How to Respond to “Do You Have Customers Like Me?”: 3 Honest Answers
“Do you have customers like me?”
The buyer wants proof you've solved their problem for someone similar. Three ways to answer without faking case studies, even if you're just starting out.
Practice this objectionWhy buyers say it
This question is a shortcut to trust. The buyer doesn't have time to evaluate your gym management software feature by feature, so they ask whether someone like them has already bet on it. Underneath sits a plain fear: being the guinea pig. If you built the product recently, it's tempting to pad the customer list or say “tons of gyms.” People who've sold for a while know a small, specific truth holds up better than a big, vague claim, because the buyer will test it with two follow-up questions.
What it often means
- Fear of being the first one to try something unproven
- A wish to hear one concrete story instead of a feature list
- Sometimes just a polite way to end the call quickly
Three answers that work
Here's the straight answer: I work with [number] gyms, and the closest to yours is [a similar customer], who had the same mess with expiring memberships. Want me to walk you through what changed for them in two minutes, then you tell me if it sounds like you?
Why it works: One real case, told in detail, beats a list of ten names. Ending with a question hands control back to the buyer and turns a credibility check into a conversation.
I don't have a gym your size yet, and I'd rather tell you that up front. I do have [a similar customer] with the same sign-up flow. If it makes sense for you, we could run it on one real month and decide using your numbers instead of someone else's.
Why it works: Owning the gap before they find it builds trust. Moving the proof onto their own data removes the need for an identical customer.
Depends what “like me” means to you. What are the two or three things that make your gym different from the ones down the street? Then I can tell you honestly where I've done this before and where it'd be new for me too.
Why it works: The question breaks a vague judgment into concrete criteria. Often the buyer realizes on their own that the similarities that matter are already there.
Avoid this one
Oh yeah, tons of them, we work with gyms all over the country, you're in good hands.
Why not: If it isn't true, one follow-up question collapses it, and everything else you say goes down with it. If it is true, it's still too vague to reassure anyone.
Example dialogue
BuyerDo you have customers like me? Real gyms, I mean, not yoga studios.
YouYes, [a similar customer] in [city], weight room plus classes, same renewal headache you've got. Can I tell you how it went?
BuyerGo ahead.
YouThey used to send renewal reminders by hand and lose some. Now the system pings the member a week early and the front desk sees who hasn't replied. Who handles renewals at your place today?
BuyerMy wife, on Sunday nights.
YouThen that's exactly where I'd start. Want me to show it to you on one of your actual members?
Practice this objection
A simulated buyer says it to you out loud (or in writing), you answer, and you get a score plus the model answer. Free, no account, 2 minutes.
FAQ
What do I say if I don't have any customers yet?
Say so, plainly. Then move the conversation to their situation: offer a concrete trial, a clear length, and a way to decide together whether it worked. People who agree to be first usually do it because they value the honesty and want a product shaped around their specific problem.
Can I name a customer?
Only with their permission. Ask every happy customer whether you can mention them in sales conversations and write down the answer. If you don't have permission, describe the case anonymously but precisely: industry, size, the problem they started with, and what changed.
What if the buyer asks to talk directly to one of my customers?
It's a fair request and a good sign: they're evaluating seriously. Line up one or two people in advance who are willing to take a short call, and ask their okay every single time. If nobody is available, offer a trial on the buyer's own data instead.