What Should You Do When a Buyer Becomes Aggressive?
When a prospective buyer makes an aggressive or confrontational statement, what’s your immediate reaction? Do you push back? How often do you act on that instinct? And what happens when you do?
If your first response is to defend yourself or your company, you’re not alone. It’s human nature to push back when faced with criticism, especially if you feel there’s a misunderstanding or factual error in the buyer’s statement. However, true sales professionals take a different approach. Instead of fighting back, they fall back.
The Counterintuitive Sales Strategy: Falling Back
It’s natural to feel defensive when you’re under attack. Imagine your spouse or partner says, “Why do you always leave the kitchen a mess?” Your instinct might be to fire back with, “Well, why do you always exaggerate? I load the dishwasher every night!”
But does that response solve anything?
Engaging in a back-and-forth argument only fuels the conflict. You get stuck in a cycle of defending and counterattacking. In sales, this type of confrontation creates unnecessary tension and diminishes trust. Instead of escalating, take a step back, acknowledge what you can, and steer the conversation toward a resolution.
A Smarter Way to Respond to Buyer Criticism
Let’s say a prospect tells you:
“Your company has terrible customer service. I was on hold for forty minutes the other day. You have a lot of nerve calling yourselves a customer-first company.”
The instinctive reaction might be to defend your company by listing customer service awards or explaining how rare such long wait times are. But that approach only fuels the buyer’s frustration.
Instead, consider responding like this:
“I’m sorry you had to wait that long. That sounds like a problem we need to investigate. I’ll bring it up in our next team meeting so we can address it. In the meantime, here’s my cell number—you can always reach out to me directly, and if I can’t resolve the issue, I’ll find someone who can.”
By taking ownership of the issue and offering a solution, you change the entire dynamic. The buyer no longer sees you as an adversary but as someone who genuinely wants to help.
Why Taking Ownership Defuses Conflict
Once you make the decision to take responsibility, an interesting thing happens: the confrontation loses momentum. The buyer stops attacking, and the conversation naturally shifts toward a more productive discussion.
Remember, in sales, the burden of effective communication falls on you, not the buyer. It’s not their job to adjust to your communication style—it’s your job to adapt to theirs. Sometimes, that means leading by example and showing a more constructive way to handle disagreements.
Key Takeaways for Handling Buyer Objections
Don’t defend. Pushing back only escalates the conflict.
Take ownership. Acknowledge the buyer’s frustration and offer a solution.
Redirect the conversation. Once you take responsibility, shift the focus toward solving the problem.
Keep your ego out of the sales process. It’s about the buyer, not about being right.
By choosing to fall back instead of fighting back, you not only de-escalate conflict but also build trust with your prospects—setting the stage for a more positive and productive sales relationship.
Bonus: Take charge of your next sales meeting by asking the right questions. Download this complimentary Sandler resource.