We've all heard them. Those well-rehearsed explanations for why the deal didn't close, the pipeline is anemic, or revenue targets keep slipping through our fingers. In my years coaching sales teams, I've collected quite a library of creative excuses—some delivered with Oscar-worthy conviction.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: excuses are the enemy of sales performance. They're the comfortable shields we hide behind rather than facing the real issues that require our attention and action.
Let's tackle five of the most pervasive excuses I hear from sales teams and uncover what's really happening beneath the surface.
- "They're not ready to buy."
How many promising opportunities are sitting in your pipeline with this label? If your forecast is filled with prospects who are perpetually "not ready," you're facing a systemic problem, not a timing issue.
I once worked with a manufacturing sales team that had mastered the art of the "future close." Their pipeline was massive, full of deals that were always closing "next quarter." When we dug deeper, we discovered something revealing: the salespeople weren't creating urgency because they themselves didn't believe in the urgency of their solution.
We completely revamped their discovery process to focus on quantifying the cost of inaction. Instead of asking vague questions about timelines, they started asking, "What's it costing you each month to continue with your current approach?" Suddenly, prospects who were "not ready" discovered compelling reasons to act now.
Ask your salesperson this coaching question: "What specific value would the prospect gain by implementing our solution sooner rather than later?" If they can't immediately answer this, they haven't uncovered the true motivation to buy—or created enough urgency to overcome inertia.
- "They can't afford it."
Price objections aren't about money—they're about value. When a salesperson says the prospect "can't afford it," what they're really saying is, "I haven't created enough value to justify our price."
A client of mine selling industrial equipment was constantly battling price objections. Their salespeople would come back defeated, claiming customers couldn't afford their premium solutions. Rather than accepting this at face value, we implemented a value-calculation exercise with each prospect.
The salespeople were instructed to walk prospects through a three-year cost analysis, comparing the total cost of ownership between our solution and cheaper alternatives. The results were eye-opening. In 82% of cases, our "expensive" solution was actually the more economical choice when factoring in maintenance, downtime, and productivity gains.
Next time you hear this excuse, ask your salesperson: "Have you quantified the ROI of our solution for this specific customer?" Guide them to focus on value creation rather than price justification.
- "They're happy with their current provider."
Of course they are—until they discover a better option. Customer satisfaction isn't the same as customer loyalty, and even the happiest customers will switch when presented with compelling value.
One of my distribution clients was struggling to break into accounts with entrenched competitors. Their salespeople would make initial contact but retreat at the first sign of customer satisfaction with existing vendors.
We changed their approach entirely. Instead of asking, "Are you happy with your current provider?"—a question designed to elicit "yes"—they started asking, "What would you change about your current provider if you could?" This opened conversations about unmet needs that our client could address, even with satisfied customers.
Within six months, they'd converted 23% of these "happy with current provider" prospects into customers.
Challenge your salespeople with this question: "What unmet need could we address that their current provider isn't handling?" Help them understand that disrupting satisfaction requires finding the gap between good enough and great.
- "No one knows who we are!"
Brand recognition is helpful but not necessary for sales success. Some of the most successful salespeople I know sell for companies no one has heard of.
Early in my career, I joined a startup with zero brand recognition in a market dominated by household names. My colleagues were constantly lamenting our obscurity, using it as a shield against rejection.
Instead of accepting this limitation, I turned it into an advantage. I developed an opening that acknowledged our unknown status upfront: "You've probably never heard of us, which means I have the opportunity to share something new that could completely change how you approach this challenge."
This approach disarmed prospects and created curiosity. Within 9-months, I was outselling veteran reps at established competitors—not because our brand became well-known, but because I stopped using our obscurity as an excuse.
Ask your underperforming reps: "How could being less well-known actually be an advantage in certain selling situations?" Push them to turn perceived weaknesses into strategic advantages.
- "Our competition is better!"
No competitor is better at everything. This excuse reveals a salesperson who hasn't done the work to understand their unique value proposition.
A manufacturing client came to me convinced their product was inferior to the market leader's offerings. Their sales team had internalized this belief, and it showed in their hesitant presentations and quick concessions.
We conducted a rigorous competitive analysis, bringing in engineers and product specialists to identify specific areas where our client's solution outperformed the competition. We then created battlecards highlighting these advantages for each competitive scenario.
The transformation was remarkable. Armed with specific differentiation points, the same salespeople who had been intimidated by the competition became confident advocates for their solution's unique strengths.
Challenge your team with this question: "What are three specific things our solution does better than our top competitor's?" If they can't answer immediately and convincingly, that's your coaching opportunity.
Breaking the Excuse Cycle
Sales excuses thrive in environments where mediocrity is tolerated and accountability is optional. As a leader, you set the standard for what's acceptable.
When you hear these excuses, don't just dismiss them—use them as diagnostic tools to uncover the real issues:
- Lack of proper sales training
- You or your sales manager are accepting the excuses
- Fear of rejection
- Poor discover processes
- Inadequate coaching
- Sales talent - Right person, Right seat
- Didn't give the salespeople the messaging that resonates with your buyer
The root causes of excuse-making behavior almost always point to deeper organizational or personal development needs.
Ready to transform your sales team from excuse-makers to revenue drivers? Let's talk. I offer a pitch-free, 30-minute strategy session to help you identify the underlying issues holding your team back. Schedule here.
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Remember: Sales success isn't about having no obstacles—it's about refusing to let those obstacles become excuses.
