SD-301k · Module 2

Timing and Authority Frameworks

3 min read

Timing objections are urgency failures. The prospect does not disagree with the value — they disagree with the urgency. The response framework connects the delay to a measurable cost. "Every quarter this is delayed, the pipeline efficiency gap costs approximately $120K based on the numbers you shared. What changes in Q3 that makes this more urgent than it is today?" The prospect either identifies a future trigger — which gives you a calendar hold — or realizes the cost of waiting, which creates urgency now. Either outcome advances the deal.

Authority objections are access failures. "I need to check with my boss" means you are not talking to the decision-maker. The response framework creates the bridge: "That makes sense — this is a significant decision. What would be most helpful: if I prepare a brief for your conversation with [boss], or would it be useful for me to join that conversation to answer technical questions directly?" Both options advance the deal. The first arms the champion. The second expands access. Letting the prospect take your pitch to their boss unaided is the outcome you are avoiding — that is where deals go to die.

Do This

  • Connect timing delays to quantified cost — make the cost of waiting concrete
  • Offer to support the champion's conversation with the authority — a brief, a one-pager, or a joint meeting
  • Accept the timing or authority objection gracefully if it is genuine — push too hard and you lose the relationship

Avoid This

  • Accept "not the right time" without exploring what would make it the right time
  • Dismiss the authority objection — the prospect is telling you the decision process, not rejecting you
  • Try to close with someone who cannot sign — invest the energy in reaching the person who can