The short answer
Give one reason tied to something specific about their business, as an observation rather than a claim, and then check it: “Is that right, or have I got that wrong?” If you do not know enough yet, say so and ask.
The example exchanges on this page use a seller offering fleet-tracking software to the operations manager of a regional courier company.
What they actually say
The words change; the objection doesn’t. All of these belong on this page:
- “What makes this relevant to us?”
- “Why are you calling us?”
- “Why would we need this?”
- “How does this apply to us?”
- “We’re not really your type of customer.”
- “Why us?”
What it usually means
The buyer wants proof you have thought about them. Sometimes they are also checking whether you have done your homework.
Genuine curiosity
They are open, but need a reason to keep listening.
How to tell: Neutral or interested tone.
A test of your preparation
They suspect a mass call and want to see whether you know anything about them.
How to tell: A slightly sharp “why us?”
They think they do not have the problem
They genuinely do not see a fit.
How to tell: “We don’t have that issue.”
Prevent it earlier in the call
The best answer to this objection is usually given before it is raised.
Research one thing
One real, specific observation about the company answers this question before it is asked.
Open with the reason for the call
Explain why you chose them in the first ten seconds.
The core move
Whatever style you sell in, the skeleton is the same.
Give one specific reason
Something about their business, not a general claim about your product.
Frame it as an observation
“I noticed…” or “Companies with several depots often…”, not “You have a problem with…”.
Check your assumption
“Is that right, or am I off?”
Listen to the correction
If you are wrong, that is useful. Ask what is actually going on.
Be honest if it does not fit
If there really is no relevance, say so and end the call politely.
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 makes one honest observation and invites correction.
Example
BuyerWhat makes this relevant to us?
SellerYou run vans out of three depots, and companies set up like that often find it hard to see where every van is. I may be wrong, though. How do you track them now?
BuyerPhone calls, mostly.
SellerHow well does that work on a busy day?
Why it works. A specific, checkable observation shows preparation without presuming a problem.
Where it breaks. Only use observations you actually made. Do not pretend to know their situation.
Question-Led Discovery
Question-Led Discovery turns the question around to find the relevance together.
Example
BuyerWhy would we need this?
SellerYou might not. Can I ask how you know where your drivers are during the day?
BuyerWe ring them.
SellerAnd when a customer calls asking where their parcel is?
Why it works. The buyer discovers the relevance themselves, which is more convincing than being told.
Where it breaks. If they asked directly, answer briefly first. Pure questions can feel evasive.
Calm Authority
Calm Authority states the reason plainly and lets the buyer decide.
Example
BuyerWhy are you calling us?
SellerYou’re a courier with several depots, and that’s who we work with. Whether it’s useful to you, you’d know better than me.
BuyerGo on then.
SellerHow do you keep track of vans across the depots?
Why it works. A calm, plain answer is disarming, and handing the decision back lowers resistance.
Where it breaks. It needs a real reason. Without one it sounds dismissive.
Direct Close
Direct Close gives a sharp reason and moves quickly to a short next step.
Example
BuyerHow does this apply to us?
SellerYou’ve got vans on the road and customers asking where they are. We show you both on one screen.
BuyerWe manage.
SellerThen a fifteen-minute look will tell you whether it’s worth changing. Tuesday or Wednesday?
Why it works. A clear reason plus a small ask keeps momentum.
Where it breaks. Ask too soon and the buyer feels pushed. Make sure the reason landed first.
Mistakes to avoid
Answering with your product’s features
The question is about them. A feature list does not answer it.
Inventing knowledge about them
Claiming to know their problems when you do not will be spotted immediately.
Getting defensive
“Why us?” is a reasonable question. Treat it as one.
Ignoring the correction
If they say you have it wrong, carrying on regardless ends the call.
When to stop
If they explain clearly why it does not apply, thank them. Ask whether there is a situation in which it might, and leave it there.
Practise it with Selly
Reading about an objection and answering one out loud are different skills. Three short reps:
Rep 1: one observation
Choose Ethical / Consultative. Answer with one specific observation and a check.
Rep 2: turn it around
Choose Question-Led Discovery. Answer briefly, then ask a question that helps the buyer find the relevance.
Rep 3: plain and calm
Choose Calm Authority. Give your reason in one sentence and let the buyer decide.
What Selly scores: Selly scores whether your answer was specific to the buyer and whether you checked it with them. A generic pitch scores low. Claiming knowledge of their business that you do not have fails the call outright.
Questions
What if I have not researched them?
Say what kind of business you usually help and ask whether that describes them. Do not pretend.
How specific should the reason be?
Specific enough that it could not be said to every company on your list.
Is this the same as “what’s this regarding?”
Close. “What’s this regarding?” asks for the topic; this asks why it applies to them.