Everyone knows a website is often the first point of contact with a potential client. Yet too few organizations design their sites to do one of the most important jobs they can perform: overcoming barriers to purchase.

In sectors with complex services and long sales cycles—like B2B and industrial—the barriers can be even higher. But a well-crafted website can reduce friction, build trust, and do a surprising amount of heavy lifting before your sales team ever enters the conversation.

The Five Standard Objections

In The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman identifies five objections common to almost every sales interaction:

1. It costs too much. Loss aversion makes people resist spending, even when value is clear.

2. It won’t work. Skepticism about whether the solution itself is effective.

3. It won’t work for me. Belief that their situation is too unique for your solution.

4. I can wait. Lack of urgency to solve the problem now.

5. It’s too difficult. Fear that the effort required is greater than the payoff.

These objections don’t disappear online. They simply go unaddressed unless your site proactively takes them on.

Turning Objections Into Design Opportunities

1. “It costs too much.”

Price objections can’t be eliminated, but they can be reframed. Use your site to clearly articulate value—why the benefit far outweighs the investment. Layer in case studies, ROI calculators, or comparisons that highlight efficiency and outcomes.

2 & 3. “It won’t work.” / “It won’t work for me.”

Both are best countered with social proof. Robert Cialdini defined this as our tendency to trust what others endorse. On your site, this can take many forms:

• Expert: Endorsements from respected figures in your field.

• User: Testimonials and case studies from clients.

• Wisdom of the crowd: Metrics that demonstrate adoption at scale.

• Certification: Industry accreditations that validate competence.

Every piece of credible evidence reduces skepticism and increases trust.

4 & 5. “I can wait.” / “It’s too difficult.”

These are addressed through education-based selling. Use your site as a platform for publishing content that reframes the problem, surfaces urgency, and demonstrates ease of adoption. Thought leadership, white papers, and how-to guides position you as a trusted advisor. When prospects are finally ready, you’ll be their first call.

Your Website as a Sales Tool

By addressing the five objections directly, your website shifts from being a digital brochure to being a dynamic sales asset. It does the early work of overcoming resistance, lowering barriers, and guiding prospects into conversations with your team already prepared to buy.

The goal isn’t simply to provide information. It’s to actively influence the decision-making process—creating a site that doesn’t just attract attention, but clears the path to conversion and long-term growth.