If you’ve been selling long enough, you probably know all the objections customers will use to not see you or to not buy from you. But do you know how to respond to them?

Here are the five most common objections that customers use when prospecting, along with some advice about how to sell to them anyway.

1. “They’re not in the office” — Okay, this is probably not true, but we treat it that way. If this happens, find out the best time to call back — the important thing here is to create a sense of urgency when leaving your name and number. Talk to the assistant in a professional way that would make them think you are important.

2. “We can find it cheaper” — If you hear this, they’re just trying to get a lower price. Treat this response as if they really can find it cheaper; position your offering, and the privilege of working with your company, as a higher value than working with the competitor.

3. “We always get a discount” — This is hardly ever true. Again, they’re just trying to get you to lower your price, so don’t fall for it, and stand firm. They are testing you to see if they’ve gotten the “best deal.” If you drop your price, you’ll lose credibility and end up cutting a non-profitable deal.

4. “Send me some information to read” — In this case, they’re either trying to get rid of you, or they’re just being nice. Nobody really wants to read brochures, so stop depending on them. In some situations, you’ve got to have a brochure, or your firm doesn’t look serious, but that doesn’t mean that anybody will ever read them. You’ve got them on the phone, now tell them why they should do business with you.

5. “We can’t afford it now” — Unless they’re bankrupt, there’s money there — it may be in another budget, but it’s there. If you hear this, it means they haven’t been convinced that what you’re offering is important enough for them to spend the money. Find out what they’re budgeting their money on and why. Then, position your offering and the value it provides so that it becomes a higher priority than the budget items that are currently funded.

Your ability to respond to objections is inherently linked to your ability to make sales and earn commission. Practice responding to objections so you can handle them like a pro.