘s your job to dig deeper with a deft touch, reframe the situation, and try to get things back on track before throwing in the towel.
I‘ve been in B2B sales for over a decade, and I‘ve heard every variation of "Call me back next quarter" you can imagine. Through trial and error (lots of error!), I‘ve discovered that with the right response, you can salvage deals you might otherwise abandon.
In this post, I‘ll share 22 of my most effective responses for countering timing-related objections, with real examples and insights from renowned sales experts. Whether you‘re a new rep or a seasoned pro, this advice will help you confidently navigate timing landmines and close more deals.
Why Is Timing Such a Difficult Objection?
Before we get into the responses, it‘s important to understand what makes the timing objection so uniquely challenging. A few key reasons:
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It‘s often a reflex response. Prospects reach for the timing excuse to get sales reps off their back without having to definitively reject them. As Strategic Pipeline founder Janice Mars puts it, "It‘s the easy way out for them."
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It masks other objections. Timing is a catch-all that prospects hide behind when they‘re hesitant to voice their real concerns, like budget constraints, fear of change, or lack of trust in you.
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It‘s hard to argue with. Unlike more specific objections like price or features, timing feels very subjective and personal. Pushing back too hard can make you seem insensitive or out of touch.
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The sales cycle has gotten longer. According to Hubspot research, the average sales cycle has increased by 22% over the past 5 years. More stakeholders and steps mean more chances for timing to throw things off course.
However, I firmly believe timing objections don‘t have to be a deal-killer if you know how to respond – and when to accept a "no" gracefully. Let‘s dive in.
Key Dos and Don‘ts for Responding
Before getting into specific responses, keep these overarching principles in mind:
| Do | Don‘t |
|---|---|
| Lead with empathy | Jump to defend your timeline |
| Ask open-ended questions | Interrogate them |
| Affirm their priorities | Solely focus on your agenda |
| Share customer stories | Make unkeepable promises |
| Offer flexible options | Force a close if they‘re not ready |
With that, here are 22 responses to help you deftly handle the most common timing objections:
1. Probe to uncover the real objection
"I totally understand. Out of curiosity, if timing weren‘t a factor, is this a solution you‘d want to move forward with? Are there other concerns holding you back?"
2. Connect to their goals
"Last time we spoke, you mentioned that [business goal] was a top priority this year. Is that still the case? What would waiting until next quarter mean for achieving it?"
3. Share a relevant story
"You know, your situation reminds me a lot of [similar company]. They were concerned about the timing at first too, but ultimately decided that the cost of waiting was too high. Since implementing [solution], they‘ve seen [impressive results]. I‘m happy to connect you with [contact name] there if you‘d like to hear about their experience."
4. Offer a limited-time incentive
"I completely understand the hesitation, and I want to be respectful of your timeline. Here‘s an idea – what if we offered you [special discount/extra onboarding support/additional feature] if you can sign by [date]? I‘d hate for you to miss out on this and pay full price if you do decide to move forward next quarter."
5. Suggest a creative workaround
"What if we broke this up into phases so you could spread out the cost and workload? We could start with implementing [must-have component] now to solve your most urgent need, then layer on [nice-to-haves] when the new budget kicks in next quarter. That way you don‘t have to put this off but can still work within your constraints. What do you think?"
6. Leverage the power of silence
Sometimes the most powerful response is simply staying quiet after they voice the objection. Enduring a few moments of awkward silence often prompts the prospect to elaborate on the real issue. Listen carefully when they do.
7. Reframe the risk
"I absolutely understand wanting to be prudent given all the uncertainty right now. At the same time, the way I see it, implementing [solution] is actually the less risky option. If you wait, you could lose [amount of money] over the next [timeframe], and your competition is going to keep pulling ahead. Moving forward now protects your downside and puts you in a much stronger position heading into next year. What are your thoughts on that?"
8. Suss out an underlying fear
"You know, in my experience, when someone tells me timing isn‘t right, there‘s often an underlying concern they haven‘t voiced. I really want to understand where you‘re coming from. Is there something else making you nervous about moving forward that we haven‘t discussed openly? I‘m here to help in any way I can, even if that means revising the scope or timeline."
9. Call back to their words
Refer back to specific comments they made that indicated an urgency to solve their problem. For example:
"When we first started talking, you mentioned that [pain point] was costing you [amount] every [timeframe]. You seemed eager to stem that bleed ASAP. Has something changed that makes it less of a priority? I want to make sure I‘m not missing a key piece of context."
10. Probe into the future
"When you think ahead to [reasonable future timeframe], what do you envision will be different about your goals, your budget, or your bandwidth to tackle this? I ask because I want to make sure I have a clear understanding of your situation and timeline. If nothing major is going to change, it might be worth revisiting if now is actually the ideal time to solve this, even if it‘s not easy."
11. Agree to a follow-up touch point
"I completely understand and respect that the timing just isn‘t right for you to implement this right now. Why don‘t we plan to reconnect in [X weeks/months] to see if anything has shifted on your end? In the meantime, I‘m going to keep an eye out for any content or insights that could be useful to you as you navigate [relevant challenge]. This way, when you are ready, I‘ll be prepared with ideas to help you hit the ground running."
12. Send over value-add resources
In your follow-up email after a timing objection, include links to helpful content like:
- Case studies of similar companies who overcame the same challenge
- Relevant industry research and benchmarks
- Guides and templates related to their priorities
- Webinar and event invitations on topics they care about
This shows you‘re invested in their success even when they‘re not actively buying and keeps you top of mind.
13. Appeal to their competitive spirit
"I hear you on the timing concerns. I do want to be transparent though that your top competitor [company name] just kicked off implementation of [solution]. I‘d hate to see you fall behind, especially since you have such an exciting roadmap for this year. Why don‘t we brainstorm some creative ways to get started now, even if we have to think outside the box a bit?"
14. Offer a sneak peek
"What if we did a one-week free trial so you and your team can see the impact of [solution] in your own environment? No hard pitch at the end, just a chance for you to make a more informed decision about whether it‘s worth prioritizing right now. You tell me when to hit the brakes if needed."
15. Highlight the human impact
"Can I be honest? When you talked about how burned out your team is and how this problem is holding them back, I felt that in my gut. I‘ve seen firsthand how demoralizing it is for talented people to be stuck in inefficient processes. If we could wave a magic wand and give them [solution] today, what would that mean for them on a human level? Sometimes we have to make hard tradeoffs in the short term for the greater good."
16. Gracefully close the door (for now)
"I really appreciate you taking the time to hear me out and being so candid about where you‘re at. The last thing I want is to be a pest when I know you have so much on your plate. Why don‘t we leave things here for now, and I‘ll plan to check back in [timeframe]? If anything changes in the meantime, I‘m just a call or email away."
This "takeaway" close shows you respect their decision while still leaving the door cracked for future discussions.
17. Affirm the relationship
"I hope you know how much I‘ve enjoyed working with you and [company] over these past [timeframe]. Even if it doesn‘t work out for us to partner right now, I‘m rooting for your success and am here if you ever need advice or want to bounce around ideas. Please don‘t hesitate to reach out!"
18. Inject gentle humor
"Well, I had to give it one last college try! But in all seriousness, I completely understand. Timing in business is everything, and it sounds like now just isn‘t that time. I‘ll still be here whenever that changes. In the meantime, if you ever want to grab a coffee and swap war stories, I‘m always game."
19. Request a referral
"I really appreciate your time and consideration, [Name]. Since [company] isn‘t in a position to invest in this right now, I was wondering if you might know anyone else in your network who‘s working on [relevant challenge] and could benefit from [solution]? I‘d love to see if I can help them out. And of course, if anything changes on your end, I‘ll be ready to jump back in and get you taken care of."
20. Send a "just checking in" email
After an appropriate amount of time has passed (based on what they shared about their timeline), send a friendly check-in email to see if their situation has changed. For example:
"Hi [Name],
I hope you‘re doing well! I was thinking about our last conversation and the [pain point] your team was grappling with. I know you weren‘t able to move forward with [solution] at the time, but I wanted to check in and see if anything has changed or if there‘s anything I can do to support you.
I also came across this article on [relevant topic] that I thought you might find interesting given [context from your previous discussions]. Let me know what you think!
If you‘re open to it, I‘d love to get a quick coffee on the calendar to catch up live. Are you free for 20 minutes next [day]?
Best,
[Your name]"
This multi-pronged approach demonstrates your care for them as a person, provides value, and makes a soft ask to re-engage.
21. Conduct a post-mortem
If a deal is truly lost due to timing, do an honest debrief with yourself and your manager:
- Were there warning signs earlier on that this wasn‘t well-timed?
- Did you push too hard when you should have backed off?
- Were there questions you could have asked to uncover the timing concern sooner?
- How can you incorporate those learnings into future deals?
As painful as it can be, analyzing your losses is key to preventing them in the future.
22. Focus on what you can control
At the end of the day, timing will tank some deals no matter how skillfully you respond. Instead of dwelling on what you can‘t change, pour your energy into what you can:
- Refilling your pipeline with new, well-qualified opportunities
- Diligently completing your pre-call research to identify timing landmines in advance
- Proactively building a business case that proves the cost of waiting is greater than the cost of acting now
- Relentlessly honing your objection handling and active listening skills
- Showing up as a trusted advisor who always has their client‘s best interests at heart
Go Forth and Conquer Timing Objections
There you have it – 22 battle-tested responses for pushing back on the timing objection in a firm but empathetic way. But reading about them is one thing, doing them is another.
My challenge to you is to pick 1-2 of these responses that resonate with you and practice delivering them out loud until they roll off the tongue. Recruit a colleague to roleplay with, record yourself to analyze your tone and body language, and commit to trying them out on your next sales call.
Remember, confidence is key. When you truly believe in the value you offer and aren‘t afraid of a little objection, that conviction shines through. You‘ve got this!
If you found this post helpful, download our complete Objection Handling Playbook for more proven techniques for overcoming skepticism and indecision. And for more insights on how to prevent timing concerns from derailing your deals in the first place, check out this post on Aligning Your Sales Process to Your Buyer‘s Journey.
