{"id":791,"slug":"gc-objection-handling-evidence-backed","title":"GC objection-handling map — six common objections and evidence-backed responses","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","candid-team"],"topics":["agency-methodology","b2b-buying","gc-vertical"],"reference_body":"**Six recurring GC sales objections with evidence-backed counters:**\n\n- *\"My referrals are enough.\"* — True at present; not true through a downturn or a key referrer's retirement. Counter: \"Referrals are 65% of new business in this industry. The other 35% has to come from somewhere. Where does it come from for you right now?\" See [[gc-referral-dependence-65pct-feast-or-famine]].\n- *\"I tried an agency and got burned.\"* — Likely true; SEO snake-oil patterns are well documented (Breakthrough Academy \"Contractor Evolution\" has a recurring episode \"How to Not Get Screwed by SEO Agencies\"). Counter: the audit is the proof — \"$1,250, about a week, fixed scope, and one-in-three audits we tell people not to migrate.\" See [[rule-lead-with-paid-migration-audit]].\n- *\"I don't have time to look at proofs.\"* — Operations dominate calendar. Counter: productize. Audit deliverable is a 12-page PDF + 30-minute walkthrough. Fits between two site visits.\n- *\"Just give me leads.\"* — Directory-platform mindset. Counter: \"Leads are rented. A site that ranks for 'custom home builder Waterloo' is owned.\" Show the Angi data ([[angi-sec-revenue-decline-2022-2024]], [[angi-cost-per-customer-2500-plus]]).\n- *\"We don't have the budget.\"* — Often true, sometimes a stall. Counter: audit is $1,250 — under 0.05% of a $3M GC's annual revenue. Frame as strategy fee, not build fee.\n- *\"I'll talk to my wife/business partner.\"* — Buying group, not stall (see [[gc-buying-group-composition-by-tier]]). Send audit scope + pricing in writing same day so the second decision-maker sees the document, not a recap.\n\n**Confidence:** Single-source (Candid synthesis). Use to prep calls; not all objections appear on every call.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"gc-referral-dependence-65pct-feast-or-famine","title":"GCs do not have a lead problem — they have a referral-dependence problem (the 65% comfort and trap)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"directories-rent-the-customer-relationship","title":"Directory platforms (Angi, HomeStars, Houzz) rent the customer relationship — the cleanest \"rented vs. owned\" pitch","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"angi-sec-revenue-decline-2022-2024","title":"Angi (NASDAQ: ANGI) revenue: $1.76B (2022, +9%), $1.36B (2023, -23.0%), $1.19B (2024, -12.8%) per SEC filings","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"angi-cost-per-customer-2500-plus","title":"Contractor cost per booked customer through Angi can exceed $2,500 (Contractor Marketing Pros)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"gc-buying-group-composition-by-tier","title":"GC buying-group composition by revenue tier (Candid synthesis for SMB application of [[forrester-state-business-buying-2026-13-and-9]])","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"rule-lead-with-paid-migration-audit","title":"RULE: Lead WordPress migration sales with a $1,250 fixed-price Migration Audit. Quote the build fixed-price only after the audit completes.","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}],"incoming":[]},"created_at":"2026-05-23T21:58:32.640Z","updated_at":"2026-05-23T21:58:32.640Z"}