Objections
What to say when a prospect says “call me next quarter”
“Call me next quarter.”
Could be true. They have a lot going on.
Could also be the easiest way to end the call. We’ve all said it.
Our job is to make it comfortable for them to tell us which, so we don’t spend three months chasing.
What to do: 3 steps
1. Diffuse
“Sure, happy to.”
Or repeat it back with a slight up tone:
“Next quarter?”
That’s called a mirror. It makes people feel heard, and they usually tell you more.
2. Discover
“Seems like this might not be a priority this year. Which is no problem at all.”
If that’s wrong, they’ll correct you.
If the timing really is the issue:
“Would you be open to putting something tentative on the calendar, just so I don’t reach out at the wrong time?”
3. Stay helpful
“Every so often I come across articles on making better cold calls. Would it be okay if I sent you one now and then?”
Send something useful once a month with a line on why you thought of them. When the timing is right, you’re already there.
More on this: Call me in January.
Hear it out loud
Reading it is one thing. Saying it on a live call is another.
- Tongue Tied has my word-for-word answer to “call me next quarter” and 33 other objections, with audio of how I say each one. $47 a set.
- Poke the Bear is my cold calling course, with real calls. $197.
- The Badass B2B Growth Guide is my cold outreach course. $197.
- Training a team? That’s the Selling Without Pitching workshop.
Quick answers
What should you say when a prospect says “call me next quarter”? Say “Sure, happy to,” or mirror it: “Next quarter?” Then check if it’s really timing: “Seems like this might not be a priority this year.” If timing is real, offer to put something tentative on the calendar.