No Budget Objection

"No budget" usually means one of four things:

1. They genuinely don't have allocated funds
2. They have budget but it's earmarked for something else
3. They don't see enough value to prioritise spend
4. It's a polite brush-off (not really about budget)

Your job: Figure out which one it is, then address accordingly.

• "Help me understand—is this a timing issue, or is outbound not a priority right now?"

  Separates budget from priority

• "If budget weren't a constraint, is this something you'd want to do?"

  Tests if budget is the real blocker

• "When you say no budget—is it that funds aren't allocated, or that the spend hasn't been justified yet?"

  Opens the door to ROI conversation

• "What would need to happen for budget to open up?"

  Gets specific on what they need to move forward

When they really don't have funds allocated:

"I understand—budgets are set for a reason. Here's what I'd suggest: let's use this time to build the business case so you're ready when budget opens up. If I could show you how this pays for itself in [timeframe], would that be worth exploring? That way, when you go for budget, you have the data to justify it."

Goal: Position as helping them build a case for future budget

When funds exist but are earmarked:

"That makes sense. Out of curiosity, what is budget allocated to right now? [Listen] Here's a thought: if we could show that this would actually amplify the ROI of [what they're spending on], would it be worth a conversation about reallocation? We've had clients shift budget from [X] to outbound because it drove better results."

Goal: Position as a better use of existing budget

When they don't see the ROI yet:

"That's fair—you shouldn't spend money if the value isn't clear. Let me ask: what would you need to see to justify this investment? [Listen] Here's what our clients typically see: [specific ROI]. If I could show you a path to [their goal], would that change the conversation?"

Goal: Shift from "no budget" to "show me the value"

When budget isn't the real issue:

"I appreciate you being direct. Can I ask—is budget truly the blocker, or is there something else that's giving you pause? I'd rather understand the real concern so I can either address it or get out of your way."

Goal: Surface the real objection so you can address it

"I get that—but let me reframe it: this isn't really a cost, it's a revenue investment. If we book 30 meetings that turn into [X pipeline], you're looking at [Y]x return. Most companies don't think of outbound as a line item—they think of it as a growth lever."

"I understand budget is tight. But let me ask: what's the cost of not solving this? If pipeline stays where it is, what happens to your targets? Sometimes the most expensive decision is doing nothing."

"I hear you on budget. What if we started smaller? A pilot program that's lower commitment but lets you see results before going bigger. That way you can prove it works before asking for more budget."

"Perfect—let's use the time between now and then wisely. If we start the discovery and planning now, we can hit the ground running as soon as budget opens. That way you're not waiting another month after Q[X] starts. Does it make sense to map out the plan now so you're ready to go?"

"Understood. Before I let you go—if you wait until next year, what happens to this year's targets? If there's any chance this could help hit your numbers this year, might it be worth at least exploring the options? Even a small start now could compound by Q4."