The short answer
Don’t defend your product and don’t criticise the last one. Ask what happened and why it failed. If your offer would fail the same way, say so. If it is genuinely different on the thing that went wrong, explain only that, and let them judge.
The example exchanges on this page use a seller offering a monthly service to the owner of a small business. Only claim a difference your offer genuinely has.
What they actually say
The words change; the objection doesn’t. All of these belong on this page:
- “We tried something like this before.”
- “We’ve been down that road.”
- “It didn’t work last time.”
- “We got burned with the last one.”
- “We had one of those. Waste of money.”
What it usually means
What failed, and why, matters more than the fact that something failed.
The product did not work
The last solution did not do what it promised.
How to tell: Specific complaints about what it did or did not do.
It was not used
The product may have been fine, but nobody set it up or used it properly.
How to tell: “We never really got it going.”
The supplier let them down
Service, support or a contract that went wrong.
How to tell: Stories about people, not features.
Fear of looking foolish again
They do not want to be the one who made the same mistake twice.
How to tell: Reluctance to even discuss it.
Prevent it earlier in the call
The best answer to this objection is usually given before it is raised.
Ask what they have tried
“Have you tried anything for this before?” asked during discovery brings it out early, when you can learn from it.
Make modest claims
Buyers who have been burned are listening for the same big promises. Don’t make them.
The core move
Whatever style you sell in, the skeleton is the same.
Take it seriously
“That’s frustrating. What happened?” No defensiveness.
Find out exactly what went wrong
Product, adoption, supplier or contract.
Ask what they would need to be different
Let them set the test.
Be honest about the comparison
If yours would fail the same way, say so. If it is genuinely different on that point, explain just that.
Reduce the risk honestly
Real terms only: a short commitment, a trial, a way out, if your offer has them.
Let them decide
A buyer who has been burned needs to feel in control of this decision.
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 treats the failed attempt as the most valuable information in the call.
Example
BuyerWe tried one of these answering services. Didn’t work.
SellerWhat went wrong with it?
BuyerThey didn’t know anything about the business. Customers got annoyed.
SellerSo the issue was the calls being handled by someone who didn’t know your work. Is that the main thing you’d need to be different?
Why it works. The buyer names the real test, and the seller has not claimed anything yet.
Where it breaks. If your offer has the same weakness, you must say so.
Calm Authority
Calm Authority does not defend. It lets the buyer’s experience stand and asks what would make the next attempt different.
Example
BuyerWe got burned with the last one.
SellerI’m sorry. What happened?
BuyerTwelve-month contract, and it stopped working after two.
SellerThat’s a fair reason to be cautious. What would you need, so that couldn’t happen again?
Why it works. Composure and respect for their experience show more than any claim could.
Where it breaks. Calm must not look indifferent. Acknowledge what it cost them.
Ethical / Consultative
Ethical / Consultative compares honestly, including where your offer might have the same problem.
Example
BuyerIt didn’t work last time.
SellerWhat was the problem?
BuyerNobody on the team used it.
SellerHonestly, that could happen with ours too. What made it hard to use? If it’s set-up, we can do that with you, but if the team won’t change how they work, no tool will fix that.
Why it works. Admitting a shared risk makes every other claim more believable.
Where it breaks. Honesty is not pessimism. Say what is genuinely different, too.
Tonality First
Tonality First notices that a defensive tone confirms the buyer’s fear. The answer is slower, softer and shorter.
Example
BuyerWe had one of those. Waste of money.
SellerThat’s annoying. What went wrong?
BuyerNever did what they said.
SellerThen the last thing you want is another promise. What would you want to see working first?
Why it works. Short, calm lines that take their side sound more believable than a defence.
Where it breaks. Tone cannot replace a real difference. If there is none, say so.
Mistakes to avoid
Criticising the last supplier
The buyer chose them. Criticising the choice criticises the buyer.
“We’re different”
Every seller says it. Only a specific, checkable difference on the thing that failed counts.
Promising it won’t happen again
An invented guarantee repeats the thing that burned them.
Moving on too quickly
Skipping past the story tells the buyer you did not care about it.
When to stop
If your offer would fail the same way, say so and step back. If they are not ready to try again, accept it and leave the door open.
Practise it with Selly
Reading about an objection and answering one out loud are different skills. Three short reps:
Rep 1: ask what happened
Choose Question-Led Discovery. When the buyer says they tried it before, ask what went wrong and follow the answer.
Rep 2: the honest comparison
Choose Ethical / Consultative. Say where your offer is genuinely different, and where it might have the same risk.
Rep 3: stay soft
Choose Tonality First. Answer the objection slowly and briefly, without defending.
What Selly scores: Selly scores whether you asked what went wrong before answering, and whether any difference you claimed is true of your offer. An invented guarantee or result fails the call outright.
Questions
Should I ask who they used before?
You can, but it is more useful to ask what went wrong. The problem matters more than the name.
What if my product has the same weakness?
Say so. A buyer who has been burned is listening for honesty, and it will make everything else you say more credible.
Can I offer a guarantee?
Only if your offer genuinely has one. Inventing one is exactly the kind of promise that burned them.
How do I show we are different?
Name one specific difference on the thing that failed, and offer a way for them to check it.