The short answer
Respect the contract and never suggest breaking it. Ask when it ends and how it is going, then agree a specific time to talk before renewal. If they are happy and plan to renew, thank them and end the call.
The example exchanges on this page use a seller cold calling the owner of a small business about a monthly service. The buyer has a contract with another provider.
What they actually say
The words change; the objection doesn’t. All of these belong on this page:
- “We’re locked in for another year.”
- “We’ve just signed with someone.”
- “We’re in a contract right now.”
- “Our agreement runs until the spring.”
- “We can’t change until the contract’s up.”
- “We’ve got a deal with someone else.”
What it usually means
The contract itself is rarely the whole story. How long is left, and how they feel about it, tells you whether there is a conversation to have.
Just signed, and happy
They chose recently and are satisfied. There is nothing to do now, and possibly not later.
How to tell: They name the provider without complaint, and the end date is far away.
Locked in, and not happy
They are stuck with something that is not working, and resent it.
How to tell: A sigh, a complaint about the provider, or “we’re stuck with them till…”.
Ending soon
Renewal is coming up, and they may or may not have thought about it.
How to tell: An end date within a few months, or “I think it’s up soon, actually”.
A brush-off
There may be no contract at all. It is a polite way to end the call.
How to tell: Vague about the provider, the length and the terms.
Prevent it earlier in the call
The best answer to this objection is usually given before it is raised.
Ask about the current setup in discovery
Asking who they use and how long they have been with them turns the contract into information, not an objection at the end.
Do not open with a switch
An opening that asks them to change provider invites “we’re under contract”. An opening about a problem does not.
The core move
Whatever style you sell in, the skeleton is the same.
Respect it
“That makes sense. You’ll want to see that through.” Never suggest they break it.
Ask when it ends
A plain, factual question. The answer tells you whether this is a call for today or for later.
Ask how it is going
One open question. Let them say whether they are happy; do not suggest that they are not.
If it ends soon, agree a time
Suggest a specific date before renewal to compare options. A date, not “I’ll be in touch”.
If it is a long way off, ask permission
Ask whether it is all right to call a few weeks before it ends, and note the date.
If they are happy and will renew, end cleanly
Thank them and end the call. Do not push for a callback they do not want.
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.
Ethical / Consultative
Ethical / Consultative selling treats the contract as a boundary to respect, and asks whether a comparison before renewal would help.
Example
BuyerWe’re under contract till March.
SellerThen you should see it through. How’s it going so far?
BuyerIt’s okay. Bit expensive for what it is.
SellerWould it help to compare before March, so you’ve got a choice at renewal? Say, early February?
Why it works. It asks for something the buyer can agree to without breaking any promise, and it serves them either way.
Where it breaks. If they say they will renew anyway, accept it. A comparison they do not want is just a delayed pitch.
Question-Led Discovery
Question-Led Discovery uses the contract as a way into how they chose, and what they would change.
Example
BuyerWe’ve got a contract with someone.
SellerFair enough. What made you go with them?
BuyerPrice, mainly.
SellerAnd now you’ve been with them a while, is it doing what you hoped?
Why it works. Why they chose, and how that has turned out, shows whether there is anything for you to talk about.
Where it breaks. Questions are not a way round the contract. If there is nothing they would change, stop.
Structured Objection Work
Structured Objection Work runs the same shape as for any objection: acknowledge, clarify, answer, confirm.
Example
BuyerWe’re locked in.
SellerUnderstood. Is that for a set term, or month to month?
BuyerTwelve months. Six to go.
SellerThen it’s too early to talk properly. Would a call in five months, before you decide on renewal, be useful?
Why it works. Clarifying what kind of contract it is turns a vague block into a date you can plan around.
Where it breaks. The shape does not turn a no into a yes. If the confirm step gets a no, that is the answer.
Calm Authority
Calm Authority is unbothered by the contract. It says so, asks one question, and accepts the answer.
Example
BuyerWe’ve just signed with someone.
SellerGood, then you’re sorted for now. When does it come up for renewal?
BuyerNot for two years.
SellerThen I won’t take your time today. Good luck with it.
Why it works. Not reacting to the contract, and ending cleanly when renewal is far off, leaves a good impression for later.
Where it breaks. It must not sound dismissive. The warmth stays even when the answer is “not for years”.
Mistakes to avoid
Suggesting they break the contract
Encouraging a buyer to break an agreement makes you look untrustworthy, and can cost them money.
Running down the current provider
You do not know the provider, and the buyer chose them. Criticism reflects on their judgement.
Vague follow-ups
“I’ll check in closer to the time” is easy to forget and easy to ignore. Agree a date.
Claiming you are cheaper or better
You do not know their terms. A comparison you state without knowing them is a guess presented as a fact.
When to stop
If the contract runs a long time and they are happy with it, thank them and end the call. Only call back if they agreed to it.
Practise it with Selly
Reading about an objection and answering one out loud are different skills. Three short reps:
Rep 1: respect and ask
Choose Ethical / Consultative. When the buyer mentions a contract, respect it, then ask when it ends and how it is going.
Rep 2: land a date
Run it again and finish with a specific date before renewal, not a promise to be in touch.
Rep 3: no comparisons
Listen back for any claim about their current provider or price that you could not know. Say it again without it.
What Selly scores: Selly treats a contract as the same kind of objection as “we already have someone”. Claiming you are cheaper or better than a provider whose terms you do not know counts as an invented claim, and an invented claim fails the call outright.
Questions
Should I ask them to break the contract?
No. It can cost them money and makes you look untrustworthy. Ask when it ends instead.
When should I call back?
Before they decide on renewal, not after. A few weeks before the end date usually leaves time to compare. Agree the date on the call.
What if they do not know when it ends?
Ask whether they can check, and offer to call back once they have. Or ask roughly when they signed.
Is it worth calling someone who is under contract?
Sometimes. If it ends soon, or they are unhappy, a timely comparison is useful to them. If they just signed and are happy, end the call.