Articles from April 2025

Over the last several years, I’ve learned firsthand just how important key account management can be. But what is key account management? And, how can teams develop a key account management framework that will set them and their organizations up for success?

In this comprehensive guide to key account management, I’ll walk through what key account management is, the role of a key account manager, and how to identify key accounts. Then, I’ll share some of my favorite expert-approved tips and tricks for developing a winning key account management strategy.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive right in!

Table of Contents

• What is key account management?
• What is a key account manager?
• Key Account Management Strategy
• Why implement key account management?
• Key Account Management Skills
• Key Account Manager Job Description
• Key Account Manager vs. Account Manager
• Key Account Management vs. Sales
• How to Identify Key Accounts
• Key Account Management Plan Template
• The Key Account Management Process
• Common Challenges of Key Account Management
• Is Key Account Management the Right Strategy for Your Business?
• Key Account Management Best Practices

Businesses that use this strategy often enjoy greater sales volume and longer-lasting strategic relationships. Moreover, they also have more opportunities to grow revenue from these accounts through upselling and cross-selling.

This is backed up by the data: Recent research shows that key accounts are 60-70% more likely to close than new clients, and they spend 33% more than new customers.

Of course, key account programs do come at a cost. Offering customers more resources and better discounts isn’t free. So, this strategy can naturally reduce your margins in some cases. However, I’ve found that in the long term, key account management often pays off.

After all, a successful key account management strategy isn’t focused on boosting near-term profit margins — it’s focused on increasing the longevity of a company’s most valued clients. This is a great example of the Pareto Principle, or the idea that 20% of the effort may bring in 80% of the benefits. The long-term profits you’ll make if you increase major clients’ tenure with your business are likely to more than make up for the discounts you offer and the additional resources you provide.

Why implement key account management?

Why is it so important to implement a key account management strategy? Below, I’ll share some of the biggest benefits of this approach.

Happier Customers

First and foremost, key account management is one of the most effective ways to keep your customers happy. As digital marketing strategist Drup Shah explains, “By focusing on your key accounts, you can provide personalized attention, timely support, and customized solutions that address their specific pain points. This results in higher customer satisfaction levels, fostering long-term loyalty and advocacy.”

In other words, implementing key account management is a great way to ensure that the needs of your major clients are met. You can also make sure that your team goes above and beyond to prioritize big clients, responding rapidly and accurately to their concerns. As a result, these customers are likely to be happier with your business, making them more likely to become repeat buyers. They may even recommend your products or services to their friends.

Less Churn

Another vital reason to implement key account management is to reduce churn among your highest-value customers. Shah also speaks compellingly to the importance of reducing churn through key account management, arguing that “Through proactive relationship management and regular communication, a [key account management] strategy helps build trust, mitigate risks, and prevent churn.”

Shah goes on to describe how reducing churn in this way can help you stay ahead of the competition. “By delivering exceptional value and consistently exceeding expectations,” he notes, “you enhance client loyalty and reduce the likelihood of losing key accounts to competitors.”

Greater Revenue

Finally, a recent study of more than 500 B2B companies found that key account management substantially boosts both market and financial performance. This makes sense — after all, key account management is about focusing your limited sales resources on retaining the customers who are likely to drive the highest levels of revenue.

Steffen Thiel, partner and global sector head for marketing and sales at the international consultancy Roland Berger, points out that the impact of key account management on revenue is especially important from a competitive standpoint. He reflects, “Looking into increasing global competition, well-executed key account management can be a decisive competitive advantage to safeguard or grow revenue.”

Of course, the benefits of key account management can only be realized when you have the right staff in place. So, let’s take a look at the role of the key account manager, as well as how these managers interact with the rest of the team.

Moreover, KAMs don’t just find ways to address their clients’ challenges and opportunities — they also create and present reports about each client’s progress to key stakeholders across the organization.

Importantly, while some companies simply assign existing sales reps to act as KAMs for one or two customers, I’ve found that this isn’t usually the best approach. Unless your team is so small that you can’t afford a dedicated KAM, it’s best to separate sales and account management, as these roles really require very different mindsets and skills. Specifically, a key account manager needs to be focused on becoming critical to their customer’s operations — not just on winning a deal.

This is not an easy job. Below, I’ll share some of the skills that I believe are the most important for a key account manager to be successful.

Key Account Management Skills

1. Relationship-Building

A key account manager must have the relationship-building skills necessary to get to know their customers on a deep level. They must develop an intimate, sophisticated understanding of each key account’s strategy, market position, finances, products, and organizational structure. Then, they can use this knowledge to make the business case to their clients that the price changes, customization, and add-ons they can offer will add value.

2. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Key accounts don’t usually buy off-the-shelf: They’re likely to want a custom blend of products and services tailored to their needs. As such, it’s crucial for a KAM to be able to work across the organization to develop these offerings in collaboration with other teams.

3. Leadership Skills

Key account management is a team effort. A successful KAM will need to have the leadership chops necessary to guide team members such as salespeople, marketers, technical support, and/or onboarding specialists.

4. Coordination and Planning

Key account programs have a lot of moving parts. To be successful, KAMs should have the coordination and planning skills to organize both short- and long-term efforts. Importantly, that includes not just planning these activities but also implementing them, analyzing the outcomes, and applying those takeaways to future strategies.

5. Business Acumen

Another critical skill in key account management is business acumen. To help their customers succeed and to communicate relevant changes effectively, KAMs must develop a thorough understanding of how their clients make money. Armed with this knowledge, a KAM will be able to solidify their position as a trusted resource and advisor for their clients.

6. Analytical Skills

In addition to business acumen, I’ve found that key account managers also need to have an analytical mindset. A KAM’s analytical skills will help them create and present business cases, and their ability to think quickly and apply their knowledge to various clients and markets will help them be confident when presenting information to customers.

7. Written and Verbal Communication

Finally, one of the key responsibilities of a KAM is to keep clients and other stakeholders updated about any issues. That means a lot of emails and a lot of live presentations — and as such, the ability to write and speak clearly is a must.

Key Account Manager Job Description

Ready to start the hiring process? Use this key account manager job description to find and attract the most qualified candidates:

Key Account Manager vs. Account Manager

It’s important to note that key account managers are not the same thing as regular account managers. Account managers manage non-key clients: customers that bring in less revenue or that may not be as much of an ideal product fit. In contrast, key account managers focus only on a company’s most valuable clients.

The relationship between account managers and key account managers is not hierarchical. Account managers do not report to KAMs, and KAMs typically do not report to account managers. While KAMs are generally more senior, both roles are usually found either on the same team or on adjacent teams.

Key Account Management vs. Sales

Key account management and sales are also two very different things. Key account management is all about managing existing high-value accounts, whereas sales is about closing new accounts.

As a result, while a salesperson (by necessity) focuses on the short term, a KAM prioritizes the future. In addition, sales reps generally zero in on specific opportunities, while KAMs have broader goals, including collaborating with the customer on mutually beneficial projects, helping the customer meet their objectives, and making sure the customer is getting the necessary support.

If you’re hiring a key account manager for the first time, one of the first duties they perform may be selecting the key accounts that they’ll serve. Below, I’ll share some of my favorite strategies for identifying key accounts.

How to Identify Key Accounts

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to identifying your company’s key accounts, key accounts tend to demonstrate value in a few ways:

• They represent a disproportionate percentage of revenue.
• They refer new prospects to your company.
• They give your business credibility in their industry.

Beyond these high-level criteria, I’d suggest choosing some other key factors from the list below to use when determining which accounts are the most critical for your business:

• Product fit — or how closely your product matches the client’s needs and requirements.
• Average transaction size — the average amount of money the client spends with your business.
• Revenue potential — the amount of money the client could reasonably spend with your business in the future.
• Purchasing process — the process by which the client purchases your product. For example, is there a single stakeholder who can make a purchase decision, or does a larger group have to weigh in? How long does payment processing take?
• Partner history and potential. Are they currently or were they formerly a partner of your company? Do they have the potential to become a partner in the future?
• Customer tenure — the amount of time the account has been a client of your business.
• Solvency — the client’s financial ability to pay their debts.
• Existing relationships — the relationships the client has with other businesses that could potentially also become your clients.
• Cultural fit — alignment between the way the client treats its customers and staff and how your organization treats its own customers and staff.
• Geographic alignment — if applicable, the physical proximity to your business’s headquarters or service centers.

Once you’ve decided which of these factors are most relevant in your unique business context, you’ll want to develop a formula that weighs each one based on its relative importance to your organization. Then, you can use that formula to calculate how much potential there is to expand each account.

If you’re not sure where to start, I suggest using a key account scoring matrix to identify your key accounts across these criteria: Simply evaluate each account based on the criteria you selected and assign each account a score from 1 to 10 in each category. The accounts with the highest scores will be your key accounts.

Importantly, while I know it can be tempting to label a large number of your customers as “key accounts” to make it look like your company is doing really well, it’s better to be more conservative. After all, you don’t want to overcommit yourself. Starting a KAM program requires organization-wide change, support from the C-suite, hiring and training employees, and implementing new processes. Starting small allows you to focus your efforts — and that focus is critical if you want to provide real, lasting value to your customers.

So, you’ve got a short list of your key accounts, and you’ve hired the right folks to be key account managers. Now, it’s time to execute the strategy. But how do you do that?

With this four-step process, I’ll guide you through defining and executing a successful key account management strategy.

1. Set objectives.

Before you can share the great news with your customers that they’re being promoted to key account status, you need to level-set expectations (both internally and externally). That means setting key account management objectives.

This process works just like it would for any other strategy. Using the why, how, what objective-setting framework, you can get to the root motivation underpinning your key account management strategy. You’ll also come out on the other side with measurable results.

Source

2. Deliver exceptional products and services.

Next, once you’ve defined your goals, it’s time to act on the objectives you’ve set by outlining how you’ll deliver on those promises.

Whether you’re selling physical products (such as clothing or accessories), a software-as-a-service offering, or some other kind of product or service, you’ll need to have a reliable way to deliver those products to your key accounts consistently.

Your KAM is responsible for ensuring not only that this happens but also that the client is delighted every single time. This means they’ll need to work closely with your sales, service, and operations teams to get everyone on the same page. It could also be worthwhile to set up key-account-specific processes and procedures so that the client knows what to expect and your team knows how to deliver.

3. Measure account growth outcomes.

As with any objective, setting it is only step one. Once you’ve defined your goals and built the systems necessary to deliver exceptional products and services, you’ll need to make sure you’re measuring the results.

At a high level, the end goal of any key account management strategy is to grow the account in terms of both revenue and the quality of the relationship. To measure your progress, you can start by using the metrics that correspond to the criteria you used to select the key accounts in the first place.

Beyond these basic metrics, I’ve also found that it’s often helpful to dive into some more quantitative criteria as well. For example, to measure product–market fit, you can look at factors such as adoption or usage rate within the account to determine how much value your product or service is actually providing to the client.

4. Anticipate future needs.

Finally, an effective key account management strategy brings it full circle by anticipating the future needs of each key account.

For example, if a client is purchasing more units than they did before, that may mean that there aren’t any more opportunities for volume growth — but it could still be possible that the average transaction size has room to increase. Similarly, there may be an opportunity to have the key account beta test a new product or offering that would align even more closely with their target market.

At the end of the day, I’ve learned that these strategies often boil down to keeping the account engaged (even beyond monetary transactions). Remember: Key account management is all about building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. So, be sure to think outside the invoice when looking for ways to strengthen these vital ties.

Key Account Management Plan Template

Download Your Free Template Here

The Key Account Management Process

According to the COO and co-founder of the sales software provider DemandFarm, Milind Katti, there are nine steps to take when setting up a key account management process. Below, I’ll walk through each step of this process, giving you the tools you need to get started on your own.

Step 1: Build a framework.

The first step Katti recommends is to build a key account management framework that will define how you move forward. This part of the key account management process is all about identifying your goals, targets, and needs, as well as documenting a roadmap that includes your major milestones and objectives.

Step 2: Segment accounts.

Next, use the criteria I described above to start to segment your accounts into different buckets. Rather than treating every customer as a key account, I’ve learned that it’s essential to come up with a consistent approach to identifying which clients are really your key accounts — and which can safely be considered lower priority.

Step 3: Define roles and responsibilities.

As with many business efforts, you’re unlikely to get very far with key account management if you fail to define clear roles and responsibilities. The specific organizational structure will vary depending on the unique needs of your organization, but it’s important to identify all the stakeholders that may be involved.

This will likely include functions such as Account Management and Sales Enablement, as well as departments such as Sales Ops, Revenue Ops, and others. To set yourself up for success, I’ve found that it’s critical to define each stakeholder’s role in the process, and to establish systems to ensure these teams and individuals can collaborate effectively with one another.

Step 4: Create a key account plan.

Once you’ve started thinking through the main building blocks of your key account management strategy, it’s time to put them together into a cohesive plan. This plan should include each account’s top priorities and needs, and it should also link to all relevant customer information. Then, make sure to share the plan with all relevant internal and external stakeholders, so that everyone can get (and stay) on the same page.

Step 5: Dive into the details.

To start diving into the details and putting your high-level plan into action, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What needs to be done?
2. When does it need to be done by?
3. Who will own the project, and who else needs to be involved?
4. How will the outcome be measured and communicated?
5. What happens if something goes wrong?

Then, use your answers to these questions to fine-tune your plan and ensure that you’ve accounted for every outcome and eventuality.

Step 6: Iterate, iterate, iterate.

I’ve learned firsthand that no effective plan can ever be set in stone. As Katti explains,

“Account plans are dynamic, and relationships keep changing.” Because of this reality, he recommends that “a vital part of the key account management process includes course-correcting plans along the way to ensure growth and progress in your accounts.”

Step 7: Communicate with all relevant stakeholders.

Of course, you can develop the best plan in the world — but if you fail to communicate it to the relevant stakeholders, you’re unlikely to get very far. That’s why it’s so important to map out all the internal and external stakeholders who will need to buy into your key account management plan.

Internally, you’ll need to identify all the team members who will have to be kept up to date on the status of your key accounts. At the same time, you’ll also want to define all the external stakeholders who should be involved. Then, once you’ve identified all of these stakeholders, make sure to communicate clearly and consistently to keep everyone aligned.

Step 8: Create an opportunity planning framework.

In addition to your key account management framework, it’s also important to develop a comprehensive framework for monitoring and taking advantage of new opportunities. By mapping key stakeholders and identifying potential challenges and opportunities as they arise, you can track your progress and proactively stay ahead of any changes.

Step 9: Track your progress.

Finally, once you’ve completed this entire process, it’s important to continuously track your progress and identify ways to improve. Metrics you may want to consider include profits, revenues, the quality of your customer relationships, and whether your team has achieved the other key goals and objectives you’ve defined for yourself.

Common Challenges of Key Account Management

Key account management can add substantial value to many organizations — but it’s not without its challenges. Here are some of the most common stumbling blocks that I’ve seen teams run into when trying to implement a key account management system.

1. Getting Stuck in Reaction Mode

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to managing key accounts is to avoid a reactive mindset. Take it from me: In our busy world, with constant emails and messages to review and never-ending to-do lists to complete, it can feel like there just isn’t time to be proactive.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking to delight your key accounts, a reactive approach just won’t cut it. That’s why I’ve learned that it’s essential to seek out opportunities to add value proactively rather than waiting for your high-value customers to come to you with complaints.

2. Focusing on the Product (Instead of the Relationship)

When I like the product I’m selling, it’s only natural that I tend to get really excited about it. But, I’ve learned over time that to manage key accounts effectively, it’s vital to focus on the relationship rather than getting bogged down in talking endlessly about the details of the product.

To be sure, it is still critical for key account managers to know their products and to be prepared to answer any questions their clients may have. But when it comes to how you frame your conversations, I always recommend prioritizing building a positive relationship over droning on and on about your product’s many features and benefits.

3. Struggling With a Difficult Client

Some clients are just difficult. When a customer is rude, unresponsive, or otherwise unpleasant to deal with, it can be a real challenge.

To address this, Deloitte director Swarna Renu reminds us that “difficult clients are difficult for a reason. Either they never saw the value of the connection, or they have had a tough time with some of your peers. It is absolutely critical to do your homework to find out. To find what will work, either have a clear agenda or have a way to address the concerns they have had.”

If you find yourself struggling with a difficult client, ask yourself what the underlying cause might be. Then, you can start to figure out whether you can address their concerns or whether they’re just not a great fit for your company’s products.

4. Balancing Multiple Key Accounts

Finally, one of the things I struggle with the most when managing my own key accounts is how to prioritize between multiple clients. After all, I want to deliver my best to each and every client — but there are only so many hours in a day.

Account coordinator for the international firm Orica, Valentina Barreno recognizes that “managing multiple accounts with varying needs, expectations, and deadlines is indeed a multifaceted challenge.” Barreno recommends several strategies to navigate this.

“I prioritize getting to know each client and their specific needs, ensuring to address them in the best possible way, recognizing that each client is unique,” she explains.

In addition, Barreno notes that “maintaining a clear overview of goals, tasks, and progress for each account is crucial. [In addition,] effective communication with clients and my team ensures we establish realistic expectations and boundaries, fostering a collaborative environment.” And finally, she suggests that “leveraging tools and systems for organization and automation is fundamental to optimizing workflows and efficiency.”

Ultimately, there’s no getting around the reality that your time and energy are limited. To manage your key accounts successfully, it’s essential to think strategically about how you will balance all their needs — without burning out yourself.

Is Key Account Management the Right Strategy for Your Business?

Personally, I’m a big fan of key account management. But despite its many potential benefits, it’s not a good fit for every organization. So, before you go all-in on this approach, I definitely recommend that you consider the following factors.

1. How transactional your current sales process is.

If your sales cycle is relatively short and your sales reps have minimal interaction with prospects, key account management probably isn’t the right choice. After all, key accounts require consultative selling techniques, and it will be hard to convince your salespeople to adopt entirely new processes for just a few clients.

2. Whether your product has upsell and cross-sell potential.

There’s little point in continuing a relationship with a customer after the sale if they’re definitely not going to buy more. Obviously, you should still provide excellent customer service and support to promote positive word-of-mouth. However, if upsell and cross-sell potential are limited, key account management may not make as much sense.

3. Your ability to “land and expand.”

The above rule has one exception: Even in situations where you can’t upsell your client directly, key account strategy may still be a good investment. That’s especially true if getting your foot in the door of the prospect’s company creates the opportunity to grow the account by selling to other departments.

4. The competitive landscape.

In some cases, a key account program can serve as a major competitive advantage. For example, imagine your customer has narrowed down their choice of vendor to you and one other company. If you can promise to make them a key account — and your competition can’t do the same — it could help you win the deal.

5. Company capacity and resources.

Time and time again, I’ve seen that successful key account management is only possible with company-wide support, executive buy-in, and a dedicated key account team. You’ll also need enough runway to cover an investment that might take 12, 24, or even 36 months to recoup.

According to Mike Schultz, co-founder and strategic advisor of RAIN Group, the most significant difference between high-performing companies and everyone else is an effective account planning tool. Schultz argues that a key account plan helps you identify the most significant possibilities for growth, potential roadblocks, threats from the competition, and more.

Indeed, an analysis from RAIN Group of more than 370 companies found that high-performing companies were almost three times less likely to struggle with maintaining an effective account planning tool.

Source

As such, an effective plan should consider your company’s capacity and resources by addressing the following four areas:

Relationships

First, as part of the process of putting together your key account plan, it’s critical to map out every customer stakeholder. This information will help you figure out which relationships you need to build and maintain — as well as anyone who could potentially derail your plans.

Note each person’s title, role in the decision-making process, how much contact you’ve had with them, and how “friendly” they are.

Customer’s Business

Next, to provide value to the account and find mutually beneficial opportunities, you’ll need an in-depth, sophisticated understanding of their business. Stay up to date on their key business goals, financial health, and current initiatives, and regularly run a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis.

Account Goals

This section of the plan should cover how much this account is currently worth, which opportunities you’ve lost and won with them, where you see potential revenue growth, and your projected value for those opportunities.

It should also outline your short-, mid-, and long-term goals, as well as the owner of each. For example, maybe your sales engineering team is responsible for getting a meeting with the CTO by January. A nearer-term goal might be getting 60% of a new department using the free version of your tool, but your ultimate objective is to transform the entire department into paying users.

Account Strategy

Finally, this section of the plan is arguably the most important. It takes your goals (in other words, your account wishlist) and breaks down the actions you need to take to reach them.

Use the same structure you used for your objectives: short-term, mid-term, and long-term. For example, the key goals you’d set for your January meeting with the CTO might be:

• Strengthen relationship with VP of Engineering.
• Develop a compelling value proposition for meeting with the CTO.
• Ask a VP to request a meeting with the CTO on your behalf.

The more specific and actionable these goals are, the better. After all, strategic account management involves juggling numerous initiatives, priorities, and campaigns all at once. Without clear direction, your team is liable to go off in a thousand different directions. Plus, with this approach you can also continuously adapt your strategy down the line if something changes.

Key Account Management Best Practices

Over the course of my career, I’ve learned that there’s no one solution to account management that will work perfectly for everyone. That said, there are several best practices that I’ve found can be effective in many situations. Below, I’ll share some of my personal favorite key account management best practices.

1. Select the right accounts.

A winning strategy hinges on being selective. So, make sure that you pick the right key accounts — and that you apply the same criteria to each one.

Relatedly, I always recommend regularly reviewing your key accounts to verify whether they still require additional time, energy, and resources. If their performance justifies the resource allocation, then continue on. But if they are underperforming, or if the account no longer feels like a good use of additional resources, you may want to consider scaling back.

It’s also important to keep track of non-key accounts that may one day become key accounts. For example, if a smaller customer is about to experience significant growth, they may qualify as a strategic account. Courting them now will earn you their loyalty before any other company in the space.

Finally, ensure that you periodically assess your selection criteria. Are your current key accounts generating as much ROI as you anticipated? If not, it could be a sign you’re using the wrong measures when determining which clients should be your key accounts.

2. Build a dedicated team.

Even the best KAMs can’t get the job done alone. Each key account manager should have a cross-functional support team to assist in the proper execution of deliverables related to the client’s account. To serve your clients well, these teams should include a range of skills, disciplines, and expertise.

In addition, if possible, I have found that it can be helpful to name an executive sponsor for each account. These sponsors can play a significant role in getting the necessary resources, connecting with the C-suite at the target account, and providing high-level guidance.

3. Consistently measure account performance.

What gets measured gets done. As such, staying on top of account performance is critical for success. Set a cadence for internal account reviews: Depending on your team’s size, the account’s value, and the relationship’s dynamic, it might make sense for these reviews to be weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

At these meetings, KAMs should report each account’s engagement and loyalty (both should trend upward). From here, you should also schedule recurring check-ins with the client to get their feedback, address any issues, and find areas for improvement.

4. Invest in the right tools.

Having the right tools in place can make the job of a KAM a lot easier. For example, a CRM can be a great way to keep track of your communication with the account stakeholders, give everyone on the account team visibility into what’s happening, and minimize duplication of effort.

Similarly, if you are having a hard time getting responses to your emails, an email tracking and notification tool can help. This type of tool can let you know precisely when your recipients open your emails and click any links.

In addition, you can use LinkedIn (either the free version or LinkedIn Sales Navigator) to monitor changes in your account’s market and industry, strategic shifts, hiring and firing decisions, and more. I’ve also found that a meetings tool can make the meeting scheduling process much more seamless for attendees by eliminating back-and-forth emails, and you can try investing in a video platform such as Loom to create personalized prospecting videos.

Grow Your Business With a Key Account Management Strategy

In my opinion, a well-planned, comprehensive key account management strategy won’t just keep your best customers satisfied. It will also provide opportunities to grow these vital relationships exponentially. With the key account management framework I’ve outlined in this article, you’ll be set up to add substantial value to your most important accounts — and both your retention rates and bottom line will benefit as a result.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

My sales peers and I are always debating hot sales topics — because we genuinely believe salespeople must keep up with the latest to stay relevant and address what our leads care about most.

In this article, I’ve collected the hottest sales predictions for 2025 from leading sales experts and new, eye-opening data in the sales landscape to help you inform your sales strategy this year.

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

• 9 Sales Predictions for 2025
• How Sales Jobs Could Change in the Next Decade

9 Sales Predictions for 2025

1. AI won’t be the top priority.

In our HubSpot’s 2025 sales survey, only 14% of respondents prioritized adopting AI tools, while 55% of sales pros have already integrated AI, with 26% reporting AI as a net positive for sales.

Lauren Kiefer, Head of Sales at Americas at Intercom, believes sales reps must adapt quickly as more buyers are becoming reliant on AI.

“Sellers are going to have to deeply understand AI, the new buying process, and how their product is described by these tools to customize their pitch, cut off objections at the jump, and help prospects to understand your value and offering on a deeper level,” she suggests.

She also recommends forming a strong partnership between sales and marketing to help manage the information AI gathers about your product or service.

And she’s not alone in that thought: 18% of sales professionals believe improving sales/marketing alignment would result in the most growth for their company, according to our survey.

2. Buyers will turn to AI for product research.

65% of sales reps believe generative AI tools will make it easier for buyers to gather information about their products or services. Additionally, 69% believe if buyers use AI for research, it will have a significant impact on the way they sell to prospects.

Are they right?

Yes, according to the Adobe Holiday Shopping report. The team collected the data in late 2024 and discovered that retail sites had a shocking 1,300% traffic increase coming from AI-powered chatbots compared to the year prior. Cyber Monday also reported the biggest growth in chat bot usage, up 1,950% YoY.

It’s key to understand both how consumers are using AI and how sales teams can use AI to complement and enhance the consumer experience, according to Ashley Hansen Grech, chief revenue officer at Xero.

“It pays to be AI-optimized,” Grech says. “With an overwhelming volume of products and services available digitally, AI-enabled experiences will mean quicker and more accurate decision-making for customers, based on their inputs.”

Rather than solely focusing on how AI will impact you as a sales rep, step into your buyer’s shoes to understand how they are using AI during the sales process, specifically for research.

Grech suggests thinking like your customer.

“How are consumers using AI tools going to discover what you’re selling?” she states. “How will you use AI in your business to help you improve efficiency and make the right decisions? For example, AI programs can analyze your entire sales funnel and help create bespoke experiences for customers along the way so the right information is provided at the right time.”

3. A human touch will still seal the deal.

While AI plays a significant role in the sales process, specifically for product research, a human touch is still the key to closing a sale.

87% of sales managers agree that in-person meetings lead to strong business relationships.

“Sales professionals remain crucial to the customer sales flow,” says Grech. “AI’s analysis of the customer journey can help sales professionals to do what they do best — to bring a deft human touch to connect with customers and prospects at the right time, with the right information in the right way.”

She adds, “AI [tools] allow salespeople to be human — to really collect on relevant topics, at a relevant time, enabling them to spend their time more effectively.”

Sales reps must continue to hone sales skills like relationship-building and closing techniques to offer prospects the empathy and understanding that AI lacks.

4. The invisible buyer moves to the forefront.

Mark Tanner, Co-Founder and COO of Qwilr, believes that CFOs, IT, and security teams have immense power in the buying journey. To succeed in the year ahead, Tanner suggests sales reps will need to proactively identify these invisible buyers, address their concerns, and equip champions to push for a yes.

Gartner’s sales trends data also points to this shift, highlighting that the number of stakeholders now consists of 5 to 11 stakeholders. Not to mention, 28% of reps say that the biggest reason a prospect backs out of a deal is that they couldn’t get approval from key decision-makers, adding more friction to the process.

To engage a range of decision-makers, Tanner recommends identifying those key players and creating dynamic proposals that not only stand out but make the champion look good to everyone involved.

“Sales material and proposals must account for the invisible decision-makers and prepare champions for the internal sell,” he recommends. “Behind the scenes, sellers need to identify hidden decision-makers, understand whether there is true interest in a deal, and ruthlessly prioritize. In this age, it’s critical that reps spend their time and energy wisely.”

5. Meaningful interactions and personalization will be vital for long-term success.

HubSpot’s Sales Trends survey revealed that 53% of sales professionals believe providing prospects and customers with a highly personalized experience would result in the most growth for their company.

“Customer outreach, discovery, and selling within SaaS morphed last year from strategic to desperate while dealing with the slowdown in tech buying and new product procurement,” recalls Kiefer.

She continues, “Because of that, sellers got into the behavior of pushing bundles or one-size-fits-all solutions to try to get as much juice out of the squeeze. Buyers [now] have pressure fatigue and are desperate for a personalized and custom experience that fits their needs in today’s market.”

Katie Breaker, Sales Director at BirdieBall, also observes this trend in retail:

“As we dive deeper into our customer data, we‘ve seen how much people respond to a shopping experience that feels tailored to them. It’s not just about showing them products they might like, it’s about anticipating their needs before they even ask. I expect more brands will be leaning into this, offering customers a smoother, more customized experience that keeps them coming back.”

S&P Global backs Kiefer and Breaker’s predictions with new data showing that people prioritize personalization over privacy and are willing to share their data for relevant offers. Personalization matters most to 20% more Gen Xers and 18% more Millennials compared to the previous years.

Kiefer suggests the best thing sales reps can do is to spend time on discovery. Focus on uncovering the pain their buyer is experiencing and tailor your pitch and demo to solve that exact pain point.

She also suggests creating powerful efficiencies and ROI that align with what each customer values individually.

“This creates immediate buy-in and allows a prospect to see what impact purchasing could have on their broader teams, which will lead to a faster close and, hopefully, a healthy long-term partnership,” she says.

6. Data will drive engagements.

Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.

As we head into a new selling year, data will continue to play a critical role in the way sales reps engage with prospects.

Take Gong sales calls analytics. Mintel reported a 34% increase in win rates after Gong’s AI algorithms listened to sales call records and identified areas for sales reps’ improvement.

Measure everything you can reach with built-in analytics features in your CRM. Build custom cross-team (marketing and sales) dashboards in Power BI to understand what drives high-value leads and individual performance.

7. AI agents are the next big thing in sales.

82% of executives from large enterprises plan to integrate AI agents in the next 3 years. Customer agents hold the first position, according to Google’s AI Business Trends 2025 study.

For example, Best Buy resolves issues up to 90 seconds faster with gen AI-powered virtual assistants. They take care of managing subscriptions, rescheduling product orders, or troubleshooting product issues.

8. Social selling will play a pivotal role in attracting new leads.

“At Lusha, our data shows that sales teams using integrated social selling and CRM platforms are closing deals 45% faster than those using traditional methods, which I believe will make this approach absolutely crucial by 2025.

Looking at our own growth metrics and market analysis, I’m seeing companies that combine intent data with automated lead scoring experiencing 3x better conversion rates, suggesting this will become the new normal for B2B sales,” shares Yarden Morgan, Director of Growth at Lusha.

What platform comes to your mind for social selling? I bet it’s LinkedIn.

And their internal stats prove its utility — 78% of social sellers outsell peers who don’t use social media.

If your salespeople and stakeholders aren’t on social media, you’d better start devising a solid social selling strategy or hire an agency to get you started.

9. Localization — not globalization.

A hard pill to swallow is to acknowledge that English content on websites dropped by 14% between 2022-2025. Conversely, Spanish, German, Japanese, and French are growing.

Source

In turn, Chargebee studied 6,452 SaaS companies worldwide to discover what drives their growth. Surprisingly, localization comes first. Even minor website localization, like adjusting currency and pricing page language, can drive nearly 40% growth.

Justin Smith, CEO of Contractor+, also saw growing engagement rates after implementing localization.

“Europe’s B2B markets are exploding, but cookie-cutter strategies backfire. Winners invest in local talent and adapt messaging to cultural nuances. When we stopped treating Germany like France or Italy like Spain, our engagement rates jumped. Local insights beat global assumptions every time.”

Even HubSpot is localized for five foreign languages like German, French, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese. We have roughly 30 people on the localization team and LLMs that speed up the process.

How Sales Jobs Could Change in the Next Decade

As some of these trends are shifting, here’s how I think sales jobs could change over the next several years.

1. Larger companies will have defined roles, and smaller organizations will look for adaptable people to perform multiple functions.

As effective selling begins earlier in the sales process and the relationship continues after the sales, adaptability will be increasingly important in the sales role. In fact, a LinkedIn report for the most in-demand skills highlighted adaptability as the top skill of the moment.

Smaller companies will rely on multi-talented people for account management and customer success, so the lines may become blurred. Larger organizations, however, may break this up into multiple roles but still value cross-functional talent.

2. Robust sales tools will be considered coworkers.

With reliance on AI and cross-functional teams increasing, so too does the need for elegant sales software solutions that enable reps to make data-driven decisions and/or improve productivity.

In fact, sales management, sales productivity, and sales prospecting tools are the top tools sales reps leverage, according to HubSpot’s Sales Trends survey.

A recent study on AI for lead generation and qualification revealed that generative AI in B2B doubles conversion rates thanks to analyzing real-time lead behavior and prioritizing hot prospects in the pipeline.

Bottom line: The more sales tools that are needed (or the more elegant the solution), the more the company will invest in them, money-wise and time-wise. These solutions will be integrated into every facet of the sales process and beyond.

3. Tech-savviness will be part of the job description.

Reliance on email, tech, and now AI is already making tech skills more important in the world of sales. Familiarity with the most popular CRMs, comfortability with email communication and automation, and the ability to navigate the internet, social platforms, and generative AI tools are examples of skills that are necessary now more than ever. As technology advances, so too will the tech requirements for sales hires.

4. Entry-level sales roles will require more experience or focus on soft skills.

As some of the more manual and less strategic sales tasks (such as prospecting and following up) can be automated effectively, entry-level sales roles that previously spent a lot of time performing these tasks will need to evolve.

It’s possible that the “entry-level” gets bumped up to require more experience. Alternatively, organizations may evaluate reps based on softer skills, such as writing, to get more out of new hires.

5. More organizations will say goodbye to having the whole team under the same roof.

With SaaS and other solutions emerging, more companies are targeting national or even international pools of customers. This, combined with the need for more experienced sales reps, the need for more diverse teams, and inside sales trends, demonstrates a continuing shift toward remote work.

Hybrid is the norm now, with 64% of leaders saying their workplace is currently implementing a hybrid model. Additionally, 75% of leaders say that their organization will likely change its workplace model in the next two years.

Changing attitudes toward telecommuting and technology, making it even easier to connect with team members, will result in more integrated but geographically distant sales departments. And talent will be more accessible.

6. Salespeople with large existing networks will be highly sought after.

With marketing doing a lot of legwork to fill pipelines, additional prospecting being automated more and more, and a rise in self-serve purchasing, the value that sales professionals add will be in their ability to forge strong relationships and build trust. That puts candidates with existing networks at an advantage with proof of their adeptness at making connections.

Whatever the future of sales is, it’s never been a more exciting time for the profession. By having the experts look at where sales has been and where it’s likely going, it’s clear to see the future leaves plenty of room for innovation, education, and kick-ass salespeople.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Selling drives every great business, whether you realize it or not. Value-based selling isn’t a trick. It’s the difference between pushing a product and solving a problem for your customer. It’s the difference between a forgettable pitch and a deal your customer can’t wait to say yes to.

Not a salesperson? Think again. Every time you pitch an idea, rally a team, or land a client, you’re selling.

Yet, for many, the word “sales” still carries a bad reputation. When they hear it, most people picture pushy tactics, awkward conversations, and high-pressure pitches. We’ve all sat through a pitch so forced, so off-target, that it made us want to run. But great selling? It doesn’t even feel like selling. It feels like solving.

I wanted to know: What separates great sellers from forgettable ones? So I went straight to the source: founders and sales pros who’ve mastered the art. So, what’s their secret? What do they do to make customers lean in instead of tuning out? Keep reading to break down the real-world strategies that make value-based selling work.

Table of Contents

• What is value-based selling?
• A Value-Based Selling Framework
• Why Value-Based Selling Matters
• Best Practices for Value-Based Selling
• Value-Based Selling Methodologies
• Value-Based Selling Examples

In essence, value-based selling moves us from a mindset of “What can I sell?” to “How can I solve my client’s problem?” This shift fosters trust, deepens client relationships, and ultimately leads to sustainable business growth.

Pro tip: “The best salespeople today are those who can articulate the pain their prospects are experiencing,” says Callum Laing, founder of the Veblen Director Programme and a partner at Unity Group.

“The better you can capture their frustration, the better you can position your product as the solution. Customers want to be heard. Value-based selling means asking great questions and truly listening. If you’re not the best solution, be willing to walk away.”

A Value-Based Selling Framework

Understanding why buyers make purchasing decisions is the foundation of successful selling.

To move forward in the buying process, customers need confidence in three key areas: emotional connection, logical comparison, and trust in outcomes. These align with three core factors of the value-based selling framework: resonate, differentiate, and substantiate.

Resonate

Buyers must want and need what you’re selling, and your offering should align with their goals, challenges, and aspirations. By understanding these, you will know if your product is a good fit for them and how to pitch it so it hits homes.

Among the top six reasons prospects back out of deals, 31% of salespeople surveyed in our State of Sales report said it was because prospects weren’t convinced the offering was worth the price, and another 28% said prospects weren’t convinced it was right for them. With a value-based selling approach, salespeople could close more of these deals by focusing on the value of their offering.

Here’s how Christina Brady, CEO of Luster, explains value-based selling: “The first thing to keep in mind with value-based selling is that it’s not about what you, as the salesperson, perceive the value of your product or service to be. It’s about understanding what’s valuable in a solution for the customer and then determining if your product is a fit for their needs.”

This means asking insightful questions, actively listening, and mapping their priorities to your solution’s benefits — rather than just pitching features.

Differentiate

Your offering must stand out from other available options. Buyers evaluate differentiation by comparing features, pricing, brand perception, and overall fit for their specific needs. What makes your product or service unique? Why should they choose you over competitors?

This means first creating an offering that stands out from the competition, and then promoting and explaining what makes it unique. A thorough market research can help you understand the competitive landscape, gaps in competitors’ offerings, and market sentiment. Knowing what’s already out there will allow you to position your brand better.

In other words, to differentiate your product or service, you need to have a clearly defined unique selling proposition that your sales reps can articulate to prospects.

Substantiate

Finally, your offering must prove it will deliver on its promises. Can you provide evidence, case studies, or testimonials that back up your claims? If you can’t prove the value you offer, prospects have nothing other than your words.

With 77% of B2B customers doing their own research before speaking with sales, I think it’s more important than ever to care for the reputation of your brand. Customers — both satisfied and not — will make their opinions of and experiences with your brand known on social media, review sites, and in conversations with their friends.

While you can’t control what other people say, you can amplify the positive feedback, share the hard numbers that represent success, and provide success stories to prospects. All of these will substantiate your value claims.

I think Mike Schultz, president of RAIN Group, sums it up well. He explains that a strong value proposition should address all three areas. “When your value proposition successfully covers these three areas, you convince buyers that they need your solution, you’re the best option, and they believe you’ll achieve results,” he says.

This buyer-focused approach is the foundation of value-based selling.

Pro tip: With Sales Hub, your team can focus on the highest-value prospects — using data-driven insights to personalize outreach and maximize results.

Why Value-Based Selling Matters

In my opinion, value-based selling is the only way to sell. By putting the customer and their needs first, customers will trust you and the value your product or service offers them. Moreover, their relationship with your business won’t end after they make a purchase — they will stick around if they find value and recommend you to others.

In other words, value-based selling ensures both your customers and your company win. Check out how below.

• It builds trust with prospects. By prioritizing the customer’s needs over your sales targets, you establish yourself as a trusted advisor rather than just another salesperson. In fact, I learned that top-performing sellers are 60% more likely to excel at presenting the overall value persuasively and 63% more likely to excel at making and communicating strong ROI and financial cases for buyers.
• It leads to more informed buying decisions. When you educate your prospects about their challenges and potential solutions, they’re better equipped to make decisions that truly benefit their business.
• It creates long-term, satisfied customers. Customers who feel their needs have been understood and met are more likely to become loyal, repeat buyers and brand advocates.
• It helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace. In a world where prospects are bombarded with sales messages, I’ve found a value-based approach can set you apart from competitors who are still using aggressive, product-centric tactics.
• It aligns with modern buying behaviors. Today’s buyers are more informed and self-directed than ever. I like how value-based selling respects this by providing relevant, helpful information throughout the buying process. According to RAIN Group, buyers report that a seller’s “focus on the value they can deliver” is the #1 most influential factor in their purchase decision — with 96% finding it influential.
• It increases revenue. 90% of sales teams that use a value-based approach report year-over-year revenue growth, compared to 72% of sales teams that don’t.

Best Practices for Value-Based Selling

Most sales pitches fall flat because they focus on the product instead of the prospect. The best salespeople don’t just sell — they solve problems. To master value-based selling, I spoke with experts who’ve been in the trenches. If you want to close more deals, start with these best practices.

1. Do your homework.

Remember, the goal of value-based selling is to close the sale by prioritizing your prospect’s needs. However, you can’t prioritize your prospect’s needs if you don’t know what those needs are. Always do your homework to understand your contact — usually well before hopping on a sales call.

When researching a prospect, aim to understand their company and industry, background, and current pain points. By understanding these pieces of information, you’ll have a solid grasp of how to serve them best.

Here is some information I recommend researching when you prepare for your call.

Their Current Role and Previous Job Experience

I’ve found a simple LinkedIn search can help you learn about your prospect’s career history. Are they new to their current role? If so, they might still be ramping up and could benefit from learning from you.

Is this their first time making this type of purchasing decision, or have they been in similar roles? If they have experience in this area, they may be more interested in expediting the process so you can better serve them with efficiency.

Common Connections

If you have a common connection with a prospect, that can help you build trust with them faster. Additionally, the contact could help provide key insights into the prospect’s pain points and how you could provide value to them.

Content Shared on Social Media

If your prospect has a public X or Facebook profile, checking out what content they have recently shared or engaged with can give you an idea as to what is currently important to them.

Their Company’s Website, Press, and Social Media Pages

This will tell you whether their company has undergone any recent leadership changes, is currently releasing a new product, or has been in the news.

Their Contact Listing in Your CRM

Before hopping on the phone with your prospect, I definitely recommend checking out their profile in your CRM. This will tell you if and when any of your colleagues have engaged with them and what content from your company they have opened or engaged with.

Additionally, performing a simple Google search for their company’s competitors will give you a great deal of information about their industry landscape.

Pro tip: Remember, as Dale Shephard, founder of TrinityHawk, wisely points out, “Asking unprepared questions that you should know will not garner trust, and your prospect will close up.” The more you know going in, the more value you can provide from the very first interaction.

Need a structured approach to organize your preparation and value-based selling strategy? Our free Sales Plan Template helps you document your company positioning, target market analysis, prospecting strategy, and sales cadence. It has everything you need to align your team around delivering maximum value to customers.

2. Don’t jump into your sales pitch too early.

I know it’s tempting to launch into your carefully crafted sales pitch as soon as you get your prospect on the line. Resist this urge! Instead, give your prospect space to explain their current situation and what they’re looking for.

“The first thing you learn as a salesperson is not to data dump. If you’re going in blind and start listing everything your company does, you will exhaust the prospect’s attention span before you get to the part they care about,” says Jeff Walling, co-owner of ABM Equipment.

By listening first, you’ll gain invaluable insights that will help you tailor your approach and position your product or service as the ideal solution to their specific needs.

“Best practice is always to start by asking the client what their needs are, think about what pains you can solve, and then only talk about those. That’s why, in person-to-person sales, it can be said that all good selling is value-based selling,” Walling adds.

3. Communicate how your product provides value to the customer.

Once you understand your prospect’s needs, it’s time to articulate how your product or service provides value to them specifically. Remember, if they didn’t have a problem to solve or a need to fulfill, they wouldn’t be in the market for a new product.

I think Tim Peters, CMO at Enghouse Systems, articulates this perfectly:

“The real essence of value-based selling isn’t in telling a prospect about your value — it’s in demonstrating that you understand their specific problem better than they do. The shift that no one talks about is this: The sale isn’t about convincing the customer your solution has value; it’s about making them realize the cost of inaction is far greater than the price of your solution.”

As you look to sell, I recommend you make sure the benefits of your product are easy to understand and relevant to your prospect. For example:

• Is your product designed to reduce cycle time and improve productivity for those who use it?
• Does your company offer free training that will help customers quickly get up to speed after they have made their purchase?
• Does the purchase of your product include free automatic updates for customers to make their jobs easier?

For example, don’t just say your software improves productivity. Instead, explain how it can reduce their specific pain point of long project cycles by 30%, based on results you’ve seen with similar clients.

Whatever your unique differentiators are for your offering, make sure they are aligned with the customer’s needs, and use these points to guide your sales conversations.

Personalization should be your primary goal because “value is subjective,” Peters explained to me.

“What’s valuable to one client is irrelevant to another, and the only way to uncover what they truly care about is to stop thinking about value in generic terms. You need to become an expert at reading between the lines, uncovering hidden needs, and showing your customer the future they didn’t even know they wanted,” Peters says.

4. Focus on teaching instead of selling.

One of the most effective ways I’ve found to provide value to prospects and customers is to educate them on a topic of interest.

When you take an education-first approach, you position yourself as their go-to resource for information. And when they trust your expertise, they’re far more likely to buy from you.

Trust turns cold prospects into eager buyers because they already see you as the expert who understands their needs.

This could involve:

• Sharing industry insights by curating reports, trends, or research that affect their business.
• Offering solutions to common challenges by breaking down real-world problems and presenting step-by-step fixes.
• Providing relevant case studies or white papers by using proof points to show how others have solved similar issues.

Once trust is established and the prospect is ready to buy, your offering is far more appealing because you’ve already demonstrated value — instead of pushing the sale with no proof of value.

No matter your industry, the principle remains the same: Educating first builds trust. Let’s look at software sales as an example. Instead of running through a recycled sales pitch, you can start by asking a prospect what their top three challenges are.

Then, during your meeting, instead of talking at them with slides, walk them through real solutions in an informative, engaging way — tailored to their exact needs.

Pro tip: The best salespeople know when to stop talking. As Walling puts it, “The great paradox of sales is that those who love to talk last the longest, but shutting up is the real weapon.”

5. Guide the prospect through the buying process.

In value-based selling, think of yourself as both a consultant and a guide, helping your prospect make the most informed decision possible. This means:

• Sharing fresh ideas and strategies.
• Highlighting potential pitfalls or challenges.
• Providing real-life examples of how other customers have succeeded (or struggled) with certain approaches.

For example, if a prospect is considering a risky approach, share a real-life story of how that decision led to setbacks for another buyer. Concrete examples make your guidance more persuasive.

This approach keeps your prospect in control of their buying decision while allowing you to guide them with honesty and helpful insights.

6. Keep a personable approach.

Value-based selling is all about building relationships, which means keeping things natural and engaging. Here’s how to do that:

• Ask open-ended questions. Every question you ask should genuinely help you understand your prospect and encourage a thoughtful response. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”
• Master the art of small talk. While small talk may be the bane of every introvert’s existence, it can be a powerful tool for building trust. When in doubt, ask about their professional interests, responsibilities, or any upcoming events they’re involved in. These are great ways to start a conversation.
• Speak with warmth and confidence. Your prospect should feel like they’re engaging with a knowledgeable guide, not someone delivering a sales pitch. Use a natural, conversational tone, but stay professional and focused on their needs.

If you’re looking for helpful conversation starters, this post has even more tips and real-world examples.

7. Add value during every interaction.

I also recommend adding value each time you engage with your prospect to continue building trust and creating a long-term positive experience. You want them to feel heard and supported each time they interact with you.

This could mean leaving plenty of time to answer their questions in each meeting, not interrupting them when speaking, or even sharing helpful articles or content relevant to their business even when you aren’t actively engaged in a sales conversation. The small steps you take to make your prospect’s job easier can pay dividends in the long run.

8. Ask questions that challenge their thinking.

Most prospects have a rough idea of their problem, but they often don’t consider its full impact or what solving it could truly mean for their business.

Your job isn’t just to sell a solution. It is to help them think bigger. When they understand the full impact, they are more motivated to act, making it easier for you to guide them to a solution.

Ask thought-provoking questions that get them to see their situation in a new light:

• “If this problem persists for six more months, what’s the worst-case scenario?”
• “How does this challenge affect other departments or your long-term goals?”
• “If you solved this today, how would your team’s day-to-day work immediately change?”

When you push your prospect to consider the broader implications of their problem, you position yourself as a trusted consultant rather than just another salesperson.

Pro tip: The best sales conversations don’t just provide answers; they spark new questions. Make your questions open-ended, and resist the urge to jump in with solutions too soon.

The more space you give them to think, the more valuable the conversation becomes. If your prospect walks away thinking differently, you have already provided value.

9. Speak their language, not yours.

Jargon and industry buzzwords might sound impressive, but they don’t always resonate. Prospects care about clear solutions, not fancy terminology. The best salespeople adapt their messaging to match how their prospects talk about their business, challenges, and goals.

Pay attention to the words and phrases they use in emails, calls, and social media posts. Mirror their language in your conversations. Instead of talking about “efficiency gains” or “synergistic solutions,” focus on concrete benefits: saving time, reducing stress, and increasing revenue.

If your prospect is highly technical, get specific. If they are more high-level, keep it simple and results-focused. When your words reflect their own, they feel understood, and that is the foundation of trust.

People trust those who “get” them. The more your messaging aligns with how they naturally communicate, the easier it is to build rapport and demonstrate value.

10. Sell outcomes, not just features.

Your product might have cutting-edge features, but features don’t close deals. Outcomes do. People don’t buy tools. They buy results. They want to know how your solution makes their life easier, not just what it does.

Instead of saying: “Our software has an AI-powered automation tool.”

Try this: “Our customers cut manual data entry by 80%, freeing up hours for more strategic work.”

Instead of listing what your product does, paint a picture of the transformation it creates. Show them what life looks like after they invest.

Pro tip: Use case studies and real customer success stories to make outcomes feel tangible. Weave in success stories naturally. Drop them into conversation as proof points rather than presenting them as a pitch. A well-placed success story can be more persuasive than any feature list.

Value-Based Selling Methodologies

Now that we’ve covered the key principles, let’s look at four approaches to value-based selling that I’ve found effective in my career.

1. Qualitative Value-Focused Selling

Your value-selling framework does not have to rely on hard numbers. In many cases, it is in your best interest to focus on the more abstract, qualitative benefits your product or service can offer.

Delivering on this tactic leans heavily on your understanding of your prospect’s day-to-day pain points.

• How can you make life easier for your buyer and their employees?
• What can you do to iron out hitches, hiccups, and inefficiencies they face consistently?
• What will the benefits that come with that ironing out look like?

For example, if I were selling a project management tool, I might focus on how it reduces stress, improves team collaboration, and gives managers more visibility into their projects.

To do this effectively, I’d start by mapping out my prospect’s top frustrations. Then, I’d tie each frustration to a specific benefit my solution offers, whether it is saving time, reducing stress, or simplifying workflows. The clearer the connection, the stronger the value proposition.

2. Financial Incentive-Based Selling

This is not exactly radical or shocking to point out, but businesses generally exist to make money.

Financial success is one of the more obvious ways to gauge the value of a product or service, so pointing out how your offering can help in that realm provides a solid basis for effective value selling.

If you can give hard figures or reference points for how much revenue your prospect can expect to generate with your offering or how it can rein in operating costs, you can frame a compelling, more concrete value proposition for them.

You can achieve this by providing case studies of similar businesses you have helped in the past or citing certain processes and practices they implement that you can improve.

One way or another, show that your offering can have a direct bearing on their financial well-being.

Break down ROI projections into short-, mid-, and long-term wins. Show them how your solution creates immediate impact while setting them up for sustained financial success. The more tangible the numbers, the more persuasive your pitch.

Pro tip: Hard figures can be very persuasive, especially when selling to C-suite executives.

3. Differentiation-Focused Selling

Successful companies generally do not blend in with the pack. They are distinct from their competition in some way, shape, or form. That is why pushing a differentiation-oriented angle while value selling is one of the more effective routes you can take.

What can your offering do to enhance the most compelling, unique aspects of your prospect’s brand identity? If you can show that your product or service aligns well with who your buyer wants to be within their competitive landscape, you will set yourself up for a successful value-selling effort.

Businesses that stand out command more loyalty and pricing power, making differentiation not just a marketing play but a profitability strategy. If you can help your prospects amplify their unique edge, you are not just selling a product. You are selling a competitive advantage.

For example, if I were selling to a company that prides itself on innovation, I might focus on how my cutting-edge technology can help them stay ahead of the curve.

4. Security or Risk Aversion-Focused Selling

Anxiety is a powerful motivator, and almost every business has its fair share of risks that keep its leadership up at night. Those could be anything from direct security threats to emerging industry trends they might be struggling to keep pace with.

If you can identify any specific fears or stressful vulnerabilities your prospect is dealing with, you will build a solid foundation for effective value selling.

Business leaders generally prefer operating as smoothly and securely as possible, so if your offering can help them achieve that, do not hesitate to sell based on that. A single breach can cost millions, not just in dollars but in reputation. The fear of losing customer trust keeps executives awake at night, and that is where your solution steps in.

If you can position your product as the safeguard that helps them avoid catastrophe, you are not just selling security. You are selling peace of mind.

For example, if I were selling cybersecurity solutions, I might focus on how my product can protect against the latest threats and help the company avoid costly data breaches.

Value-Based Selling Examples

For the sake of illustration, I’ll share an example of a SaaS company that sells a construction management platform. A rep from that business is selling to a fast-growing regional fast-food chain expanding into a new metropolitan area.

Here are four key ways SaaS companies can apply value-based selling, each aligning with a different type of customer priority.

1. Qualitative Value-Based Selling

In this scenario, the rep has been working with the chain’s leadership for around a month. In one of their conversations, the CEO mentioned being frustrated with repeated miscommunications that led to delays, budget overruns, and last-minute project changes.

The rep’s platform gives executives comprehensive visibility into their construction managers’ project management.

If they wanted to sell based on qualitative value, they might highlight how owners who leverage the platform avoid costly miscommunication. By improving communication, the platform keeps projects on schedule, prevents costly overruns, and reduces leadership stress.

2. Financial Value-Based Selling

If the rep wanted to value sell based on financial incentives, they might cite case studies of similar fast-food chains that faced comparable expansion challenges and saw measurable financial improvements.

They would likely reference the hard numbers behind those improvements and demonstrate how their prospect’s business could fit a similar mold.

For instance, they could reference a case where a similar franchise cut construction costs by 15% or opened new locations 20% faster. Then, they could walk the prospect through a side-by-side comparison, showing how similar cost savings and faster openings could apply to their own expansion plans.

3. Differentiation Value-Based Selling

Here, the rep might try to value sell based on differentiation. The salesperson can speak to how competitors still relying on outdated, manual processes are facing costly delays, leaving prime locations open for faster-moving brands.

This means the prospect can gain first-mover advantage in new markets, secure prime locations ahead of competitors, and open stores faster. This allows them to start generating revenue while competitors are still stuck in permitting and planning.

4. Security Value-Based Selling

In this case, the rep would likely discuss the common risks businesses face when rapidly expanding into new territories, including unexpected construction delays, hidden costs, and legal disputes with contractors.

With real-time cost tracking, automated alerts, and built-in contract dispute resolution, the platform helps businesses proactively manage risks before they escalate into costly problems. By catching issues early, companies can prevent minor setbacks from becoming major financial burdens.

Beyond the Sale: Build Lasting Success With Value-Based Selling Principles

Value selling is an approach that anyone, not just traditional salespeople, can take when engaging with prospective customers. It’s a philosophy purely rooted in solving for the customer.

And if you want a quick takeaway, Walling offers some great parting advice: “Salespeople can forget about all these little steps and strategies and do two things: be sincere and yourself, and honestly try to help your customer.”

Master these elements, and you’ll see the results you want from your value-selling efforts. It may take time to perfect your approach, but the long-term benefits — stronger customer relationships, higher close rates, and increased customer loyalty — make it well worth the effort.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on November 12, 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Sales prospecting is more than sending emails — it’s about building relationships that turn cold leads into warm opportunities. But breaking through the noise is hard. Most cold emails get ignored, and follow-ups often fall flat.

That’s why we’ve created these 30 battle-tested sales prospecting email templates designed specifically for SDRs, BDRs, and AEs. These templates help you:

• Break the ice with cold prospects.
• Re-engage unresponsive leads.
• Ask for referrals and introductions.
• Use LinkedIn and social selling to connect.

These templates are about more than open rates. They’re about starting real conversations and filling your pipeline with sales-qualified leads. Each one comes from real-world sales scenarios, with proven techniques to get replies and spark meaningful conversations.

Whether you’re sending your first cold outreach or re-engaging a lost opportunity, I guarantee these templates will help you prospect smarter and win more deals.

Table of Contents

• Sales Prospecting Tips for Modern Selling
• Sales Prospecting Email Templates
• How to Write a Sales Prospecting Email That Gets a Response

Sales Prospecting Tips for Modern Selling

1. Start social, stay natural.

LinkedIn is where business conversations belong. You’re meeting people in their natural habitat where they expect professional connections, not cold pitches.

I like to think of it like striking up a conversation at a networking event, not cornering someone in an elevator.

Plus, let’s be real: Email screams “sales pitch” before they even open it. Instead, I recommend thoughtful comments to keep you visible to your target audience.

2. Master meaningful engagement.

Stop the “Great post!” comments — they’re just noise. If you’re going to show up, add something that makes them think. Build on their point, push the conversation forward, and make them the star.

Here’s how I find it best to do: Agree briefly → Add insight → Ask a question.

For example:

Instead of “Great post!” try: “I loved your point about buyer hesitation. Have you found that early-stage case studies help address that?”

It’s about showing you care enough to engage, not just spray and pray.

3. Respect the relationship timeline.

There’s an order to this: Comments → DMs → Email. Jumping straight from “nice post” to “Can I have a call?” is creepy. Build the relationship before you switch lanes.

Here’s how I make the jump:

When I DM, I reference our public conversation:

“Hey [Name], I enjoyed our chat on your post about outbound tactics. Thought I’d connect here!”

Why take your time? Because people warm up to contributors, not pitchers. Commenting is low-pressure, with no commitment, so they get to know you without their guard up.

Let them recognize your name before you ever hit “send” on that DM.

4. Focus on quality over scale.

Forget about chasing numbers. You can’t automate authenticity — and that’s your edge. Focus on real conversations, even if it’s just a few. The right connection beats 100 cold contacts every time.

I ask myself: What do they care about? Then, I reference it directly:

“I saw your post on outbound tactics — your point on timing was spot-on. Curious how you handle follow-ups with no response?”

No templates. No fluff. Just real conversations. And here’s why it works: Genuine conversations build rapport faster — and warm leads convert more often than cold contacts.

5. Warm up cold outreach.

Here’s the play: Use social to get familiar, then carry that warmth into email. The email shouldn’t feel like an intro — it should feel like a continuation.

Here’s how I structure my outreach:

1. Reference their content.
2. Relate it to my experience.
3. Invite conversation without pitching.

Like this:

“Hey [Name], I really enjoyed your post on follow-up timing. It made me rethink my approach. Thought I’d reach out and connect directly.”

See what happened there? Just picking up the conversation where you left off.

Sales Prospecting Email Templates

Whether you’re an SDR making first contact or an AE nurturing key accounts, you’ll find battle-tested prospecting emails for every scenario, from cold outreach to re-engagement.

Cold Outreach Templates

Cold outreach isn’t about selling on the first touch. It’s about starting a conversation that earns you the right to sell later.

You’re reaching out to people who don’t know you and don’t trust you. Honestly? They probably don’t care much about you.

That’s why the best cold outreach emails don’t pitch. They spark curiosity, offer value, or find common ground. Your goal isn’t to close a deal. It’s to get a reply.

Below are cold outreach templates that help you do just that. Use them when reaching out to prospects who are cold but qualified. The people who fit your ICP but have no idea who you are (yet).

1. Congratulate them.

There’s more information available about prospects today than at any other time in the history of selling. That means there are plenty of prospect success stories out there for you to find.

Visit your prospect’s website for funding updates, search Google for company news, and view LinkedIn to learn about the prospect’s professional dossier. Then, append all this information to your contact records.

Once you’ve found the perfect opportunity to congratulate the prospect, don’t try to pitch them. Simply share a genuine compliment.

Why this email works: This approach is creative and personal. Flattery is always welcome, and it’s possible you’ll get a “Thank you, but who are you?” in response.

2. Boost their mission.

Try this approach with executive leaders. Executives and business owners are usually the creators of their vision and are most involved with communicating it. Publicity is the name of the game, especially in startups and small businesses.

Hey [Prospect],

Congratulations on your new role as VP of Marketing. Based on your LinkedIn profile, you’ve done an amazing job developing your career at [company].

If there are ways I can help you get your message out to my network of [title of people they’re trying to reach], please let me know. I’m a fan, and I want to help.

Do you have a PR or content person on your team?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: This email is genuine and applicable to just about any company.

It’s hard for the recipient of this email to turn down an opportunity for free publicity, so you’ll likely be able to get your foot in the door by offering your platform to promote their mission.

3. Provide immediate value.

Find a way to provide some value upfront, even if it’s your own expertise. Just be careful not to be critical in your first email. Starting with a compliment can soften the critique.

Hey [Prospect],

Your website’s design is absolutely brilliant. The visuals really enhance your message, and the content compels action. I’ve forwarded it to a few of my contacts who could benefit from your services.

When I looked at your site, though, I noticed a mistake in search engine optimization. It’s a relatively simple fix. Would you like me to write up the fix and share it with your web team? If this is a priority, I can also schedule a call.

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: Software companies have mastered providing immediate value for free through freemium business models, creating some of the fastest-growing businesses ever.

Free feature-limited or usage-limited software offers value before any money changes hands.

If you’re a service provider, partner with a software company that has a freemium model. For example, if you’re an accountant, partner with Expensify to introduce free expense report tools.

If you sell sales training services, recommend a product like HubSpot’s free email tracking tool. As long as you are the person introducing free value, prospects will appreciate it.

4. Offer help.

Remember, your goal in the initial email is to simply get a response. With this in mind, an immediate fix the prospect needs might not be related to the products or services your business offers.

That doesn’t mean you can’t still offer help. Here’s how to do it:

Hey [Prospect],

Welcome to town. My family and I enjoyed a nice dinner at your new Sudbury location last month. I really enjoyed the scallops and risotto. I’ll be back.

I drove by your restaurant last night fairly late and thought you were closed at first glance. I saw a few people sitting at the bar, but the light in front of the restaurant was really dim.

This isn’t my area of expertise, but I know a good sign guy. Would you like an intro?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: It’s similar to the example above, but it comes across as even more genuine.

Offering an intro does not benefit you, but the prospect benefits from a new lead that could bring them more business.

5. Compliment them.

You could give cash away to your prospects, which might get their attention. Alternatively, you can offer a free compliment.

Hey [Prospect],

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with the world.

I love your wit and humor. As I laugh out loud, I find myself nodding in agreement with your advice.

Your article the other day with the three email templates really inspired me. I forwarded it to a few of my clients. One of them has really been struggling to connect with key prospects, and we’ve implemented your advice. A prospect they’ve been trying to reach for a year now responded within an hour.

Would you like to see how my client applied your advice?

Best,

[Your name]

Why this email works: These templates offer kind words and helpful tips. People like to hear nice things about themselves, and receiving a specific solution to a problem along with flattering statements is a recipe for a response.

6. Build rapport using common interests.

Warning: Don’t be creepy. Salespeople of yesteryear could get away with walking into a buyer’s office, noticing the photo of the prospect’s grandchildren, and remarking, “You have a beautiful family.” Today, framed pictures of decades past have become digital photos on Facebook.

Salespeople should certainly incorporate Facebook into their research. But that doesn’t mean you should open with, “How was your grandkids’ soccer practice on Sunday?”

That’ll compel a prospect to issue a restraining order, not email you back. Instead, start with safe topics like common personal interests.

Hey [Prospect],

I was browsing through LinkedIn. Looks like you and I are both in [industry], and we’re both snowboarding fans. Have you ever dreamed of having an industry conference at a ski resort? I have.

Have you gotten out this year? I got out to Loon last month. The powder was amazing.

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re making a sincere connection with the prospect using information that’s typically fair game to mention — LinkedIn posts. The prospect will respect your research skills and appreciate that you were tactful in your approach.

Opening with a mutual non-work-related interest is smart for another reason: You’re giving them a break from the day-to-day and reminding them of something they love to do outside of work.

7. Congratulate the new hire.

New hires are on top of their emails more than senior employees, so you’ll have a chance at getting your email opened and read with this group. Congratulate them on joining the company, and let them know they made a great decision.

[Prospect],

Congrats on your new role with XYC Recruiting. I’ve heard amazing things about the company and trust you’ll enjoy working there.

I work with [Your company name], helping teams like yours increase employee retention by up to 35%. I’d love to talk with you about how your company could achieve the same results — and help you make a splash in your first few months.

Here’s a link to my calendar if you’d like to book some time: [Calendar link]

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: It’s natural to respond to well wishes with a simple “thank you,” but by adding more information to your email about what you do and why you’re sending them a message, they may be inclined to take you up on your offer to meet.

8. Offer motivation.

No matter what industry your prospect works in, they’re probably going through their own trials and tribulations.

A word of encouragement might be just what they need to make it through the day. Send a thoughtful message like this one to perk them up.

[Prospect],

Today might be a day when you’re wondering how you’re going to get through it all. I’m here to tell you that you’re more than capable of doing anything you put your mind to.

The rest of the day is in your control. Make the most of it.

When you need a word of encouragement, you’ve got my email.

You’ve got this,

[Your name]

Why this email works: They’ll remember how you made them feel and appreciate the sincerity you displayed. Instead of taking the opportunity to ask for a connection, a call, or a few minutes of their time, you offered them a moment to reflect on their day and make the most of it.

9. Send them a gift.

When was the last time you received a gift card to your favorite coffee shop or had lunch covered by a friend? It’s not a common occurrence, and that makes it all the more meaningful when it does happen.

Do some research to see if you can find the prospect’s favorite restaurant and purchase an e-gift card.

Depending on your sales team’s budget, this might be out of reach for every prospect, but for the ones you feel are a great fit for your product or service or someone you’ve received an introduction to, try this email template.

Remember to use an eye-catching subject line so they don’t miss the free gift inside.

Subject: Lunch is on [company name]. Here’s a $10 gift card.

Hey [Prospect],

Remember to break for lunch today. [link team and company name here] is providing you with today’s meal.

[insert e-gift card link]

Enjoy!

[Your name]

Why this email works: The tried and true reciprocity principle never steers us wrong. A good deed begets a good deed. Your prospect will want to thank you for the gift and probably commend you on the unique approach.

Referral and Networking Templates

Referral and networking templates are for reaching out through mutual connections, whether it’s a shared colleague, vendor, or fellow industry professional. Use these when you want to open a conversation with social proof and built-in trust.

The goal is to leverage existing relationships to start a conversation. This isn’t about pitching.

It’s about asking for an introduction, offering value, or exploring mutual opportunities.

Warm intros convert better than cold outreach because trust is already established. I’ve found people are more likely to reply when you come recommended by someone they know.

10. Seek referrals.

Everyone with a quota should be part of a networking group. If you sell to bigger companies, join a group (or start one) of professionals who sell to your target market. Try reaching out to other sales professionals like this.

[Referral partner],

It looks like we both sell to CIOs in the Boston area. I meet with a handful of successful salespeople every week to talk about accounts, and we help each other with introductions to prospects. During some months, my networking group books me more meetings than my SDR.

Would you be interested in meeting for coffee to talk about how we might be able to help each other?

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’ll want to diversify your sales prospecting approach. Cold calling, emailing, social media, and talking to strangers will get you far, but adding other salespeople to your network is a way to work smarter.

I think this email template is the perfect example of the benefits of expanding your sales network.

11. Talk to your prospect’s vendors.

Vendors are another resource for learning about a company. Trusted service providers are in a great position to refer you. Not only do they know how your prospect makes purchasing decisions — they can make introductions.

Hey [Prospect],

Your commercial real estate broker, [name], suggested I reach out to you. Someone in your organization told them that booking conference rooms is a real challenge. Everything is always booked — even when people aren’t in the room.

This is an easy fix if you’re interested in solving this problem once and for all. Interested?

Best,

[Your name]

Make sure you get permission to use names when referencing vendors. The last thing you want to do is get your referral partner fired.

Ask, “Would you mind if I email [Prospect] and say that you suggested we talked?” Then, you’re free to write, “[Vendor] asked me to email you to see if I could help.” Or just call and start off with “I was talking to [Vendor], and… “

Why this email works: Not only do you have a direct way to reach a prospect, you have the seal of approval from the vendor.

The prospect probably gets several sales emails per day, but you’ll stand out because of the connection you made with the vendor prior to emailing the prospect.

12. Talk to lower-level employees.

While there is a lot of information online about prospects, nothing beats intel from a trusted source. This is especially critical if you sell to finance, IT, or other back-office professionals since it’s difficult to inspect or observe how they do their jobs from an external perspective.

I find the trick to this is starting conversations with the intention of gathering intelligence.

Every company has customer-facing employees. Start with the sales team and ask them what they’re exceeding at in their roles and what they could be improving. They will probably respond in solidarity.

Then, reach out again with the results and see how your product or service can help. If there are goals the company could reach more effectively after implementing the solution you sell, the sales team might be willing to pass along your information to the right contacts.

Hey [Prospect],

Your salespeople seem to be struggling with acquiring new clients, according to an informal survey I did. Specifically, they are struggling to initiate a dialogue with prospects like they used to.

Is it a priority for you to improve their ability to put new opportunities in the funnel?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’ve already received valuable survey data that you can use for your own content and sales pitches, but you can also use that data to uncover needs within the companies you’re prospecting.

13. Reference a common connection.

Once you’ve developed trusting relationships with other professionals, ask them if it’s okay to drop their names when connecting with their contacts. You might even ask them for a list of people that they recommend you reach out to.

Hey [Prospect],

I was chatting with [connection’s name] the other day, and he mentioned that your team is preparing to launch a new product. Congratulations! I know how exciting that is.

When [connection’s company] launched [their new product/service] last year, we helped create blog posts, landing pages, and a white paper to promote it and saw a great ROI.

[Connection name] thought you might be interested in our services, too. Would you like to talk?

Best,

[Your name]

Why this email works: Name-dropping can be distasteful, but not when it’s done like this. A subtle nod to your mutual connection can make a prospecting email come across as more personable.

14. Talk to friends (and strangers).

While this is not always good advice (especially for children), talking to strangers at the right place and time can be a smart idea. Whether they’re friends or acquaintances, talking to people outside of your typical peer group can lead to great connections.

Hey [Prospect],

My friend, [name], told me that you’d be willing to meet up with me to discuss my business and see if we might work together.

I reviewed your website and am particularly interested in learning more about your [service].

Do you have time in the near future? Here’s a link to my calendar to make scheduling easier.

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: Similar to vendor emails, talking to strangers through a mutual friend can be more effective.

The relationship is built on a causal connection rather than a business one, so there’s no pressure to pitch right away.

Follow-up and Re-Engagement Templates

I like to use follow-up templates when a prospect has shown interest but gone quiet, whether they opened my email, clicked a link, or even replied once but then disappeared. Re-engagement templates are for reviving cold leads.

The goal is simple: Restart the conversation. You’re not pushing for a sale — you’re checking in, offering value, or giving them a reason to reply.

The fortune is in the follow-up. Most deals don’t happen on the first touch; they happen because you stay on their radar. A well-timed, value-driven follow-up can reignite interest without feeling pushy.

15. Respond to social media posts.

Social media is where your next prospect might already be raising their hand. Every time a prospect engages with a post — whether it’s yours or someone else’s — it’s an opportunity to start a conversation without the awkward cold pitch.

Think about it. They’re active, they’re engaged, and they’re showing you what they care about. So why let that moment slip away?

But here’s where most sellers blow it: They either spam the DMs with a pitch or stay invisible by lurking without engaging. The sweet spot? Join the conversation first, add value, and let the conversation naturally continue off-platform.

Here’s how to do it right:

1. Comment before you DM. Show up in their comments first — acknowledge their insights, share your perspective, or drop a helpful resource. You’re building familiarity without pressure.
2. Transition smoothly. If the conversation clicks, make the ask:
   “Would love to keep this conversation going — mind if I shoot you a quick DM?”
3. DM with context. When you do reach out, reference the post:
   “Loved your take on [topic] — I had a similar experience with [insight]. Curious, how do you approach [related challenge]?”

[Prospect],

I’ve really enjoyed our exchange on [topic]. I learned a lot from your insights.

The other day, I came across this study that confirms your intuitions, so I just wanted to pass it along: [link to study]. I’d love to hear any other thoughts you have.

Warmly,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re continuing the conversation from an interesting post.

This could lead to new ideas, solutions, and even a discovery call about a need the prospect has that your products and services could solve.

16. Respond to content your prospects publish.

Pay attention to what your prospects are publishing online. They are sharing massive clues about their current initiatives that provide great openings for dialogue.

Here’s an email I wrote up for an SDR from RingCentral who asked for some advice:

Hey Jeetandra,

Your CEO posted an article about expanding globally, which speaks highly of the work you’re doing. Judging from a quick LinkedIn search, I can see you’re the guy who is probably making that happen. Congrats on the success. I know it’s hard to duplicate the success of the home office.

Usually, managing directors are involved with setting budgets and are under pressure from CFOs to minimize startup cost. I’m an expert at helping companies minimize these types of expenses.

I talk to people like you all day. Would you be interested in a checklist of ways to reduce expenses?

Regards,

[Your name]

www.ringcentral.com

Global Office Consultant

Why this email works: Reading an unsolicited sales email or a piece of unsolicited advice isn’t at the top of anyone’s priority list. This approach keeps your email relevant and useful to the prospect.

17. Send your company’s content.

For every title or persona that can influence your sale, have content on hand that addresses their specific challenges.

Hey [Prospect],

Your blog article about [topic] was excellent. Your ebook on the topic was even better. The part about [section] was amazing because [reason].

But, I had to click around your website quite a bit to find the ebook. Have you ever thought about putting a call-to-action on the blog post that encourages visitors to download your whitepaper on the same subject?

Here’s an article on how and why to do this: [link]

Let me know what you think,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re working smart, not hard. Rather than creating an entirely new piece of sales material to send to this prospect, you can pass along marketing material that has already been made and is relevant to the needs of the prospect.

Take this tactic a step further and add a tracking parameter on the blog link. Even if they don’t respond to your email, you can follow up on the backend to see if they’ve clicked the link to read the article.

I think this type of email works great as an end-of-the-month sales email, which can be sent to prospects and current customers as a way to engage, re-engage, and upsell.

18. Send other people’s content.

Don’t only send your content. Prospects will be less suspicious of your intentions if you send other people’s or other companies’ content that could be helpful for their situation.

Hey [Prospect],

Congrats on closing your seed funding. That means you’re probably starting to think about how you’ll raise your A round.

Other founders report that it’s 100x easier to raise money if they’ve already figured out how to profitably acquire customers.

I’ve found that David Skok’s articles on unit economics are an amazing resource to help with that.

Here’s one: http://www.forentrepreneurs.com/saas-metrics-2/

Have you read them?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: The point is to show them that you care about their success and you want to help them reach it no matter what. And yes, that includes sharing other people’s content if you have to.

19. Publish original content.

For the last few years, I’ve regularly asked my young son, “How do you get better at things?” Without hesitation, he now says, “Practice.” Not every salesperson is a natural writer, but I’d highly recommend they all start practicing.

Why should salespeople write? Prospects willingly talk to critical-thinking, problem-solving, and effective salespeople if they have experience relevant to the prospect’s world.

So, write about your daily experiences helping prospects. Share your wisdom.

While publishing content to your company website is the best way to go, it’s only good for you if you’re able to track which of your prospects reads your posts.

If you don’t have marketing automation software in place that tells you when your prospects are visiting your website, publish to LinkedIn instead. As long as your 1st- and 2nd-degree network consists of prospects, there is a chance they’ll read what you post.

When they like, comment on, or share something you wrote, start a dialogue by using a variation on the template below:

[Prospect],

Yesterday, you liked my article on LinkedIn. What did you like about it?

[Your name]

Why this email works: The really great thing about content is that it keeps on talking with prospects even when you’re sleeping, exercising, or eating.

It works around the clock for you. Every other prospecting method is ephemeral (especially email). Imagine what salespeople could do if we combined the staying power of relationships with the lasting power of content.

20. Monitor who views your LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn is an invaluable networking site. It’s where you share about who you are and what you do, so you want to keep an eye on who’s viewing your profile. If they’re looking at your profile, chances are they’re interested in what you have to offer. It’s a sort of soft inbound strategy.

Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with them and start a conversation.

Hey [Prospect],

I saw your recent LinkedIn post expressing your [pain point]. I just wrote a short piece on [topic of expertise] and thought you might enjoy reading it. It offers insights on [pain point] and a few strategies I’ve found helpful in addressing it.

[link to article]

I regularly post on [topic] and related topics, so feel free to give me a follow on LinkedIn if you’d like to discover more insights.

Best,

[Your name]

Why this email works: It’s short and to the point, giving the prospect a reason why they might want to accept your connection and visit your profile again in the future.

21. Put their name in lights.

If you are publishing content, ask for feedback on your drafts. You can also ask prospects for quotes to add to your article.

[Prospect],

Thanks for connecting with me on LinkedIn. From looking at your impressive career advancement from salesperson to sales director in just five years, I’m guessing you have some really valuable advice.

I read a few of your testimonials and I noticed that many of them said you put people first. Many of them said that you always drop what you’re doing to listen to the concerns and ideas of your front line salespeople.

Would you be willing to contribute to an article I’m writing on that subject?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: People like being asked for help or being asked for their opinion on a topic. This might not seem like the perfect introduction to your next big sale, but it’s a smart way to get a response.

22. Ask for advice.

Most people like to give advice. Asking for advice appeals to their ego. (See the “esteem stage” of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In the age of social media, many of us get stuck at the esteem stage on our path toward “self-actualization.”)

Psychology 101 aside, asking for advice is a hard request for most of us to resist.

[Prospect],

From your LinkedIn profile, it looks like you’ve been working in aerospace for 20 years. I’m guessing you’ve been involved in many engineering advancements in that timeframe.

I’m only two years into the aerospace industry, so I lack some of the historical context I imagine you have.

I’m working on a new product right now. If I shared some of my findings, would you be willing to give me feedback?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: It shows humility and respect for the prospect and their contributions to the industry in which you work.

23. Ask for a recommendation.

Similar to the above, asking for a recommendation shows humility and deference to someone with more expertise than you. It’s also a great way to start a conversation with a simple request that won’t take too much time for your prospect to respond to.

[Prospect],

A colleague of mine is investigating solutions for predictive lead scoring. I’ve been following you online for a bit.

As an expert at sales, I’m wondering if you have any experience with these platforms or know anyone who does.

[Your name]

Why this email works: The requests in these examples are sincere and easy to oblige. You’ll find that people are more than happy to help.

Market Research and Opinion-Seeking Templates

Use these templates when you want to engage prospects by seeking their expertise or insights. These are perfect for:

• Gathering opinions for a survey, blog post, or industry report.
• Validating market trends.
• Asking for advice or recommendations.

The goal is to start a relationship by making the prospect feel valued as an expert. Instead of pitching, you’re collaborating — which often leads to future conversations.

People love sharing their opinions — especially when they feel their expertise is recognized. Plus, asking for insights opens the door to follow-up with results or opportunities based on their feedback.

24. Talk to your prospect’s customers.

Your prospect’s customers and partners are also great sources of insights. If your prospect has a case study page, look at it, or check out reviews about it online.

Hi [Customer of prospect],

My name is [name] and I work with [company] to help clients [achieve goal].

I saw that you are working with [prospect’s company] to achieve [goal]. I’m doing some industry research on companies like [prospect’s company]. Would you be willing to contribute?

If so, I’d love to hear about your experience with [prospect’s company]. You can respond via email, or we can set up a quick phone call: [link to your calendar].

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: More often than not, you’ll find positive information that will get the prospect talking.

But, if you hear from a disgruntled or unsuccessful customer, use that information too. You could motivate the prospect to turn those negative reviews into positive ones — hopefully using your company’s products to do it.

25. Offer an introduction.

Offering your network as a resource to others is a great way to help them out and build rapport. By serving as an introduction, you make yourself an invaluable connection.

[Prospect],

On LinkedIn, you posted a request for introductions to salespeople who successfully practice social selling.

I have a few that I could recommend. Would you like an introduction over email?

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’ll have more opportunities to get in front of the prospect with each introduction you make. And when those sales reps have calls with the prospect, they’ll mention that they both know you and sing your praises.

The prospect will become fond of you, and when you reach out again, you’ll be met with excitement rather than skepticism.

26. Run a custom analysis.

Depending on what you sell, it might be difficult for you to evaluate your prospect’s situation. But, if you can evaluate it, do so. Then, send them the results.

[Prospect],

I used some software to evaluate the search rankings of the top 50 B2B accounting firms in the Boston area. Although your firm ranks in the top 25 according to the Business Journal, your search rankings are worse than the top 40.

Would you like to view the report?

[Your name]

Why this email works: Chances are you don’t sell marketing services, but if you do, use this approach. If you don’t, try to find something you can analyze that your ideal buyer will care about.

27. Provide insights.

According to Mike Schultz, author of Insight Selling, “Educating buyers not only shares the seller’s expertise, but it also demonstrates the seller’s willingness to collaborate with the buyer.” I’ve found this is another invaluable source of rapport-building.

[Prospect],

Looks like you started a blog, but have stopped publishing. Oftentimes, companies stop prioritizing blogging when results don’t come immediately.

But did you know that companies that blog regularly generate 67% more leads than those that don’t?

[Your name]

Why this email works: It provides useful information that is highly relevant to the prospect. Tailor this approach to any new venture or project your prospect has taken on. This could be the data they need to validate the effort they’re putting into it.

28. Ask them what they want to learn from peers.

Marketers use surveys to gather proprietary data. Salespeople should borrow this playbook.

Engaging prospects in the design of the survey will ensure the results are interesting for the ideal buyer profile. This is also a suitable reason to reach out, which can initiate a dialogue.

[Prospect],

You look like you have an impressive amount of experience doing [X]. I’m designing a survey and will be asking 100 people with similar experiences in [role] and [industry] about their thoughts on [topic].

If you had the opportunity to ask any question of 100 peers, what would you ask?

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re building a relationship with the prospect while generating interest in the results of the survey.

When you release it, you’ve already established a reason to reach out to them again with a stronger pitch based on the data in your report.

29. Invite them to participate in market research.

Taking the email template above a step further, you can reach out to the prospect again once you and your team create the survey. Now, you can ask the prospect and their team to take the survey.

[Prospect],

Thank you for your assistance in designing this survey. Will you take the survey now that it’s ready? It’s five questions long and should take you five minutes.

As soon as we have 100 respondents, I’ll send you the preliminary results.

[Your name]

Why this email works: The great part about surveys is that you can ask tough questions about challenges and goals. It’s hard to do that on a phone call right away.

Don’t forget to sync your survey software with your CRM and marketing automation software so you can see the responses and use them to customize your future sales and marketing touches to each contact’s context.

30. Get their opinion.

Ask your prospects about what they think about something. Just be sure you actually plan to use their opinion in some way — don’t ask an empty question.

You can let them know their response might be featured in some content that your company will publish in the future. Or you may be using their qualitative data to validate some quantitative data from a survey you did.

[Prospect],

Looks like your marketing efforts support a pretty big sales team.

At HubSpot, we recently completed a survey of B2B buyers. We asked them to give one word that best describes salespeople. The most popular answer by far was “pushy.”

Do you agree or disagree with this? Do you think your buyers think your salespeople are too pushy? Do you think this reduces the effectiveness of your marketing?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re actually challenging the salesperson stereotype by acknowledging that people often find sales reps pushy.

As a salesperson, you’re actively negating that characteristic by taking a collaborative and curious approach to the prospect.

31. Ask them if they want access to market research.

Offering access to market research is giving your prospect value without asking for anything in return. It’s a great soft opener to a conversation about how their business is performing and any pain points your product or service may be able to address.

[Prospect],

Your quarterly report shows an impressive growth rate, especially at your scale.

Fast growth companies like yours usually dedicate significant resources towards recruiting. We have some market research that shows how companies allocate resources to different parts of the recruiting process.

Would you be interested in seeing the report so you can benchmark yourself?

Regards,

[Your name]

Why this email works: If you used this company in your market research, you’re showing them the final project where their responses were featured. Moreover, you’re sharing some valuable industry insights that the prospect will likely find useful.

32. Ask if you’ve got the right person.

People have a natural tendency to want to help others. Make the most of that and send an outreach email that asks, “Could you help me get in touch with the right person?”

[Prospect],

I’m trying to reach the person who’s in charge of implementing marketing software at your company.

I’ve helped businesses like yours increase marketing-qualified leads by as much as 25%.

Could you help me get in touch with the right person?

Thanks for your time,

[Your name]

Why this email works: You’re letting the person you emailed off the hook. Because they know you’re looking to talk to someone else and just need their help to do it, they’ll be happy to send you to the right person.

How to Write a Sales Prospecting Email That Gets a Response

These templates use a relatively simple set of guidelines. As you implement the approaches shared above, I recommend using these guidelines to customize your templates. I break down my writing process into phases: pre-writing, writing, and reviewing. Each consists of multiple steps, which I have laid out below.

Pre-Writing Phase

The pre-writing phase consists of researching your prospect thoroughly. You need to know who you’re writing to before you can craft an email that will land.

In my research, I always:

• Study my prospect’s business, industry, and potential pain points.
• Identify specific ways my solution can help them.
• Find points of connection or relevant recent company news.

Writing Phase

A strong prospecting email needs to include the following components. When writing, I follow these steps.

• Craft an attention-grabbing subject line.

• Make it relevant to their business interests.
• Keep it concise and compelling.
• Avoid spam triggers and excessive punctuation.

• Write a personalized opening.

• Begin with something specific about the prospect or their company.
• Show you’ve done your homework.
• Make it clear this isn’t a mass email.

• Compose the body (3-7 sentences total).

• Focus on “you” language instead of “I” or “we.”
• Only introduce your value proposition when it naturally aligns with their needs.
• Keep the message focused and concise.
• Use an open-ended approach that invites dialogue.

• Create a simple call-to-action.

• Avoid pushing for a phone call in the initial email.
• Make the request easy to fulfill.
• Ensure it appeals to the prospect’s self-interest.
• Consider ending with a relevant question that encourages a response.

Review Phase

Finally, it’s time to polish and refine your email. First impressions count, and the prospect will judge you and decide whether to respond based on how your email reads.

I always:

• Review for grammar and spelling errors.
• Ensure the total length stays within 3-7 sentences.
• Check that the focus remains on the prospect throughout.
• Verify all personalization elements are accurate.

Remember: The goal of your first email is to start a conversation, not close a deal. Focus on making a genuine connection and showing you understand their business.

Make Your Outreach More Effective

Breaking through inbox noise isn’t just challenging — it’s getting harder every day. Most cold emails get ignored, and generic follow-ups fall flat. But there’s good news: While others spam inboxes with copy-paste pitches, you can stand out by building genuine connections.

The templates in this article are designed to help you start conversations that prospects actually want to continue, position yourself as a trusted advisor, not just another seller, fill your pipeline with qualified leads who see your value, and build a foundation for long-term business relationships.

Remember: These aren’t just templates — they’re conversation starters. Your goal isn’t just to get replies; it’s to begin meaningful dialogues that lead to lasting partnerships.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

High-performing sales professionals aren’t triggered to surrender by a sales objection. Instead, they use objections to craft personalized value propositions to differentiate their company, their offerings — and ultimately close the deal.

As a long-time sales and business development professional, I’ve always seen sales objections as guideposts along a buying process: they tell me what a prospect needs to move forward.

When overcoming objections in sales, salespeople must be curious, intuitive, and empathetic enough to ask questions that motivate prospects to disclose their objections instead of just ghosting the salesperson and leaving them wondering why.

In this article, you’ll learn proven, practical objection-handling strategies you can use in your business development tactics.

Table of Contents

• What is a sales objection?
• What is objection handling?
• Types of Sales Objections
• How to Overcome Sales Objections
• Common Sales Objections
• Handling Objections
• Objection Handling Training
• When an Objection is a Firm “No”

A typical sales objection arises when a prospect has a perceived or actual lack of specific resources. Prospects usually object to a sale when they feel they don’t have the money, interest, need, or autonomy to buy from your business.

My experiences taught me that prospects are reluctant to speak with a sales rep if they:

• Don’t have a defined mandate or the authority to engage with a salesperson’s offer.
• Don’t feel they are prepared or educated enough on a topic to have a meaningful conversation.
• Have had negative experiences with salespeople in the past, with your company, or otherwise.
• Feel overwhelmed if a seller’s pitch is full of technical jargon or industry-speak.
• Are reluctant to get into a high-pressure, prolonged sales process with an unfamiliar (or even a familiar) company or representative.
• Work in a matrixed organization with complex or rigid buying and approval processes.
• Have real or misconceived concerns about the cost, commitment, or inflexibility of your company and its solutions.
• Are skeptical your solution can deliver the value you describe in your pitch or promotional material.

While sales objections present some daunting obstacles to a sales process, overcoming objections in sales is possible with practice and proven strategies.

Handling Objections

Handling objections is an inevitable and often challenging task for sales pros. According to HubSpot data, sellers who successfully defend their product against buyers’ objections can have a close rate as high as 64%.

Underachieving sales reps respond to prospect objections by:

• Conceding defeat immediately and disengaging from the prospect.
• Arguing their case defensively without probing for the source of an objection.
• Trying to pressure the prospect into remaining engaged by sowing fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD).
• Making derogatory statements about competitors the prospect has (or is considering) a relationship with.
• Using tired transactional sales tactics like offering discounts or making false claims instead of taking a consultative sales approach.

These kinds of aggressive selling approaches aren’t effective at handling objections.

Prospects often feel these kinds of responses justify their attitude about your company, or sales people in general. Using these tactics can undermine any trust or rapport you’ve developed with a customer or prospect, and anyone they share their experiences with.

In contrast, proper handling of objections in sales demands that a salesperson:

• Demonstrates situational awareness.
• Gathers or accrues background information throughout the sales process.
• Leads with empathy.
• Asks thoughtful, open-ended questions.
• Treads carefully when the prospect isn’t correct.

Next, I’ll break these items down a little and add some context.

Have situational awareness.

There isn’t a single cure-all objection handling formula. Instead, you need to develop instincts for where you are in your sales process, the nature of the deal you’re pursuing, and your prospect’s needs and interests.

Understanding the circumstances that are shaping a prospect’s objections is central to addressing them effectively.

In my experience: I’ve learned from making situational awareness mistakes a couple of times. Once I admitted to a customer that I had been so busy pursuing other opportunities that I hadn’t checked in with them in a while. The customer responded saying their feelings were hurt that I deprioritized them. I focused more on my account farming responsibilities after that conversation.

Gather extensive background information.

This point is a natural extension of the one above. Gathering background information informs effective, actionable situational awareness. Thoroughly research your prospect’s company and, to a certain extent, the specific prospect or client.

See if you can answer the following:

• What challenges is the customer or prospect currently facing?
• What are the prospect’s near- and long-term goals?
• What issues do the prospect‘s industry peers encounter?
• What is their decision-making authority?
• What aspects of the company’s operations do they work with on a day-to-day basis?
• What obstacles and restrictions does someone in their position typically encounter?

Uncovering these background insights can put you in a better position to handle objections tactfully.

In my experience: As I described earlier, I discovered the hard way that customers need to be consistently reminded of how much you value their business through regular follow-up. Your other business activities aren’t material to their needs.

Lead with empathy.

Empathy is central to every successful sales effort. You likely didn’t get into sales purely entirely earning commission or meeting or exceeding quota. The best salespeople I worked with loved to help businesses solve problems with the products and services they helped the customer gain access to.

Always bear a client’s needs and interests in mind, and they will often respond with trust, signed contracts — and best-case — become an advocate for your business through testimonials and success stories.

Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions.

The ability to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions can underscore every other point listed here. You need to get to the root of your prospect’s pain points if you’re going to understand and effectively handle the objections they raise.

Avoid questions that only warrant “yes or no” answers — and don’t be afraid to use silence to your advantage. Also, let your buyers air their thoughts out. Feel out their concerns and put yourself in a position to overcome objections they might raise with calm confidence.

When the customer isn’t right, tread lightly.

Telling a prospect their objection isn’t justified can derail a relationship quickly. Instead, acknowledge their objection, then explain how doing business with you would actually look.

It’s also important to distinguish between sales objections and brush-offs. While objections are authentic, brush-offs are excuses. Think of an objection as, “I see the value in your product, but I’m not sure about buying it for X reason,” while a brush-off translates to, “I don’t want to talk to you.”

Unstated objections are far more serious than brush-offs. If you don’t know why a prospect doesn’t trust you or value what you have to offer, you are wasting your time and theirs.

In my experience: I once had the IT manager of a local government tell me they would never do business with my company (a large Canadian telco). When pressed, he said he felt my company was too big to offer his organization personalized service. Fortunately, I had testimonials from the prospect’s peers across the country who had similar reservations at first, but were pleasantly surprised at our ability to meet their needs. That reassured the prospect, and I landed his business.

Pro tip: Keep a list of customer success stories, testimonials, or third-party data that addresses common objections like cost, flexibility, or return on investment. Share authentic, quantifiable examples of the impact of your company’s products and services.

Objection Handling Framework

A proven and effective method for objection handling is Carew International’s LAER: The Bonding Process®. LAER involves four steps — Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, and Respond — and creates a positive, two-way transaction between the salesperson and the customer.

I’ll break down each step along with insights from sales leaders I talked to.

Step 1: Anticipate

Before you start with the LAER process, the first step is to anticipate objections by preparing for the conversation.

Laura Youngblom, president and chief revenue officer at Sell It, suggests “by consistently preparing for potential objections, you will learn more about your customers and what’s holding them back and eventually be able to predict what their objections will be.”

If you did your homework, you can address the objection factually, offer some context to allay their concerns, and enable you both to proceed with confidence.

Step 2: Listen

When confronted with an objection, the first requirement is to actively listen to it. Listening demonstrates to your customer that you are interested in their concern and care about what they have to say.

“The adage ‘people buy from those they know, like, and trust’ is still true. Buyers want (and expect) a personalized sales experience. How you present yourself and your product either builds that trust — or gives your competitors a foot in the door,” comments Mark Tanner, co-founder of Qwilr.

Step 3: Acknowledge

The next step is to acknowledge your customer’s concern. This is where you demonstrate you have been actively listening. Acknowledging and validating an objection can be as simple as a head nod or a restatement of the issue as you understand it. A sincere acknowledgment can build trust and have a calming effect. Sometimes, your customers just want to know that they are being heard.

“Not pretending you have all the answers and being genuine in communicating when you don’t know something helps build trusting and reliable relationships,” says Sami Malik, CEO of Linear Health, a founder-led sales expert.

Youngblom adds that “when you disagree, you stop the flow of communication, but when you agree, their defenses come down.”

Step 4: Explore

The third step is to explore the concerns underlying your customer’s objection. It’s imperative that you understand exactly what your customers meant by what they said.

For example, your customer may raise a price objection. Take the time to explore the customer’s objection, and you may discover they are using price as a smokescreen for fears of putting their own reputation on the line.

In my experience: I once had a customer who expressed an interest in integrating my company’s document management software (which they had deployed) and their ERP software. However, we hit a roadblock when my customer objected to our acquisition process because of RFP requirements on his end.

Fortunately, because I was able to uncover the details of the roadblock by active listening and exhibiting empathy, I was also able to come up with a solution and ultimately make the sale.

Step 5: Respond

The final step is to respond. Only once you have a complete understanding of your customer’s objection can you effectively respond with a credible:

• Counterargument of how your company can exceed their expectations and deliver measurable value.
• Product or service recommendation.
• Business proposal that specifically addresses the customer’s concerns and closes the transaction.

Objection handling doesn’t have to be a painful activity for salespeople. Instead, objections should be viewed as opportunities to help your customer and grow your relationship with them.

Why is objection handling important?

Nothing is more dangerous to a deal than letting sales objections go unaddressed until the final stages. When a prospect’s objection goes unaddressed (whether warranted or not), it grows stronger and becomes deep-rooted, making it harder to overcome it.

With this in mind, don’t avoid objections — welcome them. You can proactively find them as well by periodically asking questions like:

• “Do you have any concerns about X?”
• “Can you see your team making X part of their daily routine?”
• “Is X a strategic business goal for your company this year?”
• “Are there any obstacles that would stop you from buying X?”
• “How confident do you feel you’d see success from [product]? Why?”
• “You seem a little worried about X. What are your thoughts?”
• “What do you think will happen if X problem doesn’t get addressed over the next few months?”

As I touched on at the beginning of this article, most sales objections stem from some kind of “lack” — and they typically come from a reasonable place. Prospects who raise objections generally point to the fact that they simply can’t buy right now.

But those “lacks” are often misplaced, and if you know what you‘re doing, you can usually find ways to work around them. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common types of objections in sales.

1. Lack of Budget

“It’s too expensive.”

Objections based on price are the ones you‘ll come across most frequently. That’s because all purchases come with some level of financial risk.

As a sales rep, you’ll want to consider the positioning of your product or service and how to demonstrate that value. This turns the conversation into one about risk vs. reward.

By providing value and painting a picture of where your solution will take them, they can be convinced that the reward is enough to justify the risk.

2. Lack of Trust

“I’ve never heard of your company.”

People do business with people they like, know, and trust.

In an inbound sales conversation, the prospect will have likely interacted with your content or will already be familiar with your organization in some way. This objection could be overcome by jogging their memory, or you might consider your sales cycle and whether it’s feasible to nurture them through it.

But not all conversations are inbound conversations, and they may have genuinely never heard of you. It’s at this point that you double down on the value you provide with your elevator pitch. Be sure to emphasize the authority your organization has in the market, and share examples of the companies you’ve worked with to gain credibility.

3. Lack of Need

“I don’t see how this can help me.”

This may seem like an objection on the surface, but it’s actually an opportunity to give information to the prospect (and get information from them in return). Use open-ended and layered questions to qualify the prospect and evaluate their needs. If you find a fit, leverage it to demonstrate value.

4. Lack of Urgency

“[X problem] isn’t important for me right now.”

The goal here is to figure out if timing actually is an issue or if the prospect is brushing you off. One way to do that is by asking them to elaborate on why it’s not important or what competing priorities currently have their attention.

Listen closely to determine if their response involves concrete timing issues or vague excuses. If they’re doing backflips to justify inaction on a real pain point, you may have an opening.

When all else fails, try and schedule an appointment with them at a later date to dive deeper into the issue.

When trying to overcome sales objectives, it’s imperative you respond appropriately and avoid reacting impulsively to your prospect’s objections. Here are some helpful strategies for overcoming objections.

1. Practice active listening.

First and foremost, as your prospect is sharing their concerns with you, make sure you are using active listening skills to take in what they’re saying.

While your prospect discloses their objections, listen to understand, not respond. Avoid interrupting them while they are speaking, and give them space to voice their concerns and objections freely.

2. Repeat back what you hear.

Once your prospect has stated their objections, repeat back what you heard to make sure you are understanding correctly. Not only will this help clarify their points for you, but it will also help your prospect feel heard and valued, which is important for building trust.

3. Validate your prospect’s concerns.

After you have confirmed you understand where your prospect is coming from, continue building trust by empathizing with your prospect and validating their point of view. No, that doesn’t mean you have to talk down on your product or recommend a competitor.

For example, if you are selling automation software and your prospect is worried about their ability to implement your software into their complex system, you could say, “I understand. Implementing new software can feel like a daunting task. Thankfully, we have an incredible tech team that has experience working with similar organizations and can handle a seamless transition for you.”

With this response, you acknowledge that their concern is valid and offer a solution to mitigate their fears.

4. Ask follow-up questions.

When you hear objectives, you want to do all you can to keep the conversation going in a natural way. If you hear your prospect pulling back, asking follow-up questions can be a tactful way to keep them talking.

Don’t ask questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Make sure you ask open-ended questions that allow your prospect to continue expressing their thoughts on your product. The more information they give, the more you have to work with.

5. Leverage social proof.

Depending on the nature of your prospect’s concern, sharing the story of another customer who had similar reservations and went on to see success with your product can be a successful approach.

If you are in B2B sales, you can also share relevant information about your prospect’s competitors and any success they’ve seen from overcoming a similar objection.

6. Set a specific date and time to follow up.

If your prospect asks for more time to think things over, give them the time and space to weigh their options. But you don’t want to leave them hanging. Set up a specific time and date to follow up in the near future so too much time doesn’t pass, and offer to answer any questions they have in the meantime as they deliberate.

7. Anticipate sales objections.

Ultimately, the most effective strategy for handling sales objections is to predict them. When you are prepared to have objections come up, you’re far less likely to be thrown off your game.

Keeping track of the objections you receive most often is also helpful. Once you know what to expect, you can devote extra time to practicing and refining your responses.

We also recommend sales reps use role-playing to boost their objection-handling abilities. Take turns with another rep on your team posing common objections (like any on the list below), answering, and then giving each other feedback.

“No” is something salespeople hear often. In fact, 60% of customers say no four times before they say yes. Objections vary by business scale, industry, and what you’re selling. But, knowing and preparing for the most common objections can help you close more sales.

The answers below can help you respond to the objections you’re most likely to hear on your first few calls with a prospect. But, the most effective way to handle objections is to craft your own responses.

So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get started, check out this sales objections and answers PDF. It has useful templates to jumpstart your personalized objection responses.

Sales Objections About Price and Budget

1. “It’s too expensive.”

Price objections are the most common type of objection and are even voiced by prospects who have every intention of buying. Beware — the moment you start focusing on price as a selling point, you reduce yourself to a transactional middleman. Instead, circle back to the product’s value.

Try responding this way:

“I‘d love to unpack [product’s] features and how it can help with the issue of [prospect problem] you shared with me. I can also share a case study of how another business in your industry [realized measurable ROI]”

2. “We don’t have the funds for this.”

It could be that your prospect‘s business simply isn’t big enough or generating enough cash right now to afford a product like yours. If the prospect has a strategic long-term upside offer to keep in touch. Monitor their growth and see how you can help your prospect get to a place where your offering would fit into their business.

Your company may have alternative financing, subscription tiers, or phased implementation models that may put your products or services in reach. A small-scale purchase may not be significant this quarter, but

Try responding this way:

“I understand. Allow me to explain our other offerings that may be a better fit for your current growth levels and budget.”

3. “We don’t have any budget left this year.”

A variation of the “no money” objection, what your prospect’s telling you here is that they’re having cash flow issues. But if there’s a pressing problem, it needs to get solved eventually. Either help your prospect secure a budget from executives to buy now or arrange a follow-up call for early in their next fiscal cycle when funds are being allocated.

Try responding this way:

“Let’s schedule a follow-up call for when you expect funding to return. When do you think that may be?”

4. “We need to use that budget somewhere else.”

Prospects sometimes try to earmark resources for other uses. It’s your job to make your product/service a priority that deserves budget allocation now. Share case studies of similar companies that have saved money, increased efficiency, or had a massive ROI with you.

Try responding this way:

“We had a customer with a similar issue, but by purchasing [product], they were actually able to increase their ROI and assign some of their new revenue to other parts of the budget.”

5. “I don’t want to get locked into a long-term contract.”

A prospect with a genuine need and interest who balks at time-based contract terms is generally hesitant for cash flow reasons. In many cases, there are workarounds — find out if you can offer month-by-month or quarter-by-quarter payment instead of asking for a year or more commitment upfront.

Try responding this way:

“I understand. Let’s talk about some different contract terms and payment schedules that I can offer you. Perhaps these would be a better fit.”

Sales Objections About the Competition

6. “We’re already discussing this project with [Vendor X].”

A prospect who’s already working with a competitor can be a gift. They’ve already recognized a need and identified a solution; much of the education you’d otherwise be responsible for has already been done. You can spend your time doing the one thing you’d have to hold off on with a prospect who hasn’t recognized their pain yet — talk about your product.

Just because a prospect is working with a competitor doesn’t mean they’re happy with them. Probe into the relationship and pay special attention to complaints that could be solved with your product. Resist the urge to disparage the competitor. Instead, highlight your company’s strengths, product advantages, and service differentiators. Don’t say anything that could be damaging to your company’s reputation if it got back to the competitor. Be factual and respectful.

Try responding this way:

“Why did you choose [vendor]? What‘s working well? What’s not? Allow me to explain how [product] is different.”

7. “I’m locked into a contract with a competitor.”

This objection often seems like a deal-killer, but can be overcome if your sales leadership team is empowered to offer competitive upgrades. This objection is worded in a way that indicates your prospect’s feeling of being trapped. See if you can come up with a creative discount to offset the cost of breaking a contract early, or demonstrate ROI that will make up for the sunk cost.

Of course, your prospect could have simply chosen an overly negative turn of phrase. Ask questions about their relationship with the competitor to determine whether they’re actually happy or are itching for a vendor switch.

Try responding this way:

“How is your relationship with [competitor]? I can work with my manager to see if there is a way we can help ease the cost and effort involved to upgrading to our solution.”

In my experience: In software sales roles, I enjoyed positioning a migration from a competitive solution as an upgrade. Of course, it only worked if I could demonstrate how my solution was uniquely better for the prospect than their existing solution.

8. “I can get a cheaper version of your product somewhere else.”

Find out what you’re dealing with here. Are you in a competitive situation, and the prospect is playing you against a competitor to drive up discounts? Or is your prospect under the impression that a similar, cheaper product can do everything they need? I often reminded the prospect of how the old adage “You get what you pay for” is usually true.

If it’s the former, lay out your deepest discount and emphasize the features that make your product superior. Walk away if they ask you to go lower. In the second scenario, take advantage of the comparison. Play the differences up and emphasize overall worth, not cost.

Try responding this way:

“What are the points of differentiation between [product] and your other option? What gives you the most value and support?”

9. “I’m happy with [Competitor X].”

What if your prospect is happy? The same strategy still applies — find out why they believe their relationship with your competitor is beneficial, and identify vulnerabilities where you can build a business case for how your offerings can offer more value than their current provider.

Try responding this way:

“That‘s great. What components of the product or relationship are you most satisfied with? I’d love to learn more and see how we compare.”

10. “Competitor X says [false statement about your product].”

According to the creator of Your Sales MBA® Jeff Hoffman, when faced with a false statement from a competitor, salespeople should first respond with, “That’s not true,” then pause. Be prepared to explain how things really are, but don’t rush to do so. That could show weakness or uncertainty.

Hoffman says this reply will satisfy the buyer about 90% of the time, and they’ll be willing to move on. You’ll seem confident and collected, whereas your competitor will seem desperate and insecure.

If your prospect is still unsure, they’ll ask another question. At that point, you can offer more background in your rebuttal.

Try responding this way:

“We manufacture our products in Canada, not Thailand. I have a map of our factories and distribution routes if you’d like to see it.”

Sales Objections About Authority or Ability to Buy

11. “I’m not authorized to sign off on this purchase.”

No problem. Ask your prospect the name of the right person to speak to, and then redirect your call to them.

Try responding this way:

“Who is the right person to speak to regarding this purchase? Can you redirect me to them, please?”

12. “I can’t sell this internally.”

Well, your prospect might not be able to, but you can. After all, you sell your product every day. Ask your prospect what objections they anticipate, and help them prepare the business case for adopting your product.

I often wrote email and PowerPoint templates that I called “Business case in a box” that described my company’s unique sales proposition, success stories, and campaign offerings in a way that could be shared by my champion influencer. Relying on someone else to be your sales advocate in their own company is far from fool-proof, though, and I preferred to write the messaging to take the pressure off my point of contact.

Try responding this way:

“What objections do you think you’ll face? Can I help you prepare the business case for when you speak with your decision-makers? I may have some enablement materials I can share to help.”

13. “[Economic buyer] isn’t convinced.”

If you’ve already addressed objection #12 by providing internal selling advice and coaching, and your prospect can’t win over the decision maker or help you get access, it might be time to walk away. While it’s disappointing to give up on a prospect who’s on your side and just can’t convince the higher-ups, it’s also a waste of your time to keep butting heads with someone who will never see your product’s value.

Try responding this way:

“That‘s too bad. If anything changes, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to help you get your team onboard.”

14. “We’re being downsized/bought out.”

This happens rarely, but there’s usually nothing you can do when a company is enduring a lot of internal turmoil, as buying processes are often postponed indefinitely. Wrap the relationship professionally so that when the dust settles (or the prospect finds a new gig) they’ll be more likely to restart the conversation. Albeit possibly from a new company, mind you.

Try responding this way:

“Thank you for your time and for speaking with me regarding this product. If you‘re ever in need of [product or service], please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

15. “There’s too much going on right now.”

Ask your prospect to define their competing priorities for you. If they can’t, it’s likely a brush-off, and you should press them on precisely why they don’t want to engage with you.

If they can offer concrete answers, don‘t sweat it. Set a meeting time for a follow-up and send over helpful resources in the meantime to stay on your prospect’s radar. Or, take a bolder step if you can, and be prepared to explain why waiting for next quarter, next month, or next year might cost the customer in the long run. Can they really afford to put off addressing the business need that was the catalyst for the conversation in the first place?

Try responding this way:

“I understand. What are some of your competing priorities? I’d love to schedule a follow-up call for when your calendar clears up.”

16. “I’m part of a buying group.”

Buying groups enable independent companies to team up and make joint purchases from vendors — usually getting a far better price than they’d be able to secure on their own. (I just completed a proposal to qualify for a significant North American buying group, so I know this can be a significant obstacle.)

If your company isn‘t on a prospect’s list of approved suppliers. You may be able to win them over by matching the cost and delivery terms of the buying group contract, but that may erode your profit margins, so be sure to discuss this scenario with your management team.

Respond to this objection by delving into the details of their membership. When you’ve learned more, you can decide whether it makes economic sense for this prospect to work with you — and if there’s an opportunity to become one of their buying group’s vendors.

Try responding this way:

“Are there limits on whom you can buy from? What price are you currently receiving? What companies belong to your buying coalition?”

Sales Objections About Need and Fit

17. “I’ve never heard of your company.”

Treat this objection as a request for information. Don’t give an elevator pitch, but offer a quick summary of your value proposition.

Try responding this way:

“We‘re a company that sells ad space on behalf of publishers like yourself. I’d love to speak with you about your revenue model and see if we can help.”

18. “We’re doing great in X area.”

If you hear this objection, ask a few more clarifying questions and do a little more qualification.

Try responding this way:

“What are your goals? How much progress has been made?”

19. “Our business doesn’t experience the challenges you describe.”

This objection is often raised as a brush-off, or because prospects haven’t realized they’re experiencing a certain problem yet. Ultimately, you might discover they really don’t need your product or service, but don’t take this objection at face value.

Try responding this way:

“Interesting. Do you have any business goals or challenges that you are struggling to address that I might be able to help you with?”

20. “X problem isn’t important right now.”

Sometimes, a simple “Oh?” will be enough for your prospect to start talking. Listen closely for real reasons the need has low priority versus platitudes. Keep in mind that excuses can be a sign that your prospect understands they have a problem and is trying to rationalize their inaction. Capitalize on this and instill a sense of urgency.

Try responding this way:

“Tell me more about that. What are your current priorities?”

21. “I don’t see what your product could do for me.”

Another request for information packaged as an objection. Reconfirm the goals or challenges you’ve discussed and explain how your product can solve specific problems.

Try responding this way:

“Interesting. Can you share what specific challenges you’re facing right now? Perhaps [product] presents a solution we have yet to discuss.”

22. “I don’t understand your product.”

If your prospect literally can’t wrap their head around your product, that’s a bad sign. If your product is particularly complicated or specialized, it may be time to disqualify your prospect, lest they churn two months from now.

Don’t give up immediately, though. Ask your prospect what aspects of your product they’re unclear on, then try explaining it in a different way. Alternatively, bring in a technician or product engineer to answer questions out of your depth. Make sure you aren’t using any business jargon, acronyms, or complex wording that might make your pitch unclear to the uninitiated.

Try responding this way:

“What aspects of the product are confusing to you? I’d love to connect you to a customer success technician or product engineer to help you better understand how we can help you.”

23. “I’ve heard complaints about you from [company].”

Word-of-mouth reviews are powerful, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Rather than defending your solution, business, or brand — which will only validate the criticism — thank them for sharing the feedback with you. Then, follow up with an offer to add value.

This gives you an opportunity to establish credibility and trust with your prospect. Once you‘ve given them a positive experience, they’ll naturally form a high opinion of you.

Try responding this way:

“Thanks for sharing that feedback with me. I‘ll pass it along to [relevant department]. While we’re on the phone, would you be interested in hearing a few tips for improving your average invoicing turnaround time?”

24. “We don’t have the capacity to implement the product.”

This objection can be a deal-killing roadblock. Depending on what product you sell, it’s possible your prospect will have to add headcount or divert resources to fully take advantage of your offering, and if they truly aren’t able to, you might have to disqualify them. Do you have any services that can help them add implementation capacity and help them realize measurable results at costs they can justify without hiring additional staff?

Try responding this way:

“I hear you, and I want [product] to add value, not become a burden. What are your current day-to-day responsibilities in your job? I’d love to explain how [the product], once onboarded, can alleviate some of those problems without requiring additional staff overhead or being a resource drain.”

25. “Your product is too complicated.”

Find out if your prospect is confused about specific features or if the product is indeed over their head. If it’s the latter, you might have to disqualify that lead. But if it’s the former, remind your prospect that they’ll have help from your customer service team should they choose to buy and that you’ll be on hand to answer any implementation questions they have.

Try responding this way:

“What features are confusing to you? Our customer success team can help you tailor the user experience to the way you do business. Our support services will be available around the clock to help with implementation and beyond.”

26. “You don’t understand my challenges. I need help with Y, not X.”

It‘s crucial to make your prospect feel heard. Restate your impression of their situation, then align with your prospect’s take and move forward from there. A lot of misunderstandings and hard feelings can be resolved simply by rephrasing your prospect’s words.

Try responding this way:

“Sorry I got that wrong. Would you allow me to restate my understanding of your challenges, and correct me again if I’m still missing or misstating anything that’s important to you? I assure you that I will make it worth your time.”

27. “You don’t understand my business.”

If you sell to a specific industry, chances are you know a bit about the challenges and priorities your prospect’s business is likely faced with. Let them know that you have experience working with similar companies and have solved similar problems in the past.

If you simply made an incorrect assumption about your prospect’s company or industry, don’t be afraid to own up to it. Your prospects will appreciate your candor.

Try responding this way:

“Sorry — I assumed X was true, but it looks like that doesn’t apply to your business. Can you tell me a little more about how it works for your business?”

28. “Your product doesn’t have X feature, and we need it.”

Try suggesting a supplementary product that can be used in conjunction with yours. But if that specific need is a must-have and your product can’t solve it, your prospect might not be a good fit. Time to disqualify and move along to a better-fit opportunity.

Try responding this way:

“Have you checked out [partner or conjoining product]? It’s a good fit with ours and can be used alongside it to solve for Y.”

29. “We’re happy the way things are.”

Maybe everything really is going swimmingly. But more likely, your prospect is having some sort of challenge (after all, who isn’t?). Do some light qualification to determine if they’re facing any problems you can solve, then move forward or disqualify them based on their answers.

Try responding this way:

“That‘s great! Can you tell me how you’re currently solving for X?”

30. “I don’t see the potential for ROI.”

This is a sign that you’ll have to prepare a formal pitch for either your contact or their managers, either using internal numbers from your prospect or customer case studies. Nothing sells quite like hard numbers.

Try responding this way:

“I‘d love to show you. Can we schedule a time for me to explain our product’s potential to deliver a high ROI to you and your team?”

31. “X is just a fad.”

You might hear this objection if your product pioneers a concept that’s new to your prospect’s industry. For example, social media is now widely accepted as a necessary part of a sound business strategy, but seven years ago, many would have scoffed at it.

Now is the time to pull out any testimonials or customer case studies you have to prove the ROI of your product. If you’re pioneering a new concept or practice, you’ll have to show that it works.

Try responding this way:

“I understand why you may think that. Let‘s schedule a time for me to walk through how our product helped some other businesses like yours find success with X — and why it’s here to stay.”

32. “Your product doesn’t work with our current [tools, set-up].”

This objection can be a deal-breaker if the buyer is committed to their existing solutions. But sometimes, your product will replace these tools or make them obsolete. A workaround may be possible as well.

To find out, ask some questions.

Try responding this way:

“Which tools are you currently using? How integral are those tools to your [strategy]? What do you like and dislike about your existing platform?”

33. “Your product sounds great, but I’m too swamped right now to handle [implementation, roll-out].”

Prospects are often put off by the effort required to switch products, even if the ROI is substantial.

To empathize with them, prove that you’re trustworthy, and ensure they do have the bandwidth. Next, combat their reluctance to change by digging into the costs or pains of their current situation.

Calculate what they stand to gain — in time, efficiency, money, or all of the above.

Try responding this way:

“I understand. It typically takes our customers [X days/weeks] to get fully up and running with [product]. How many minutes a day do you spend on [task]?”

Sales Objections That Are Actually Brush-Offs

34. “*Click.*”

If your prospect hangs up on you, don’t sweat it — it happens to everyone eventually. Try reaching out to a different person at the company using a different approach.

Or you can go on the offensive. Wait a few seconds, then call back. Which approach you choose is purely dependent on how your conversation with your prospect went before the hang-up.

Try responding this way:

“Sorry, looks like we got disconnected! Do you have a few minutes?”

35. “I’m busy right now.”

Of course your prospect is busy — almost every professional is these days. Simply explain that you’re not looking for a full-blown conversation, just a quick chat about whether or not a longer discussion about your product would be a good fit at their organization.

Try responding this way:

“I don’t want to take up too much of your time. Can we have a quick chat about your challenges with X and how [product] may help?”

36. “I’m not interested.”

During a prospecting call, it’s far too early for a prospect to be able to definitively say they are or aren’t interested in your product.

Try responding this way:

I liked to respond with, “Some of our clients weren’t initially interested either, but when I showed them they could realize (X benefit), they changed their mind. Can your business afford to pass up on this opportunity without taking some time to explore the possibilities?”

37. “Just send me some information.”

This is a great opportunity to segue into some qualification questions.

Try responding this way:

“I‘d be happy to send you some materials, but I want to make sure that they’re relevant to you. What are you interested in learning about?”

38. “Call me back next quarter.”

Prospects will often say this to dissuade you from pursuing a conversation. But don‘t let them off that easily — it’s a vague brush-off uttered in the hopes you’ll fade away and disappear. Ask some questions to find out their motivations for brushing you off.

Try responding this way:

“I‘ll touch base next quarter. Before we hang up, I’d love to get a sense of how your next quarter will go. Do you feel you’ll get the go-ahead from your superiors?”

39. “How did you get my information?”

Hopefully, you‘re not pulling numbers from lists you got off the internet — because if you are, your prospects have every reason to be annoyed.

Don’t get defensive — simply remind the prospect that they filled out a form on your site, or signed up for more information at a trade show, or that you simply came across their website and wanted to connect to see if you could help.

Try responding this way:

“I came across your website in my research and believe that [product] would be a great fit for you.”

40. “I hate you.”

Generally, prospects won‘t actually come right out and say this, but if you and your prospect really just don’t get along, consider handing them off to a colleague, lest your company lose the deal for good. The upside? This objection has nothing to do with your product or its value.

Try responding this way:

“I’m sorry you feel that way. Can I introduce you to my colleague [name] to continue the conversation? She is very knowledgeable about how businesses like yours can [overcome the kinds of challenges/achieve the goals] that we discussed, and she has great relationships with executives like yourself.”

If the prospect isn’t willing to work with your colleague, their underlying objection is really not about you. Talk to your manager or colleagues about the best way forward.

41. “I’m not responsible for making these decisions.”

This common objection signals that a prospect doesn’t have (or doesn’t believe they have) the authority to discuss their company’s business challenges. Nor do they want to get involved in a sales cycle where they feel pressured to make decisions above their pay grade.

Try responding this way:

“Thanks [Name], for letting me know that you don’t have decision-making authority pertaining to purchasing decisions. Who on your team handles these types of decisions? Can you introduce me to them, or could you and I have a preliminary, no-pressure conversation? I think [solution] could help your team [achieve a defined benefit] by partnering with my company.

42. “Does your product do X, Y, and Z?”

This is one of the most common obstacles that prevent an SDR from converting the lead to an SQL. The good news is this generally means the prospect is interested. Use this opportunity to end the conversation on a good note and set up another appointment to discuss it.

Try responding this way:

“I am glad you asked that. I think it will be helpful to set up a time when we can answer this question and others with a specialist. When is a good day and time for us to talk?”

43. “Sorry, I have to cancel. I’ll get back to you with a better time.”

People don’t like to say “No” — and that includes your prospects. This manifests in ghosting, procrastination, and asking for more time.

Sales Pro Mike Rogewitz swears by Sandler’s Negative Reverse Selling strategy to overcome tricky non-objection objections like these. “You want to call out your prospect‘s lack of interest and get them to admit the answer is ’No’ without going too negative,” says Rogewitz.

Try responding this way:

“Typically, when someone cancels and says they‘ll get back to me, it means they’re just not interested in what I have to offer right now. Is it fair for me to assume that’s the case?”

44. “Hello, you‘ve reached [Prospect’s Name] … ”

Does your prospect avoid your phone calls like the plague? Do they take a while to get back to you and always need approval? Do they give vague answers when you ask about budget and priorities for the year?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you might be speaking with an individual contributor. They’re usually not as comfortable talking on the phone as managers or decision-makers, they need a lot of internal approval, and they aren’t privy to important budgetary information or company-wide priorities.

It’s important to gain the gatekeeper’s trust and learn as much as you can from them, but then you need to move on and build relationships with the people in the company who can actually choose your product or service.

Try responding this way:

• “Have you ever purchased this type of product or service before?”
• “Who will be in charge of this buying process?”
• “Who else should we bring on board for this conversation?”

Objection Handling Training

If you want to improve your team’s objection-handling skills, consider sales training programs or guides. Here are a few objection-handling training programs to give your sales team a leg up.

1. HubSpot’s Objection Handling Templates

This free guide goes over the why and how behind objection handling. Not only does it explain data-backed behaviors top sellers use to push back with buyers, but it also includes scripts for how to handle the most common sales objections, and these templates offer a goldmine of sales expertise.

2. Sell It

Founded by one of the top real estate agents in the country, Ryan Serhant, Sell It is a sales training and membership platform. You don’t need to be in real estate to benefit from the sales lessons shared on the platform. The resources are geared toward all types of business owners and entrepreneurs — anyone who sells, which applies to many professionals.

3. Challenger

Research shows that 38% of B2B purchases end up in no decision. That’s where Challenger can help. Challenger is an online sales training program that offers courses and playbooks for every step of the sales process. Sales teams can tap into the platform’s B2B expertise for objection handling training and more skills that they can apply to real-life deals.

When an Objection is a Firm “No”

Some prospects won’t give you a chance to explain the value that you can provide. They are too busy and have too little faith in the hordes of SDRs and sales reps that contact them on a daily basis. This means as a salesperson, you have to be creatively persistent. Suggest ways of continuing the dialog at a time that works

That said, at a certain point, “no” means “no.” The responses to the common objections above give you a way to pierce through the reactionary objections prospects give without thinking. If you or your sales team overcome all of a prospect’s objections and they still aren’t willing to invest their time with you, it’s sign they’re a poor fit.

Rule of thumb: If the prospect says an objection twice, it’s real. No means no.

Overcoming Objections Can Become Your Best Sales Skill

As a sales professional, you’ll hear “no” a lot more than you hear “yes” —but overcoming a no can be more fun than an easy yes. Every no is a step toward helping prospects realize opportunities they never knew existed, and solving problems with your products or services.

Objection handling helps you learn how to get to the root of your prospects’ issues. With a little assistance, you can lead with empathy and understand where most objections are coming from. If you read these interactions right, you’ll be in a good position to handle any objection that comes up.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Before you start Googling: No, AI agents aren’t secret spies fueled by mysterious government schemes. The AI agents I’m talking about actually serve an entirely different purpose. And I know you’re probably like, “What’s this lady even going on about?” I know I sound cryptic AF, so allow me to explain further.

Despite their misleading name, AI agents were designed to assist, enhance, and optimize the operations and workflows of various businesses, especially enterprise-level ones. Although they’re a relatively new technology, AI agents are already changing how companies troubleshoot issues, simplify processes, and increase employee productivity.

In this post, I’ll talk about what AI agents are, how they serve different business needs, and (if you’re considering using them) what to expect from their capabilities. Plus, you’ll get some real, unfiltered, industry-informed advice from two very well-versed AI agent experts.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents:

• What are AI agents?

• Statistics You Should Know About AI Usage in Sales
• What do AI agents do?
• How To Build an AI Agent, According to Wesley Baum, Bluleadz’s AI Specialist
• AI Agents Use Cases
• AI Agents for the Win?

As I mentioned earlier, AI agents are relatively new to enterprise-level companies. However, their adoption is growing rapidly as enterprise-level businesses recognize their ability to do the things that their human reps either 1) don’t have the time to do or 2) no longer can do (not because they’re not equipped to, but because they’re focusing on more high-impact, strategic tasks and requests).

At the core of all AI agents is the capability to streamline decision-making and problem-solving efforts, making operations — no matter what department they’re happening in — easier, faster, and less time-consuming.

Thus, mostly every AI agent can:

• Analyze data
• Automate tasks
• Make intelligent decisions (based on predefined rules or machine learning models)
• Answer common queries
• Detect anomalies (like fraud or security threats)

Beyond these functions, AI agents can also learn and adapt over time. Through machine learning, they refine their responses, optimize processes, and improve efficiency based on patterns, feedback, and data. This makes them an ideal investment for businesses looking to enhance productivity, reduce manual work, and make data-informed choices faster.

There’s still much to learn about AI agents, from how they serve businesses and employees to the long-term impact of their integration across industries. But before I dive into the nitty-gritty details, I think it’s important to cover some need-to-know statistics about overall AI usage in sales.

All of this said, visit the following section to explore key insights on how AI is shaping the sales landscape.

Statistics You Should Know About AI Usage in Sales

When it comes to using AI in the enterprise biz world, salesfolks are the most keen on leveraging it to get things done.

Here’s a closer look at salespeoples’ overall sentiments around AI adoption and effectiveness, according to HubSpot’s 2024 Sales Trends Report:

• 81% of sales pros say AI tools help them in their work
• 78% of sales pros say AI tools help them be more efficient
• 66% of sales pros agree that AI tools help them provide better personalization
• 41% of sales pros use AI to recognize and respond to buyer emotions or sentiment (83% of them say it’s effective)

Additionally, HubSpot’s 2024 AI Trends for Sales Report revealed the following:

• 43% of salespeople say they’ve been using AI at work regularly (this is a 19% uptick from 2023)
• 87% of salespeople report increased usage of their CRM tools thanks to AI integrations
• 42% of salespeople say task automation tools are one of the top ways they use AI at work
• 69% of surveyed salespeople with an AI-powered CRM say that AI integrations make them more likely to use their CRM

So, what does this all mean? Well, a few things. Here’s my short n’ sweet summary:

• This data represents the dawn of a new day in how businesses do sales, customer engagement, and operational efficiency
• The impact of AI agents is no longer a “what if” scenario — they’re actively transforming how salesfolks, marketers, customer service representatives, C-suite execs, etc., work, interact with clients and personalize their strategies
• AI agents are becoming essential teammates — not replacements — that empower employees to focus on more meaningful, strategic tasks while automating the repetitive ones

With adoption rates rising and AI-driven tools proving their ROI, it’s clear that AI agents are becoming essential assets for modern enterprise businesses. But beyond just the numbers, what exactly are these AI agents doing to drive such impact? And what should enterprise-level businesses know before investing in this new tech?

I tapped Jeannie Jaworski, Senior Customer Success Manager at HubSpot, and Wesley Baum, AI Specialist at Bluleadz, for answers to your (likely) questions, comments, and concerns. Scroll through the next few sections to read what they said.

What do AI agents do?

AI agents can do many things, but their effectiveness in delivering results all depends on how they’re programmed. Still, regardless of their assigned function or industry application, AI agents, ultimately, have been designed to work collaboratively — both with each other and with employees.

I chatted with Jeannie Jaworski, Senior Customer Success Manager (North America) at HubSpot, to get her honest perspective on:

• How her clients have been adapting to the emergence of AI agents
• What primary concerns she’s come across with her own customers
• What she’s been recommending to ensure the businesses she serves engage both AI agents (and human ones) with balance

Check out what she had to say below:

1. AI agents are here to improve how your reps work, not replace them.

When Jeannie and I got to chit-chatting, one of the first things I probed her about was the challenges she’s seen her clients face while onboarding AI agents into their business. She told me (candidly, of course) that the thing folks worry about most is likely the same fear you’ve already seen splashed across tons of news headlines: that AI is going to replace human reps.

“I think there is still a level of concern about people wanting to make sure this doesn’t replace their job,” she told me. And although she acknowledged this widespread concern, Jeannie also made it very clear that she knows there’s a different, more empowering way to look at the rise of AI.

“I think that [AI agents] are really valuable if you can see, like, your employees are already doing things that they don’t like to do because of the repetition involved, so those are the things you can outsource to the agent. So it’s definitely not replacing an employee, it’s just allowing employees to focus on things that do require the human touch, instead of the things that can be automated.”

2. If you collect data now, your AI agents (and your human ones) will reap the rewards later.

Finally, at the tail-end of our conversation, I asked Jeannie about what advice would she give to other enterprise-level businesses considering AI agents, and what factors should they evaluate before implementation.

Her response was indicative of two things: 1) data is everything and 2) you can’t measure AI effectiveness in a vacuum, then expect a clear path to meaningful improvement.

“It’s really important for you to be collecting data, not just about the AI agents’ performance, but the human agents’ performance,” Jeannie shared. She then further explained, “A lot of these tools — like HubSpot’s Breeze AI customer agent — will have built-in analytics to tell you about the quantity of the chats, the amount they were able to resolve on their own … all of that is built in. But if you haven’t built that out for your human agents, you won’t have anything to compare [that data] to.”

Jeannie went on to emphasize how getting granular with these data assessments is crucial to identifying areas for growth, pinpointing performance gaps, and, most importantly, enhancing the overall customer experience. “It’s important to [measure] things like CSAT to understand the satisfaction that your customers have when interacting with both your human and AI agents,” she said.

“If we’re not understanding how our human agents are able to respond and how customers feel about that, we’re missing the opportunity to see the success and the impact of responsiveness that AI agents have on a business’s customer experience.”

How To Build an AI Agent, According to Wesley Baum, Bluleadz’s AI Specialist

Wesley Baum, Bluleadz’s AI Specialist, knows everything there is to know about building and deploying enterprise AI agents. Heck, it’s quite literally what he does for a living.

So when we both had a free moment to connect, I asked him everything (yes, everything) I could about:

• Building effective AI agents
• What he’s learned about CRM integration and context awareness within AI models
• What future trends to expect from the evolution of AI agents
• How enterprise businesses should handle AI technology adoption

So, if you’re looking to give AI agents a try but …

• Don’t know what it takes to build and sustain them
• Have no clue what an AI-powered customer experience will look like for your company
• Want further clarity on how to actually ensure the long-term scalability and impact of AI tech overall

Then you’re in the right place. Here’s an overview of the most valuable insights that Wesley shared with me below:

1. The hardest part about building an AI agent? Knowing what’s needed to make it thrive.

During our conversation, I asked Wesley about the key steps involved in building an AI agent and, more importantly, what challenges he’s seen typically arise for businesses as they seek to customize an AI agent for their specific needs and workflows.

He shared that there are a couple of main components when building an agent. They’re as follows:

• Picking the right model. According to Wesley, these decisions often come down to an “intelligence versus price ratio.” For example, depending on what you need your AI agent to do, you might not need to spend copious amounts of money on a high-end, more expensive model with extra reasoning capabilities right away.
• Prompting. Wesley says “prompting isn’t super important these days, but it still matters.” Prompting success primarily depends on providing context, however, the rules can change based on the model. Wesley recommends building out context through retrieval augmented generation, aka RAG.
• Providing a role/use case. As Wesley put it, “You have to give [your AI agent] as much information as you would provide to a human employee.”

Once you have all these pillars in place, Wesley says you can then start building out the AI agent of your dreams. He explained, “Once you have a model selected, you have your prompting and your roll down; you’ve identified a use case, of course, for this agent, you gave it their context using RAG systems, you actually have to build out the tools, right?”

Wesley then went on to share that this component of building an AI agent is more varied but, truthfully, not as complex.

“Really, it’s just certain APIs,” he added. Generative AI APIs are just application programming interfaces that allow developers to integrate AI models capable of creating content — such as text, images, code, or audio — into their own apps, tools, or platforms.

“Most of the agents that [businesses] are going to get value from, that enterprise solutions are going to build upon, will be through orchestrating APIs. Because it’s consistent,” he told me. “And so, those APIs are the tools in which an agent would interact with your text and the same way that you would interact with the UI.”

2. When it comes to building a proficient AI agent, it’s all about data.

When I asked Wesley about what challenges he’s seen his clients face the most when implementing an AI agent, he pointed out (similarly to Jeannie) one distinct thing: Data collection.

“The biggest issue people don’t expect is data. It’s all about data,” Wesley said. He even admitted that when he’s onboarding customers onto HubSpot’s CRM, the first thing he asks about is data architecture.

He also emphasized that he isn’t afraid to ask super specific questions, such as:

• Is your data built to handle AI initiatives?
• Do you have duplicate properties?
• Is your architecture not set up properly?
• Do you have quality issues?
• Are you integrating all of your different data sources and tech stack software that a human would use into one source of truth?

“All of this is very useful because, without proper data, ChatGPT’s not gonna change your business unless it’s built specifically for that, which is reliant upon your data quality.”

3. There will be a rising demand for customized, business-specific AI agent ecosystems.

Lastly, toward the end of our one-on-one conversation, I asked Wesley about how he anticipates AI agents evolving in the next few years and what emerging trends enterprises should pay attention to when considering AI adoption.

Not only did he keep it real with me but, furthermore, he underscored how personalization and scalability, inevitably, go hand-in-hand.

“[AI agents] have to be customized specifically to how every business does business,” he stated. “One-size-fits-all agents … they’re not going to dramatically change your business with AI. It will have an impact, but it won’t be transformative in the way that an eco-system of multi-agent systems — all working well within your tech stack, for your clients, for your products, communicating with your teams — would. All of it has to be customized.”

AI Agents Use Cases

Just like Jeannie affirmed earlier, AI agents aren’t here to take over the world, steal jobs, or make things harder for sales and customer service folks. However, they are here to simplify experiences, both for customers and employees.

Below is a list of ways AI agents are making things — whether it be your workflow or a customer’s journey — a whole lot easier, whether it be through integrating with other platforms (like your choice CRM software), accessing pre-existing knowledge bases, or diagnosing common issues.

Read through my full breakdown of what AI agents can do — along with customer-facing and employee-facing examples — below:

1. AI agents can answer knowledge queries.

No more digging through old docs or waiting on hold. With AI agents, the info is accessible whenever its needed.

Whether it’s an employee trying to understand internal policy or a customer looking for product support, AI agents can pull from vast knowledge bases to serve answers in real time.

2. AI agents can manage calendars.

AI agents can automate scheduling tasks, reducing back-and-forth coordination and streamlining time management. Honestly, it’s like having a personal assistant who actually lives in your calendar.

They check availability, avoid conflicts, and send invites before you even remember the meeting exists.

For example, a booking bot schedules consultations or demos by syncing with your team’s real-time availability. It could also automatically schedule follow-up meetings after a sales call and blocks focus time for important tasks.

3. AI agents can reset account information (like usernames or passwords).

No more “forgot password” loops of doom. AI agents can securely verify identity and walk users through simple account recovery steps — without human intervention.

For example, a self-service assistant can help users (or employees) reset login credentials quickly, even after working hours.

4. AI agents can summarize meeting conversations.

Forget scribbling notes while someone’s talking — AI agents have perfect recall.

They can analyze meeting transcripts in real time and generate concise summaries, action items, and follow-ups.

For example, an AI assistant can capture internal meeting highlights and email a follow-up summary (with assigned tasks and deadlines … how slay is that?) to all meeting attendees.

5. AI agents can identify high-quality leads.

With AI agents, sales reps can spend less time guessing and spend more start closing.

By analyzing behavioral data and engagement signals, AI agents can score and prioritize leads based on likelihood to convert.

For example, after a discovery call, an AI agent can send a neatly packaged summary to the client, including next steps and discussed solutions.

6. AI agents can track a customer’s lifecycle.

AI agents can follow a customer from their first interaction to post-purchase support, ensuring a personalized and consistent experience.They also remember the little things — like past purchases, preferences, and pain points.

For example, if an AI agent is embedded into a CRM, sales reps can get a ranked list of warm leads in the CRM, complete with insights on intent signals and recent interactions.

AI Agents for the Win?

So… are AI agents the magic wand for every enterprise problem ever? Not exactly. But are they a next-level tool that’s already reshaping how businesses operate, scale, and support both employees and customers? Yeah. 100%.

As I’ve already re-iterated, AI agents aren’t here to completely dismantle the workforce as we know it. However, they are here to:

• Take the ugh out of repetitive tasks (I’m looking at anyone and everyone who works in sales or service)
• Make workflows smarter (and way less manual)
• Give your team room to focus on the high-impact stuff

Regardless of how you like to do work, AI agents are showing up, clocking in, and doing what needs to be done. At request, of course.

So, the TL;DR on AI agents? They’re not robots coming for your cubicle. They’re just digital teammates whose sole purpose is to make the 9-to-5 feel a little less chaotic. And if you’re still wondering whether AI agents are really worth the hype — don’t worry, the best insights are yet to come.

Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success.

If you’re reading this, I can promise you two truths: 1) you probably know how hard it is to find grants for Black women (likely because you are a Black woman seeking funding that actually supports your vision without unnecessary hoops), and 2) you’re not alone in feeling like the system wasn’t built with you in mind.

So, here’s another (undeniable) truth: Black women remain the most dynamic entrepreneurs in the nation, and studies prove it. Besides being the most educated, they own 2.7 million businesses in the U.S. and are the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs, according to an article by J.P. Morgan. Plus, their companies have made a mark on every industry, from beauty and fashion to tech and education.

However, despite their successes, Black women have faced many challenges as founders and CEOs, and a lack of financial support is at the top of the list. Ultimately, Black women deserve more resources to support them through their entrepreneurship journey. Read on to learn about grants that can help you take your business venture to the next level, no matter what or how big it’s gotten.

Table of Contents:

• What is a business grant?
• Statistics that Black Women Entrepreneurs Should Know About
• 16 Business Grants For Black Women
• More Resources for Black Women Entrepreneurs
• Follow Your Dreams, Black Girl

Although there are tons of grant funding opportunities available, as a Black woman, it’s hard (to say the least) to find one that’s:

• Specific to you
• Not overly competitive or saturated
• Aligned with your stage of business or unique goals

That’s why it’s so important to approach funding with both strategy and awareness. Before diving into applications or pitching your business, it helps to understand the bigger picture — where the opportunities lie, how we’re showing up and making space in the business world.

Knowing the stats can give you clarity, motivation, and even an edge when it comes to telling your story and advocating for your business. In the next section, take a look at some key statistics that every Black woman and woman of color entrepreneur should have in her back pocket.

Statistics that Black Women Entrepreneurs Should Know About

Whether you’re new and true to entrepreneurship or just getting started, it’s empowering and essential to stay updated on what the entrepreneurial landscape holds. From funding disparities to the rising number of Black women launching successful businesses, these numbers foreshadow a story — your story.

So, before diving into more resources and opportunities, take a moment to ground yourself in the facts and see just how powerful our presence in business truly is. Check out some data I pulled from GoDaddy’s 2024 U.S. Venture Forward Report:

• 13% of U.S. micro-businesses are owned by a Black entrepreneur, and of those, 73% are owned by Black women

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• 33% of Black business owners use GenAI for business and more personal use

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• About 3 out of 10 (31%) women with a micro-business are the breadwinners in their home

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• 75% of business owners who previously closed or sold a business without a profit persevered to create new businesses

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• About 1 in 3 business owners currently own more than one business

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16 Business Grants For Black Women

As a fellow Black girl with big dreams, I know one of the most complex parts about funding your business is knowing where to look. Between navigating limited resources, juggling multiple responsibilities, and trying to turn your vision into reality, it can feel overwhelming even to know where to start.

But trust me, you’re not alone, and there are opportunities out there created with us in mind.

Check out the list I put together below just for you:

1. WomensNet Grants

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WomensNet gives away at least $30,000 every month and around $435,000 per year to women-owned businesses in four different grant categories:

• Monthly Amber Grant: $10,000 to one recipient
• Monthly Startup Grant: $10,000 to one recipient
• Business Category Grants: $10,000 to one recipient (monthly business categories are listed here)
• Annual Amber Grant: $25,000 to one recipient who has won one of the other monthly grants.

Oh, and want to know the best part? You only need to fill out one application to be considered for all four grants.

Deadline: The next due date is March 31st, 2025, but applications are accepted throughout the year.

Eligibility: You must be a woman 18 years or older with a 50% women-owned business operating in the United States or Canada. Women who haven’t started their business (but are looking to do so) are also encouraged to apply.

2. Galaxy Grant

The Galaxy Grant, managed by the nonprofit Hidden Star, offers $2,750 to women and minority entrepreneurs who run a business or plan to start one.

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If you apply and refer a friend who wins, you each receive a $2,750 grant.

Deadline: The 2025 application deadline is March 31st, 2025.

Eligibility: Women and minority founders who are new to or experienced in owning a business, as well as folks thinking about starting a business, are encouraged to apply.

3. FedEx Small Business Grant

FedEx’s Small Business Grant awards innovative small businesses the capital they need to support their businesses.

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Ten recipients are selected; one is awarded $50,000, and the remaining nine are awarded $20,000. Recipients are also eligible for various growth-supporting perks, like a $500 print credit and a $300 voucher.

The fund is open to anyone, making it great for Black women at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey. You must have had a FedEx business account open for six or more months before March 1st, 2024.

Deadline: The 2025 deadline is April 1, 2025.

Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, a legal resident of the United States, own a for-profit business that’s been operating for at least six months, and be current shipping customer with FedEx using a FedEx shipping account number.

4. HerRise MicroGrant

HerRise MicroGrant for small businesses offers monthly awards of $1,000 to women of color entrepreneurs.

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The financial awards are given to those with businesses that directly impact their community and struggle to secure their funding. Past recipients have used the grants to buy computers, marketing materials, equipment, and more.

Deadline: The application deadline is 11:59 PM on each last day of the month.

Eligibility: Applicants must have a business currently registered in the United States that has made less than $1 million in gross revenue and is 51% women-owned. Non-profit, franchise, direct seller, authorized seller, and independent consultant businesses are not eligible.

5. HerRise Hustlers MicroGrant

Like the HerRise MicroGrant, the HerRise Huslers MicroGrant offers entrepreneurs of color and minority small business owners a $1,000 business grant.

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Although this grant is smaller, I think it’s perfect for early-stage entrepreneurs and founders looking to finance the little things — like business licenses, website development, subscriptions, or initial inventory. This grant also requires a $15 nonrefundable fee at the time of application submission.

Deadline: The application deadline is 11:59 PM on each last day of the month.

Eligibility: Applicants must be small business owners (or aspiring ones).

6. Corporate Counsel Women of Color Grants

Corporate Counsel Women of Color awards five $2,500 grants to women entrepreneurs with legal, for-profit businesses.

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To qualify, your company has to have generated over $25,000 in revenue since Jan. 2020.

Deadline: Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, and they apply today to be considered for the Jan. 2025 award.

Eligibility: Applicants must be 18, a woman of color, and own a for-profit business in the United States (with an EIN).

7. SheaMoisture Grants

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Shea Moisture offers grants to Black-owned businesses and founders; they are as follows:

• The Next Black Millionaires Grant/Program: This grant offers $100,000 in funding, business development services, retail distribution support, and executive coaching and mentorship. You can sign up to be on the program/grant waitlist (and get notified when applications for 2025-2026 officially launch) here.
• The Brown Girl Jane Grant: This grant offers $10,000 to $25,000 grants to Black and woman-owned beauty or wellness businesses that have been in operation for at least one year. Applications open
• The Blueprint Grant: This grant offers one-time $10,000 grants and 1:1 mentoring support to Black women (aged 18 – 35) in the United States. This grant is awarded to Black women seeking funding for a project or initiative to give back to their community.
• The SheaMoisture Community Impact Grant: This grant offers one-time $10,000 grants to Black-owned businesses (registered and based in the U.S.) that have been in operation for at least one year.

Eligibility: Each respective grant has its requirements, but ultimately, the only standing criteria for each is that applicants must be Black women.

8. NAACP Grants

The NAACP partners with organizations like Vistaprint, The Boston Celtics, and BEYGOOD to fund and support Black-owned businesses.

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It offers multiple grant opportunities, including:

• Keep It Local Business Fund: This one-time grant provides $5,000 (plus additional support opportunities) to small business owners of color.
• Certification Boost Grant: This one-time grant offers $5,000 to assist small, minority-owned businesses in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas to get critical business certifications.
• Powershift Entrepreneur Grant: This grant awards Black entrepreneurs and black-owned businesses with $25,000 grants. It selects multiple winners per year.

Deadline: Check back for 2025 application dates. All grant applications except the NAACP x Bacardi: Backing the B.A.R. Grant and the NAACP x BeyGOOD: Black Owned Small Business Impact Fund Grant are open.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a Black entrepreneur or business owner.

9. National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) Growth Grants

Since 2006, the NASE has awarded nearly $1,000,000 in small business grants.

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Recipients can receive up to $4,000 for advertising, hiring, and other business needs. To apply, you’ll submit a plan detailing your business’s purpose and operations.

Deadline: Applications are reviewed quarterly (i.e., applications received between Jan. and Mar. are reviewed in April).

Eligibility: Applicants must be a NASE member to apply.

10. The Freed Fellowship

Every month, the Freed Fellowship bestows a $500 micro-grant and two months of free mentoring in its virtual community of business owners.

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Monthly awardees also qualify for a $2,500 year-end grant.

Deadline: Applications are accepted monthly.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a micro- or small business owner. Women and other minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.

11. Comcast RISE

Comcast RISE is a grant program, sustained by the technology and entertainment company Comcast, that advances digital equity and capital for small businesses owned by underrepresented entrepreneurs who make a difference in their communities.

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Recipients receive $5,000 to invest in growth sustainability and access to digital tools. In previous years, Comcast has awarded funds to 500 recipients across five cities with a grant package that includes business consultation services, educational resources, creative production, a media schedule, and a technology makeover.

Deadline: Check back for deadlines via the Comcast RISE application page. In previous years, applications have launched in early October and have closed by mid-October. They are typically awarded in December.

Eligibility: Applicants must have a business that’s been established for 3 or more years, have one to 25 employees, and be within the following cities:

• Chicago, IL (Cook County)
• Miami, FL (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties)
• Oakland, CA (City of Oakland)
• Seattle, WA (King and Pierce Counties)
• Washington, D.C. (Wards 1–8)

12. The San Francisco Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund

San Francisco Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund (exclusive to SF businesses) offers up to $5,000 in mini-grants to women-owned small businesses to help with projects and updates that will significantly impact growth.

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The Fund was established to improve the small business environment in San Francisco and encourage collaboration between female entrepreneurs and local technical assistance providers.

Deadline: Rolling basis acceptance. Your TA provider must submit your application and supporting documents to the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA).

Eligibility: Applicants must be residents of San Francisco, proprietors of a woman-owned business operating full-time (with at least 40 percent revenue in the city), have a current lease with at least 18 months remaining, and identify as low/moderate income.

13. The David Prize Grant

The David Prize Grant is a New York resident-specific funding opportunity to support creatives who dream of starting any artistic endeavor, whether a product or a passion project. Individuals who win the David Prize Grant can be affiliated with organizations or companies, but it prioritizes folks doing extraordinary things outside of traditional pathways.

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The David Prize offers $200,000 to 5 exceptional New Yorkers. Additionally, it prides itself in supporting individuals who have yet to receive their flowers (meaning that if you’ve shown up under a ‘30 under 30’ list or have raised more than $200,000 in the past year, you’re not the ideal candidate).

Deadline: Check the David Prize website for application deadlines for this upcoming year. They typically open in the Fall.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a New York resident. According to the David Prize’s site, they must also be dedicated to getting things done, making a difference, and taking risks.

14. The Glossier for Good Grant Program

The Glossier for Good Grant Program invests in Black and underrepresented beauty founders leading beauty brands across the United States and the UK through grant funding, curated business programming, and additional resources to help them take their businesses to the next level.

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In the past, Glossier has funded over 25 Black-owned businesses in the U.S. and expanded this grant funding opportunity to Black-owned UK businesses. Presently, Glossier offers $50,000 to selected U.S. grantees and $10,000 to selected UK recipients.

Deadline: The application due date is June 1st, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Eligibility: Applicants must be new founders of a beauty-specific business, provide net sales for the current year and expected net sales for the following year, and share a pitch deck with an overview of their business plans.

14. Black Women Photographers x Nikon Inc. Grants

Black Women Photographers (BWP), a global community, directory, and support hub for Black and African creatives, is partnered with Nikon Inc. to offer one $10,000 grant, five $5,000 grants, five $3,000 grants, and an additional $20,000 in Nikon mirrorless gear to Black photographers.

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Deadline: The application due date is March 28th, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Eligibility: Applicants must identify as Black creatives; international applicants are also accepted. Applicants are also encouraged to apply for more than one grant but must submit separate applications for each grant. You do not have to be a BWP member to apply.

15. Grantmakers for Girls of Color’s (G4GC) Black Girl Freedom Fund Grant

Grantmakers for Girls of Color’s Black Girl Freedom Fund offers one-time $10,000 grants to Black women, girls, femmes, and gender-expansive youth for projects focused on the Black female diaspora’s artistic vision, activism, and innovation.

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Deadline: Check the Black Girl Freedom Fund page for updates; G4GC is also fairly active on Instagram, so I suggest following them for timely information on application deadlines!

Eligibility: Applicants must be a Black girl, femme, and/or gender-expansive youth between the ages of 15 – 25.

15. Black Film Space x Entertainmint Short Film Grant

Black Film Space (BFS), a 501(c) nonprofit organization, is partnered with Entertainmint to offer a one-time $2,500 grant to Black filmmakers who want to bring their creative visions to life.

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This grant opportunity calls for Black filmmakers to submit original short films at any stage of production that requires funding to complete principal photography. Projects in production or post-production are also encouraged to be submitted.

Deadline: The application due date is January 16th, 2025 (winners are announced in April 2025).

Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years old, present a script (of 25 pages maximum) for their short film, and can reside anywhere globally but must have access to a United States bank to receive funds for the grant. The short film must also be a narrative project. The application fee for this grant is $25 but free to BFS members.

More Resources for Black Women Entrepreneurs

In addition to sharing funding-specific opportunities, I wanted to pass along the names of some other organizations and companies (who are doing pretty amazing things, might I add) that offer mentorship, networking, education, and tools specifically designed to support and uplift women entrepreneurs and people of color on their business journeys.

Take a look at my list below:

1. Start Small, Think Big Inc.

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Start Small, Think Big Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion in entrepreneurship through connecting small businesses with the resources and community support they need to thrive.

More specifically, Start Small, Think Big offers free small business workshops and events as well as expert small business services, from finance services to legal assistance.

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If you’re looking for ways to get connected with other Black and Brown small business folks or get tailored business support, I think this organization is definitely worth checking out.

2. SCORE

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SCORE is a 501(c)3 organization and resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE provides free small business advice, events, courses, and mentorship to entrepreneurs and small business owners nationwide.

Additionally, SCORE has free templates and resources available. It also offers women entrepreneur-specific resources. All of this said, I think SCORE is a valuable option to consider if you’re seeking guidance, support, and practical tools to grow or launch your business.

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3. Stan

[alt text] a screenshot of the stan.store website homepage

If you’re looking to monetize your small business through social media, Stan (also known as Stan Store) is worth looking into. Stan is an all-in-one platform that allows its users to sell digital products, courses, and manage bookings through a mobile-optimized, “link in bio” design.

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Through Stan, you can experiment with different income streams like digital downloads, paid consultations, and online courses — all without needing a full website. If you’re a Black girl entrepreneur who’s just getting started, I recommend utilizing Stan’s capabilities to build your brand, test your offers, and generate early capital.

Oh, and one more thing: If you’re looking for another full-stack, easy-to-navigate platform to help you better manage your small business, I highly suggest looking into HubSpot’s Sales Hub. Not only does it have everything you (most likely) need, like email templates and tracking, it’s also fully AI-powered. It’s designed to save you time, help you grow your client base faster, and keep all your customer interactions in one place.

Follow Your Dreams, Black Girl

If no one’s told you lately, let me be the first: your ideas are valid, your ambition is powerful, and your dreams are worth pursuing — fearlessly and unapologetically. As a Black woman navigating the world of entrepreneurship, you’re not just building a business — you’re creating legacy, shifting narratives, and opening doors for the next generation.

Yes, the path can feel isolating. Yes, the resources might seem hidden or out of reach. But trust — there are tools, communities, and opportunities made for you, by people who understand the road you’re walking. And even when it feels like the world wasn’t designed with your brilliance in mind, remember: you’ve always been the blueprint.

So take up space. Seek what you need. Keep dreaming big, even when it feels too bold. Because every step you take builds something greater — not just for you, but for all of us watching and believing right alongside you.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.