The short answer
Ask what they are comparing you with first. Then give one real difference that matters for their situation, with an example, and be honest where you are similar. End by asking whether that difference matters to them.
The example exchanges on this page use a seller offering a bookkeeping service to the owner of a small online shop who already uses accounting software.
What they actually say
The words change; the objection doesn’t. All of these belong on this page:
- “How is this different?”
- “What makes you different from X?”
- “Isn’t this the same as what we have?”
- “Everyone says that.”
- “Why would we pick you?”
- “What do you do that others don’t?”
What it usually means
The buyer is comparing. Your job is to find out with what, and why it matters to them.
They have a specific alternative in mind
A current supplier, a competitor or doing it themselves.
How to tell: They name it, or describe what they use now.
Everything sounds the same to them
They have heard similar pitches and cannot tell suppliers apart.
How to tell: “Everyone says that.”
They are interested and checking
The question is a buying signal: they want a reason to go further.
How to tell: Follow-up questions about how it would work for them.
A polite challenge
They doubt you are different at all.
How to tell: Arms-folded tone, short replies.
Prevent it earlier in the call
The best answer to this objection is usually given before it is raised.
Discover what they use now
Knowing the alternative lets you explain the difference in their terms before they ask.
Avoid generic claims
“Best in class” and “unique” invite the question. Specifics do not.
The core move
Whatever style you sell in, the skeleton is the same.
Ask what they are comparing
“Different from what you use now, or from someone else you’re looking at?”
Pick one difference that matters to them
Choose the difference that connects to what they told you, not the one you like best.
Give a concrete example
Show what the difference looks like in their week.
Be honest about similarities
“For the basics, we’re much the same.” It makes the real difference more credible.
Check it matters
“Is that something that would make a difference for you?”
How each style handles it
The selling styles in Coach agree on the skeleton and disagree on almost everything else: tone, pace, and how hard to push. Here is the same objection through four of them.
Question-Led Discovery
Question-Led Discovery finds out what the buyer is comparing and what they care about before answering.
Example
BuyerHow is this different from our accounting software?
SellerGood question. What do you use it for at the moment?
BuyerInvoices mostly. I do the reconciliation myself at the weekend.
SellerThat’s the difference, then: the software gives you the tools, we do the reconciliation for you. Would getting your weekends back matter?
Why it works. The difference is explained in terms of the buyer’s own week.
Where it breaks. If they want a straight answer, give one first, then ask.
Ethical / Consultative
Ethical / Consultative is open about where you are similar and where you are not, including when the alternative might suit them better.
Example
BuyerEveryone says they’re different.
SellerFair. Honestly, for sending invoices we’re much like the rest. Where we differ is that a person checks your books every month.
BuyerAnd that costs more?
SellerIt does. If you’re happy doing it yourself, the software alone may be enough.
Why it works. Admitting similarity and trade-offs makes the real difference believable.
Where it breaks. Honesty is not self-sabotage. Still state clearly who you are the better fit for.
Answer-Led Questioning
Answer-Led Questioning gives a short, direct answer and immediately asks whether it applies.
Example
BuyerWhat do you do that others don’t?
SellerWe do the monthly reconciliation for you, rather than giving you a tool to do it. How are you handling that now?
BuyerI do it on Sundays.
SellerHow long does it take you?
Why it works. The buyer gets a real answer, and the conversation moves straight to their situation.
Where it breaks. One difference only. A list turns the question back into a pitch.
High-Pressure Certainty
High-Pressure Certainty states the difference with conviction, then asks for a commitment to explore it.
Example
BuyerWhy would we pick you?
SellerBecause you stop doing your own books. That’s the whole point.
BuyerMaybe.
SellerThen let’s check it properly. Twenty minutes on Thursday, and I’ll show you what the month-end looks like.
Why it works. Certainty is persuasive when the difference is real and relevant.
Where it breaks. Conviction without evidence sounds like every other pitch. Never overstate the difference.
Mistakes to avoid
Listing every feature
A long list makes you sound the same as everyone else.
Criticising competitors
Running down the alternative makes the buyer defend their own choice.
Claiming a difference you cannot show
If you cannot demonstrate it, do not claim it.
Answering without knowing the comparison
You may explain a difference that does not matter to them.
When to stop
If the honest answer is that the alternative suits them better, say so. A buyer you steer to the right choice remembers it.
Practise it with Selly
Reading about an objection and answering one out loud are different skills. Three short reps:
Rep 1: ask first
Choose Question-Led Discovery. When the buyer asks how you are different, ask what they are comparing with before answering.
Rep 2: one difference
Choose Answer-Led Questioning. Answer in one sentence with one difference, then ask a question.
Rep 3: the honest similarity
Choose Ethical / Consultative. Say where you are similar before stating the difference.
What Selly scores: Selly scores whether you found out what the buyer is comparing and gave a specific difference tied to their situation. A feature list scores low. Any difference you invent or cannot support fails the call outright.
Questions
What if we are not really different?
Then compete on something real: service, fit, speed or price. Do not invent a difference.
Should I mention competitors by name?
Only if the buyer does, and then stay factual and fair.
How long should the answer be?
One or two sentences, then a question. They will ask for more if it matters.