Practical Sales Training™ > How To Convert > Excuse Suggestion
Excuse Suggestion
“Let me think about it.” Every salesperson hears this. And most know it doesn’t mean what it says. It means something is wrong – but the buyer doesn’t want to say what.
Pushing harder rarely helps. Asking “why?” directly can feel confrontational. So the real objection stays hidden, the conversation ends politely, and the deal quietly dies.
Excuse Suggestion is a way to break that pattern. Instead of forcing the buyer to admit the issue, you gently offer them a possible reason – one that feels safe to confirm. And when people feel safe, they tell you the truth.
What Is Excuse Suggestion?
Excuse Suggestion is a technique where you offer a possible explanation for a buyer’s hesitation so they feel comfortable revealing the real reason. Instead of asking them to state the issue directly, you suggest a plausible excuse first.
For example: “Sometimes when people hesitate at this stage it’s because they’re comparing a couple of options, or they’re not sure about timing. Is it something like that?”
By naming a possible reason yourself, you remove the social pressure of the buyer having to say it. This makes it easier for them to confirm what’s really going on. People often avoid stating objections directly because they don’t want to seem difficult or rude. Excuse Suggestion lowers that barrier and gives the buyer permission to be honest.
Why Does Excuse Suggestion Work?
Psychological research shows that people are more willing to admit hesitation when a socially safe explanation is offered first. Studies in communication psychology found that providing a “face-saving” explanation allows people to respond more honestly – because it removes the risk of embarrassment or confrontation.
Source: Brown & Levinson Politeness Theory
In practice, buyers soften their real concerns with vague responses like “let me think about it” or “we’ll come back to this.” These rarely explain the actual issue. However, when you name a plausible reason for them, one of two things happens. They confirm it – and you now know the real objection. Or they correct you – and in doing so, reveal what’s actually going on. Either way, the conversation moves forward.
How Can You Use Excuse Suggestion In Sales?
It works best when the buyer seems hesitant but hasn’t explained why. The key is to suggest the excuse in a calm, neutral way – not as a challenge, but as a genuine attempt to understand.
When a buyer says “let me think about it”
Instead of accepting this and ending the conversation, suggest a possible reason. For example: “Sometimes when people say that it’s because they want to compare a couple of options first. Is that what’s happening here?” This gives the buyer an easy way to confirm the real situation – without feeling put on the spot.
When a deal stalls unexpectedly
If a conversation started well but has gone quiet, Excuse Suggestion can reopen it. For example: “Sometimes when conversations pause like this it’s because the internal approval process is more complicated than expected.” This signals that hesitation is normal. As a result, it removes pressure and makes it easier for the buyer to explain what’s really holding things up.
When buyers seem uncomfortable raising objections
Many buyers avoid discussing price, risk, or internal politics directly. Excuse Suggestion gives them a way in. For example: “Occasionally people worry about how their team will react to a change like this.” If that concern exists, the buyer will usually acknowledge it. And that acknowledgement is often all you need to have a productive conversation.
When you sense hesitation but can’t see the reason
Salespeople often pick up on hesitation before it’s spoken – a pause, a shift in tone, a vague answer. Excuse Suggestion lets you explore that without being confrontational. For example: “Sometimes at this point people are unsure whether this will deliver the result they need.” That one sentence opens a door. The buyer can walk through it at their own pace.
When Excuse Suggestion Works Best
It works best in consultative sales where the relationship matters and where trust is already forming. Because the technique relies on the buyer feeling safe – and that safety comes from the tone and intent behind the suggestion, not just the words.
It’s also most useful when the real objection is something the buyer finds hard to say out loud. Price is a common one. So is internal politics – where the buyer wants to move forward but knows they’ll face pushback from someone else. In these cases, naming the possible concern takes the weight off the buyer and puts the conversation on more honest ground.
When Excuse Suggestion Becomes Dangerous
It fails when the tone is wrong. If the suggested excuse sounds leading, dismissive, or like a trap, the buyer will shut down rather than open up. So the suggestion needs to feel genuinely curious – not like a closing technique in disguise.
It also doesn’t work well early in a conversation before rapport is established. Because trust is what makes the buyer feel safe enough to confirm the real issue. Without it, even a well-framed suggestion will get a polite deflection rather than an honest answer.
Similarly, avoid suggesting excuses that could feel insulting. Implying the buyer hasn’t got budget, for example, can feel presumptuous. Therefore, lean toward neutral, process-based reasons – timing, internal process, comparing options – rather than anything that touches on competence or resources.
Common Excuse Suggestion Mistakes
Suggesting only one excuse
Offering a single reason can feel like a guess – and if it’s wrong, it creates an awkward pause. So give two or three plausible options in the same sentence. For example: “Sometimes it’s timing, sometimes it’s about comparing options, sometimes it’s an internal process thing.” That range makes it easier for the buyer to find themselves in at least one of them.
Using it as a closing technique
Excuse Suggestion is a listening tool, not a pressure tool. However, some salespeople use it to steer the buyer toward a particular answer – which the buyer usually senses. As a result, the technique backfires and trust drops. Use it to understand, not to manoeuvre.
Not pausing after the suggestion
After you offer the excuse, stop talking. The pause is where the buyer decides whether to open up. If you fill it with more words, you break the moment and lose the answer. So ask the question, make the suggestion, and wait. Silence feels uncomfortable to the seller – but it’s doing important work.
Ignoring the answer when it comes
When the buyer confirms or corrects the suggested excuse, that’s the real objection surfacing. But some salespeople move past it too quickly – back into pitch mode instead of staying with what the buyer just said. Therefore, when the real concern appears, slow down and address it directly. That moment is the reason you used the technique in the first place.
Excuse Suggestion – An Example
A software salesperson has had two good calls with a prospect. The third call ends with: “It all sounds great – let me have a think and come back to you.”
Instead of saying “of course, take your time”, the salesperson replies: “Totally understand. Sometimes when people pause at this point it’s because they’re weighing it up against another option, or they’re not sure how to get internal sign-off. Is it something like that?”
The buyer pauses. Then says: “Honestly, yes – I need to get our IT lead involved and I’m not sure how he’ll feel about the integration.”
That’s the real objection. And now it can be addressed. The salesperson offers to join a short call with the IT lead to walk through the technical side. The deal moves forward.
Without Excuse Suggestion, the conversation would have ended politely and stalled indefinitely. One well-framed sentence changed the outcome – because it gave the buyer a safe way to tell the truth.
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