What to Say to "We Already Use a Competitor"
In short
- "We already use someone" is good news: they have the problem, the budget and a way to buy.
- Do not criticise the competitor. Ask what the buyer would change.
- Look for the gap between what they have and what they need now; needs move faster than contracts.
- If they are happy, ask to be the second call when something changes, and mean it.
When a prospect says "we already use a competitor", respond with curiosity instead of a comparison: ask what they like about it and what they would change. They have just told you they have the problem you solve, money allocated to it, and a process for buying. That is a better lead than most.
The first response
"That makes sense, they are a good company. I am not going to ask you to rip anything out. Can I ask: what do you like most about it, and if you could change one thing, what would it be?"
Three things happen. You are not attacking their decision, so they do not defend it. You learn what they value. And "one thing to change" nearly always has an answer.
Questions that open it up
- "How long have you been with them? What made you choose them at the time?"
- "Has anything changed in your business since then?"
- "What do you end up doing by hand or in a spreadsheet alongside it?"
- "When is the contract up, and how do you normally handle renewals?"
- "If you were choosing again today, what would matter most?"
What never to say
| Do not | Because | Instead |
|---|
| Criticise the competitor | You are criticising the buyer's own decision | Say what they are good at, then where you differ |
| Make claims about them you cannot prove | Buyers check, and a false claim ends the deal and can be unlawful | Describe your own product; ask them to compare |
| Lead with price | Switching costs more than the difference | Lead with the one thing they said they would change |
| Offer to match everything | It makes you a copy | Be clearly different on one thing that matters to them |
Find the gap
Suppliers are chosen for the needs of the day they were chosen. Companies change faster than contracts do: the team doubled, the buyer moved upmarket, a new channel opened. Your opening is the distance between what was bought and what is needed now. If there is no distance, there is no deal, and it is better to know.
Ways in that are not a full switch
- A side-by-side on one team or one use. Low risk for them, real evidence for you.
- The part the incumbent does not do. Many tools coexist.
- The renewal date. "May I get in touch two months before, so you have a real comparison?" Then do it.
When to walk away
If they are happy, just renewed, and cannot name anything to change, thank them and ask to be the second call if that changes. Chasing a satisfied customer of someone else wastes your month and their patience.
Have the facts ready
Competitor moments go wrong when the rep improvises. Write a short, fair battlecard for each competitor you meet often, and include where they are the better choice. The wider method is in how to handle sales objections.
With Crack Sales, a company's own competitor notes sit in its Sales Brain, and the relevant one appears on the rep's screen when the name comes up. A competitor claim has to be written by a person at the company; the software does not make one up. It is free to use and starts after a 15-minute intro call: book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
How do you respond when a prospect says they already have a vendor?
Acknowledge it and ask two questions: what they like most about the current supplier, and what one thing they would change. Their answer shows whether there is a real gap to discuss.
Should you criticise a competitor on a sales call?
No. Criticising the competitor criticises the buyer's past decision and invites them to defend it. Say what the competitor does well and where you are different.
When should you stop pursuing a prospect who uses a competitor?
When they are satisfied, have recently renewed and cannot name anything they would change. Ask permission to contact them before the next renewal and move on.
Try it on your own calls
Crack Sales is free to use on your own sales calls, and it starts after a 15-minute intro call. Book a demo.
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