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Welcome to ‘Tactical Tips’ by Jerel and Shuo at DECODE, where we cover one new idea to help you build and grow your startup – every week in <5 minutes!
Today, we’ll be answering the question: “How to handle sales objections?”
And here’s advice inspired by our very own DECODE board members
If you are getting hit by pushbacks from potential customers, today’s newsletter is for you.
🔥 Inside this issue:
✅ 3 tactics to handle sales objections
✅ 2 traps to avoid
✅ 1 tool to leverage
👇Let’s dive in.
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3 tactics to handle sales objections
🧭 See objections as signals
Treat each pushback as an opportunity to reveal what matters most to the prospect, and show where clarity, value, or trust is missing
“We already use a competitor” → sharpen differentiation
“Call me next quarter” → show urgency or missed opportunity
Use objections to test your pitch, refine your messaging and uncover hidden needs:
Log every objection and categorize by type (timing, price, trust, relevance)
Identify patterns: which objections repeat, and when they appear in the conversation
Adjust messaging to address the top recurring objections upfront in future calls
Ask follow-up questions to dig deeper (e.g. “What about your current solution is working well for you?”)
⏩ Handle with a rhythm
Every objection handling should follow a simple rhythm:
Agree → Address → Accelerate → Act
Agree: put yourself in your prospect’s shoes (whether they’re an investor or a potential customer) and acknowledge why they might not want to move forward
Address: address the objection, and tailor the value you bring to the table based on your prospect’s objections
Accelerate: accelerate the process by creating urgency. You want to convince your prospect why they need to act quickly
Act: close your prospect with a clear call to action, such as booking a 5-minute call with you via your calendar link
📄 Personalize existing templates
Use existing templates as a baseline:
“We’re already using your competitor.”
Totally with you. My last client just came from Competitor XYZ, and they said the exact same thing. Let’s grab 30 minutes next week so I can show you why they made the switch.
“Follow up next week.”
Totally fair, but just a heads-up, my calendar fills up insanely fast. Let’s pencil something in now for Tuesday or Thursday, just to make sure I can hold a spot for you. What works best?
“[Competitor] is cheaper.”
Absolutely! They’re cheaper, and so are five others. But I’m not here because we’re the cheapest. I’m here because we actually solve [problem] better. Let’s set aside time next week so you can see the difference.
“Call me next quarter.”
Totally get it. Some of our pricing is actually going up next quarter so I’d love to get you in before that happens. Let’s get something on the calendar now.
“We’re happy with the current setup.”
So was your neighbor [Company X], until something broke and they had to make a rushed decision. It’s better to evaluate solutions before there’s a fire. Let’s grab 20 minutes next week.
“We don’t buy from startups.”
My last client said the same thing, until they saw how fast we move compared to the big guys. Innovation doesn’t wait. I don’t want you left behind while competitors move faster. Let me show you what’s coming next week.
Show empathy by personalizing your message, based on research of this person’s publicly available information
Check out their latest social media posts
Check out what social media posts they most recently interacted with
Check out their website (if any)
2 traps to avoid
🚨 Over-relying on templates
Don’t just use the template; over-relying on templates can come across as disingenuous
Add additional context where relevant and personalize your message to the specific person you’re corresponding with
E.g. I noticed that you value [following best practices in your industry] in your latest [LinkedIn] post, so I want to show you how we’re already helping the top 3 players in your industry like [X, Y and Z] achieve [A goals] while also saving [10x] with our solution
🚨 Optimizing too much for a deal close
Your job isn’t to win the deal on the first call, but to earn the next 20 minutes instead
Prove your value and show you’re worth more time; every objection is a test, and you pass it by showing you’re confident, helpful, and worth a deeper conversation
1 tool to leverage
📖 Best practice on handling sales objections
90% of prospects have objections, but objections don’t mean a sale is impossible
60% of buyers say “no” at least four times before saying “yes”, yet only 12% of founders follow up more than three times
Leverage tools like Clari for real-time insights, analytics, and cue cards to guide and handle objections
Bonus: 1 trend to spark startup ideas
📈 Tokenized stocks are redefining global capital markets
Tokenize securities, both public and private, are heating up and no longer confined to crypto-native platforms (Robinhood launched tokenized shares in Europe and Kraken launched 24/7 blockchain-based stock trading)
Regulated institutions, asset managers, and broker-dealers are starting to build real rails for blockchain-based equity markets
Tokenized stocks unlock:
24/7 trading (or close to it)
Fractional ownership at lower entry points
Global access to markets often closed to retail investors in emerging economies
Programmable, instantaneous settlement that can interact with DeFi protocols
Huge opportunity for agentic investing: market making, trading, clearing, and brokerage move from human to AI agents, operating in real-time on global, permissionless markets
Continue learning
Other resources
Founders’ Prompt Library to enhance your efficiency (Free)
Apply to participate in Founders Pop-up Board Advisory and receive startup feedback from execs at Microsoft, Google, Meta, Reddit (Free)
Schedule for a consultation on structuring your equity-based compensation plan (Free).
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