Everyone tells you to handle objections.
“Push harder.” “Overcome resistance.” “Win the argument.”
That might be the worst advice in cold calling.
Because objections aren’t walls. They’re reflexes. And the smartest reps don’t try to crush them — they sidestep them.
Here’s the one line that makes it effortless:
“I was honestly not expecting you to…”
Instead of sounding defensive, you sound calm, confident, and in control.
This approach flips the script:
❌ “I’m not interested.”
✅ “I was honestly not expecting you to. I’m the one calling you, not the other way around.”
❌ “We don’t have a budget.”
✅ “I was honestly not expecting you to. I reached out completely out of the blue.”
❌ “We’re not looking for other providers.”
✅ “I was honestly not expecting you to; you weren’t shopping, I showed up first.”
❌ “I don’t make those decisions.”
✅ “I was honestly not expecting you to. I rarely get the decision-maker on the first try.”
❌ “We don’t have time for this.”
✅ “I was honestly not expecting you to. Nobody ever does when I call out of the blue.”
THE POWER-DIAL EDGE: Why This Honest Line Honestly Works
Every objection you hear is a defense reflex, not a thoughtful decision. When someone says “Not interested” or “No budget” seconds after you open, they’re not rejecting you. Their brain is simply protecting their time.
Here’s why “I was honestly not expecting you to…” works so well:
Pattern Interrupt – Prospects expect you to argue or pitch harder. Instead, you agree with them. That surprise short-circuits their autopilot.
Disarming Honesty – The word honestly lowers tension. It signals you’re not playing a sales game; you’re being human.
Status Reset – Most objections come from a “you vs. me” stance. This line shifts the dynamic by showing that you’re not begging for approval, you’re displaying calm control.
Micro-Commitment – By buying just a few extra seconds, you increase the odds they’ll give you another small “yes” (like answering a question).
So you see… this line works because it doesn’t fight the objection, it neutralizes it. That small pause is often all you need to slip into real conversation.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The best salespeople aren’t the ones with the slickest rebuttals. They’re the ones who know how to disarm human reflexes.
Every objection is a knee-jerk defense, not a final verdict. The moment you learn to step around the wall instead of smashing into it, you stop sounding like a salesperson… and start sounding like someone worth listening to.
So here’s a food for thought:
If one sentence can buy you ten more seconds, how many doors have you been walking away from too early?
While you ponder on that, I’ll see you again next week.
Cheers
— The Sheriff in Town
