What it usually means
Real work in progress, or a way to buy time while they decide.
What to say
That's a smart thing to try. Where are you with it, and what part has taken the most time or been hardest to get right?
Replace anything in brackets with your own words before you say it.
Why it works
Crediting the effort lowers their guard. Asking what's been hardest shows how far along they really are, and where help would actually land.
Other ways prospects say it
- “We're building our own.”
- “Our engineers are working on it.”
- “We're doing it in house with AI.”
Same reflex, same response. Type any version into the Objection Lookup to check.
If they push back again
If they're committed to building, ask whether you can check in when they hit the hardest part. Builders often call back when the project stalls.
The pattern behind every objection
Acknowledge it with something short and human, ask one question about what sits behind it, then propose a small next step with two options, or exit cleanly. Handle each objection once, never argue it, and log every one so you can see where your message or your list is weak.