Authority Objections

"I need to run this by my manager."

Absolutely. What does your manager typically care about in these decisions — the financials, the operational impact, or something else?

3 responses

"The decision isn't up to me."

Who does have the final say, and what does the approval process look like? I want to understand the path so I can help you navigate it.

3 responses

"We have a committee that approves purchases."

Got it. When does the committee next meet, and what's the submission deadline? I can help you build the case in the right format.

3 responses

"My CEO makes all final decisions."

That's common in companies your size. What does your CEO care most about — margin, growth, efficiency? I'll build the case around their priorities.

3 responses

"I need buy-in from a few stakeholders."

Who are the stakeholders, and what does each one care about most? If I know their priorities, I can help you make a case that addresses each one.

3 responses

"Our procurement team has to be involved."

What's the procurement process like, and who's the main contact? I can handle this as an operational conversation if that helps.

3 responses

"I don't have the authority to sign off."

I hear you, and I appreciate the honesty. Let's figure out who does and how to get them engaged.

3 responses

"I need to speak with my wife first."

Absolutely — bringing in a partner is a great sign it matters to you both. What do you think she'll want to know?

3 responses

"My husband wants to weigh in on this."

That's smart — big decisions should be made together. What do you think is most important to him in a decision like this?

3 responses

"I need my partner to approve this."

Partnership decisions are always better when both people are aligned. What does your partner typically look for before approving a spend like this?

3 responses

"My spouse isn't convinced yet."

That's fair — we should make sure both of you feel confident. What seems to be the sticking point for them?

3 responses

"I need to discuss this with my family."

Family conversations matter — especially for a decision of this size. I respect that.

3 responses

"I need to run this by legal first."

What's legal typically concerned about — contract terms, compliance, data handling? I can send over the relevant documentation upfront to speed things up.

3 responses

"My manager has to approve this."

Understood. What does your manager typically need to say yes — hard numbers, a risk assessment, a reference from another customer?

3 responses

"This needs VP sign-off."

Got it — what's the VP's main concern typically? I can prepare something specifically designed to address it.

3 responses

"Our CFO has to review the contract."

I work with CFOs regularly. What does yours typically care about — margin impact, ROI, payment terms? I can tailor the financial summary to match.

3 responses

"Our finance team is reviewing pricing."

What is finance looking for specifically — total cost, payment schedule, multi-year value?

3 responses

"We have to go through procurement."

I work with procurement teams regularly. What does the process typically look like — RFQ, security questionnaire, vendor onboarding?

3 responses

"We use a preferred vendor list."

How does a vendor get added to that list? Is there an exception process if there's a clear case for going outside it?

3 responses

"We need a purchase order before we can proceed."

Not a problem — what's the PO process timeline? I can make sure our end is ready to go the moment the PO comes through.

3 responses

"I need to check with my team first."

Good instinct — the people using it should have input. What's the team's main concern likely to be?

3 responses

"I've had bad experiences with vendors before."

That's a fair concern, and I don't want to dismiss it. What went wrong before — the product, the support, or the relationship?

3 responses