Practical Sales Training™ > How People Work > The “nice to have” objection
The “Nice To Have” Objection
People are kind. That kindness can cost you a sale without you noticing.
A buyer smiles and says nice things. So you assume interest. But polite noise isn’t the same as real demand.
What Is It
The nice to have objection happens when people speak kindly but never actually buy. So their support sounds real, but it isn’t backed by money.
This shows up often in the UK. Since politeness runs deep, people would rather encourage you than say no outright.
Why Does It Work
If someone needs your offering but isn’t buying, something’s missing. So kind words are covering for a gap in perceived value.
Maybe you need a clearer QER. Or maybe you’re not selling the destination properly.
Perhaps they don’t understand what happens if they don’t buy. Since the cost of inaction isn’t clear, there’s no real urgency to act.
How Can You Use It
When you share an idea, people default to encouragement. So kindness gets mistaken for genuine belief.
The only real test is money. Ask for a deposit, not an opinion.
“Here’s my idea, I’m taking deposits” beats “what do you think” every time. Since one asks for commitment, the other only asks for a compliment.
When It Works Best
This shows up most when you ask friends, family or your professional network. So the people closest to you have the strongest reason to be encouraging.
It also appears with early stage ideas, before anything real exists to judge. Since there’s nothing concrete yet, kindness fills the gap where feedback should be.
When It Becomes Dangerous
It becomes dangerous the moment you invest based on that encouragement. So money and time go into something validated only by politeness.
It also costs you time you can’t easily recover. Since building first and testing demand later gets the order backwards.
Common Mistakes
Trusting Enthusiasm Over Financial Commitment
Some people trust enthusiasm over financial commitment. So a warm reaction gets treated as proof, when only payment actually proves it.
Only Asking People Who Already Like You
Some only ask people who already like them. So they’re testing a biased sample before a single answer comes back.
Waiting Too Long To Ask For Money
Some wait too long before asking for money. So by the time the real test happens, too much has already been built.
The “Nice To Have” Objection – An Example
Hypothetical Example
An entrepreneur builds a new project management app and shares the idea with friends and contacts.
Everyone says something encouraging.
“That’s a brilliant idea!”
“I can totally see people using this.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing, good luck!”
Encouraged by all the positive feedback, the entrepreneur invests heavily in building the app. Only to discover that none of those “supporters” actually want to pay.
To avoid this, the entrepreneur changes their approach.
Instead of asking, “What do you think?” they now ask something different.
“Would you like to pre-order the app at a founder’s discount?”
This instantly filters real interest from polite compliments. It helps them validate demand before investing too much.
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