Objection handling

Handling the "How Long Will This Take?" Objection

This is a qualified yes — they'll engage if the cost in time is small and defined. Give an exact number, then honor it religiously, and you've won a real conversation.

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"How long will this take?"

Why prospects say it

Unlike a flat rejection, this signals conditional willingness: they're weighing whether the time investment is worth it. Vague answers ('just a few minutes') break trust the moment you overrun. A specific, short commitment that you then respect exactly is disarmingly rare on cold calls and buys you more attention than you asked for.

How to handle it

Give a precise, short number — not 'a few minutes,' an actual figure.
Make the number small enough to feel safe (30 seconds, two minutes).
Immediately deliver value inside that window; don't waste it on preamble.
Honor the limit exactly — offer to stop when you said you would.
Earn any extra time by asking permission, not by quietly overrunning.

What you can actually say

Two minutes, and I mean two — I'll watch the clock so you don't have to. That fair?

Honestly? 30 seconds to know if it's even relevant, then you decide if it's worth more. Deal?

Less time than it took to ask. Give me 90 seconds and I'll get straight to the point.

I said two minutes and we're at two — want me to stop here, or is this worth a few more?

What to avoid

Don't say "just a couple minutes" and then ramble past it — blowing the time you promised destroys trust for the whole call.

How Tepio helps with this one

Tepio's brief lets you get to the point fast because you already know their context, so a two-minute promise is one you can actually keep.

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