First of all, “I’m too busy” is not an objection. When a prospect/customer says “They’re too busy” they simply mean that you are not a priority. And you know what? They probably are busy—especially the construction industry.

Summer is here, and if you call on construction companies, you are now heading into their busiest season. So, how do you handle “I’m too busy?”

Here are some suggestions:

  1. Acknowledge that they’re busy. After all, your number 1 goal is to get an appointment.
  2. Respect your customer’s time (and yours).
  3. Plan your sales pipeline. Know the months when you’re historically slow and plan accordingly. By the way, your company should not only understand their sales cycle, but they should also support you during these slow times.
  4. Does your product or service make one’s job easier? If so, highlight or promote those features to your customers. The work smarter not harder approach.
  5. And finally, understand the WHY? What’s your purpose? People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.

How to Handle I’m Too Busy

The answer is NOT making more cold calls. Increasing your activity will NOT get you in front of more customers. It’s not a numbers game. Sales is no longer a game of checkers. It’s a game of chess. So what can you do? Change your approach.

When a customer says “They’re too busy” they simply mean that you are not a priority.

Your customers are busy. Respect each other’s time. Plan accordingly for the year for the slow months. Take advantage during the months when customers aren’t so “busy.” By making this adjustment, you can sell more to make up for the slow months.

Remember, people in your life will make time for you if they really want to. If you’re in sales today, you need to give customers a reason WHY they need to meet with you.

So in conclusion, people will buy if they believe what you believe. Focus on the Why instead of the What.


Greg Hahn

Greg Hahn is known for entrepreneurial vision and translating vision into revenue generation and productivity, thriving in a diverse and fast-paced executive environment. Throughout his sales management career, he has led several sales teams toward positive growth. His most recent accomplishment was with The Blue Book Network. In just two years, he was able to reverse an under performing region to one of the top regions in the company in 2015. Greg specializes in online marketing including website consulting, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and social media marketing.