🛡️ Objections & Négociation
Absorb the objection with LAER, then defend your price without slashing it.
💡 An objection is NOT a rejection: it's a sign of engagement. The goal isn't to "win" but to understand the real concern and answer it with value.
- ✦An objection shows the prospect is considering the purchase (indifference is worse).
- ✦It surfaces a hidden concern you can finally address.
- ✦It's a chance to add MORE value, not to defend yourself.
- ✦≈ 60% of prospects say "no" up to 4 times before saying "yes".
- ✦Never ignore, dodge, or get defensive.
🎯 The framework LAER
The teacher's framework to handle an objection, step by step.
Let the prospect finish, without interrupting. Nod, pause.
🫒 The restaurateur says your oil is too expensive → you listen fully, then pause.
Validate the emotion/concern without contradicting. Show empathy.
🫒 « I understand, the price per litre matters when you cook every day. »
Ask a question to confirm the REAL objection (often hidden behind the first one).
🫒 « May I ask: what volume do you run per month, and do your guests notice the oil you serve? »
Answer with proof / a value reframe, then move forward (counter-question or next step).
🫒 « Rather than a cost, see it as a traceable, organic signature product that justifies a +€3 dish on the menu: over 200 covers/week the gap pays for itself in days — and you tell a story mass retail can't copy. »
« €40,000 over the year is too much for our budget: we're a small business, it's a big commitment. »
[You listen to the end, nod, pause.]
« I completely understand your concern about that budget. »
« If I show you how it pays for itself in 6 months, would that change things? »
« Rather than a €40,000 expense, let's see it as €3,300/month that saves you €5,000 — that's €1,700 net profit every month. »
⚠️ This is the teacher's textbook example. Remember the mechanism: don't lower the price, REFRAME it as ROI.
If you need to be quick, LAER boils down to these 3 reflexes.
Pause + acknowledge the concern (« I understand… »). Never defensive.
Ask a question to confirm the real objection (« what makes you say that? »).
Answer with proof, then move the sale forward with a question.
🧰 Advanced techniques
Tell the story of a similar client who had the same fear and succeeded.
💬 « A caterer in Waterloo hesitated too; he made the oil a signature product and lifted his margins by 15%. »
Turn the weak point into a selling argument.
💬 « Exactly because we're small: you get a direct contact, personal follow-up and a demanding selection. »
Compare not to the cheapest, but to the hidden cost of the alternative.
💬 « A generic oil costs less per litre, but it tells no story and justifies no upsell on your menu. »
Remove risk with a low-commitment test.
💬 « Take a trial case of two references; if your guests don't bite, we stop there. »
🃏 Objection deck
Read the objection. Answer in your head (real fear? SONCASE? answer? counter-question?), then reveal.
💶 Negotiation: defend the value
🔑 Negotiation is the teacher's focus and your weak spot. Golden rule: NEVER sell cheap. Defend the value and make every concession come with a counterpart.
- ▸Only announce the price AFTER building value — never at the start, never apologising.
- ▸Every concession = a counterpart (volume, commitment, bundle, cash payment).
- ▸You don't only negotiate price: play on terms (volume, frequency, range, duration).
- ▸Stay realistic: a discount threshold must be credible, not invented on the spot.
- ▸If you concede without getting anything, you destroy both your margin AND your credibility.
🛡️ Defend the price
Value → price → value. The price is "wrapped" between two benefits so it never stands bare.
💬 « A traceable organic oil that elevates your menu (value) — it's €14.90 per 500 ml (price) — with free weekly delivery and the zero-risk guarantee (value). »
Compare to the hidden cost of the alternative, not to the cheapest competitor.
💬 « A generic oil is cheaper per litre, but it justifies no upsell and tells your customers nothing. »
Break the price down to a unit of use: cost per portion, per day, per cover.
💬 « €14.90 per 500 ml is about €0.30 per dressed dish: negligible against an €18 dish. »
Present the most premium product / bundle first to set a high reference point.
💬 « Let's start with the signature box: oil + honey + sardines; then we adapt to your budget. »
🎚️ Your levers (instead of lowering the price)
A better rate unlocks from a credible quantity tier.
« « That rate becomes possible from 500 units/quarter. » »
Adjust the price if the prospect adds other products from the range.
« « I can adjust if you also take the honey and the sardines. » »
Trade a discount for a commitment: duration, regional exclusivity, cash payment.
« « 3% off in exchange for a yearly commitment and payment within 15 days. » »
Instead of cutting the price, add value: delivery, credit, advice.
« « At that volume, guaranteed free weekly delivery + immediate credit on any defect. » »
Don't decide alone on an aggressive demand: buy time and protect your margin by referring the final call back to the company. You stay open without conceding on the spot.
« « That's a great order. Let me check internally what we can do on that volume — I'll get back to you very soon. » »
🥊 Negotiation drills
The prospect attacks the price. Find the trap to avoid and your comeback, then reveal.
LAER — absorb the objection
⭐ €40,000 case → don't drop the price, reframe it as ROI (€3,300/month → €1,700 net benefit).
Price defence — golden rule
NEVER slash the price. Every concession = a trade-off.
- ▸Only announce the price AFTER building value — never at the start, never apologising.
- ▸Every concession = a counterpart (volume, commitment, bundle, cash payment).
- ▸You don't only negotiate price: play on terms (volume, frequency, range, duration).
- ▸Stay realistic: a discount threshold must be credible, not invented on the spot.
- ▸If you concede without getting anything, you destroy both your margin AND your credibility.
€14.90 → €13.50 on an annual commitment. €10 = NO (traceable organic, -33% margin).
🔒 "Let me check internally" → you buy time and concede nothing on the spot.
🃏 Deck — objection → answer → counter-question
| Objection | Answer | Counter-question |
|---|---|---|
| « It's too expensive — your oil is almost double my current supplier. » | Reframe as ROI and differentiation: traceable organic oil → signature dish at +€3 on the menu, better margins, a story mass retail can't copy. Price per litre isn't the right benchmark — margin per dish is. | « What volume do you run per month, and how much do you sell the dish where the oil is featured? » |
| « I'm already supplied, I'm happy with my supplier. » | Don't try to replace everything: position Akilea on 1-2 signature products to differentiate, alongside the current supplier. Highlight full traceability and product storytelling. | « What do you like most about your current supplier? » (then: « and what really sets you apart from the place next door? ») |
| « How are you different from other wholesalers / Metro & co? » | Curation of +25 producers and +80 exclusive products (outside mass retail), full traceability, 70% local range, and each producer's storytelling. Akilea isn't a volume wholesaler, it's a premium curator. | « Are your customers asking for local and traceable products right now? » |
| « Will my customers really want to pay for this? » (B2B2C retailer) | Strong underlying trend for premium / local / traceable. Offer a trial case + the "zero risk" guarantee (credit/return on defect) to remove risk, and show the retail margin. | « If I guarantee returns on unsold stock for the first reorder, would you try two references? » |
| « I need to talk to my partner / my boss. » | Perfectly normal for an important decision. Prepare a clear summary + samples, and offer to join the conversation to answer questions directly. | « What objections do you think your partner will raise? I can pre-empt them in a one-page memo. » |
| « Send me some info by email. » | Accept (« my pleasure »), but anchor a dated next step and an engaging question so it doesn't fall into the void. | « I'll send it today; shall we call for 10 min on Thursday to see which 2 references best fit your menu? » |
| « I'll think about it. » | Don't leave it vague: gently clarify what's blocking (price? range? logistics? timing?) to address the real hidden objection. | « Of course — just to support you well: is it mainly the budget, the range, or the timing that makes you hesitate? » |
| « You're a small company, I don't know you. » | Boomerang technique: small company = direct contact, personalised service, demanding selection. Lean on recognised partners (Kalios, Bordier, Noirmoutier Salt…) and the zero-risk guarantee. | « Would you like me to connect you with a local restaurateur who already works with us? » |
🥊 Nego drills — attack → comeback
| The prospect says | Your comeback (don't slash the price) |
|---|---|
| « OK, I'll take 1000 bottles of oil, but at €10 per 500 ml instead of €14.90. » | « 1000 units, that's great volume. That price level becomes thinkable with a yearly commitment; and I can make a gesture if we add the honey or sardines to the basket. From €14.90 I can go to €13.50 on a commitment — but €10 isn't sustainable for a traceable organic product. » |
| « If you drop to €12, I sign today. » | « I can make an effort on price, but not for nothing: €12 is possible if you commit to a quarterly reorder or cash payment. Let's find ground where we both win. » |
| « Your competitor offers the same oil €3 cheaper. » | « It's not quite the same oil: ours is organic, cold-pressed, 100% traceable, with a zero-risk guarantee and weekly delivery. I won't match on a different product; instead I can improve your delivery terms or build a bundle. » |
| « Give me free delivery, or no deal. » | « Delivery is already free above €50 of order — you're well past that. Beyond that, I can guarantee a fixed weekly slot, which simplifies your stock management. » |
| « Give me a 10% discount on the whole range. » | « A discount on the whole range is built through overall volume tiers, not flat. Give me a yearly order target and I'll propose a sliding scale — the more you order, the better it gets for you. » |