How to handle “it’s not a priority right now”: what the prospect really means, how to recognise it, and replies that work, from Merdial’s built-in sales canon.
SEBy Samir El Barbary, Founder, Merdial·Updated
The short answer
“It’s not a priority” usually means: they accept the problem and the fit, but it ranks below other things competing for the same attention. A reply that works: “You mentioned the team loses time on admin. Roughly how many hours a week does that eat per rep?”
What it really means
They accept the problem and the fit, but it ranks below other things competing for the same attention.
How to recognise it
What they say: "it's on the list", "not a top priority", "we have bigger fish to fry", "nice to have".
Most likely
after discovery showed some pain but no urgency; when impact is unknown; mid-to-late in a meeting.
Unlikely
in the first seconds of a cold call; when a compelling event was already stated.
Replies that work
Quantify the pain
Put a number on the problem they already admitted, so the value has something to be weighed against.
Go back to a pain they named, in their words.
Ask what it costs; time, deals, money, people; per week or month.
Let them do the math out loud.
Say it like this
“You mentioned the team loses time on admin. Roughly how many hours a week does that eat per rep?”
“When that happens, what does it cost you, a deal a month, more?”
Avoid
Inventing the number for them.
Quantifying a pain they never admitted.
Moving to price before the number lands.
Cost of doing nothing
Make the status quo a choice with a price; waiting is also a decision.
Accept the priority call.
Ask what happens if nothing changes over the next few months.
Let the answer create the urgency; do not supply it.
Say it like this
“Totally fair. If nothing changes here over the next six months, what does that mean for the team?”
“Makes sense. What's it costing you to leave it as it is until then?”
Avoid
Fear tactics or invented deadlines.
Telling them their priorities are wrong.
Clarify the concern
Get them to name the real reason; you cannot handle what you cannot see, and a considered objection always has a specific reason under it.
Acknowledge without agreeing.
Ask what specifically is behind it, using their own words.
Stop talking and let them answer fully.
Say it like this
“Understood. What specifically is making you feel it isn't worth pursuing?”
“That's fair. When you say it's not a fit, is it the price, the timing, or something about how it would work for you?”
“Help me understand, what would need to be true for this to be worth a look?”
Avoid
Answering an objection you have not diagnosed.
Handling a considered objection like a reflex; it reads as not listening.
Filling their silence.
How Merdial helps on a live call
In Merdial, your team reviews a reply for each challenge like this one, in your own voice. When a prospect says it on a call, real-time AI assist recognises it and puts that reply on the rep’s screen about a second later; the rep decides whether to use it. Each challenge carries competing versions, and they are tested on real calls, so the reply that actually moves calls forward is the one shown most.
Get these replies on screen during your own calls: $0, one seat, no card.
What does “It’s not a priority” mean on a sales call?
They accept the problem and the fit, but it ranks below other things competing for the same attention.
What should I say when a prospect says “It’s not a priority”?
Try this: “You mentioned the team loses time on admin. Roughly how many hours a week does that eat per rep?” It works because it follows the move “Quantify the pain”: put a number on the problem they already admitted, so the value has something to be weighed against.
How do I know it is really “It’s not a priority”?
Listen for "it's on the list", "not a top priority", "we have bigger fish to fry", "nice to have". It is most likely after discovery showed some pain but no urgency; when impact is unknown; mid-to-late in a meeting.
