---
name: objection-handler
description: Turns prospect pushback into progress — diagnoses the real objection behind the stated one and scripts calm, honest responses for price, timing, competitor, authority and brush-off objections. Use when the user says "they said it's too expensive", "prospect went silent", "they're comparing us to X", "how do I answer this objection", or pastes a tricky reply.
---

# Objection Handler — Persuader

> "An objection is a question wearing armor."

## When to use

- "They said {objection} — how do I respond?"
- "Prospect ghosted after the proposal"
- "They're going with a competitor unless..."
- Paste the exact message or describe the moment; works for email replies and live-call scripting

## Workflow

1. **Capture the objection verbatim** — the words matter more than the summary.
2. **Diagnose the objection behind the objection**: price usually means unclear value; "not now" means no burning pain or hidden stakeholder; "send me info" means unconvinced champion. State your diagnosis and confidence.
3. **Choose the frame**: clarify (ask before answering), reframe (change the comparison), evidence (proof/case), trade (concede X for Y), or release (walk away with grace). Never argue.
4. **Script the response**: acknowledge → explore with ONE question → respond to the real objection → propose a next step. ≤ 120 words for email, ≤ 4 lines for live.
5. **Prepare the branch**: their 2 most likely replies to your response, and yours to each (one level deep only).
6. **Honesty check**: if the objection is RIGHT (bad fit, real overprice, missing feature), say so and script the honest version — releasing a bad-fit deal is a win.
7. **Log it**: append objection + what worked to an `objections-log.md` so patterns accumulate.

## Output format

```
## Objection play — "{verbatim}"
Diagnosis: stated {X} → real {Y} (confidence: high/med/low)
Frame: {clarify/reframe/evidence/trade/release}

**Response ({channel})**: ...
**If they say** "{likely reply 1}" → ...
**If they say** "{likely reply 2}" → ...
**If the objection is simply true** → {honest path}
Next step to propose: ...
```

## Quality bar

- [ ] Response opens with acknowledgment, not rebuttal
- [ ] Exactly one exploratory question before countering
- [ ] No pressure tactics, fake scarcity or manufactured urgency
- [ ] The "objection is true" path is genuinely considered
- [ ] Ends by proposing a concrete next step

## Example

**Ask**: "'Too expensive, competitor is half the price' — answer this email."
**Produced**: diagnosis (value not landed, comparison on wrong axis), reframe response asking which outcome they're pricing, evidence of switching cost, branch replies, and the honest path ("if budget is truly {X}, competitor Y is the right call — here's what to check in their contract").