You Have the Right to Remain Silent
We Are Scared of Silence
There is an unstated fear associated with silence because it is awkward. When silence builds, we often perceive a certain level of tension in the air. This tension can be nerve-racking to a salesperson who has not yet learned to appreciate the value of silence. As a result, a nervous salesperson will feel the need to fill the silence, and they will jump in and talk and talk and talk themselves out of the sales opportunity.
When a client raises a question or objection or doesn’t respond right away, we may feel it’s our job to say something more, to further explain the product or service offering. Often our mind leads us to believe objections are coming our way, so we try to pre-answer what hasn't actually occurred. So what is our actual responsibility? Certainly not to win an award for talking more and listening less.
Our goal is to make the sale, and learning to use the power of silence is a key step to accomplishing that goal consistently!
I Must Talk You Into the Sale
This is one of the great myths of the business of sales. Far too many sales professionals believe their job is to persuade or talk the potential customer into saying "yes." This flawed belief results in a pushy approach, which increases customer fear. A salesperson who talks too much oversells and makes customers uncomfortable.
In our Winning Words sales program, we acknowledge that establishing rapport and creating a narrative are important. However, we also recognize that salespeople too often make the mistake of saying too much. I’ve listened to salespeople fill every second of an encounter with meaningless talk, never giving the buyer a chance to commit. As your client begins to see value in your product and you move toward the close, silence can be far more powerful than talk. So telling yourself, "Shhhhhhh!" is a good strategy to adopt.
When Silence Works
1. In Reference to Objections
I have taught sales professionals all over the world to use silence as a tool when they receive an objection. It's human nature to immediately try to answer the objection. Silence is a much better tool when the objection surfaces. If you listen intently, remain silent, and show a state of anticipation as if you are waiting to hear more. Many times, the customer will actually keep talking, provide more information, or even answer their own concerns. Either way, it's a powerful winning strategy.
2. The Negotiation Process
This is simple and straightforward. When the customer makes an offer, just stay silent. In many cases, they will soften the concession they have requested. In the event you have presented an offer or counteroffer, let the silence build and work in your favor.
3. Closing Moments
We all know the golden adage in the business of sales, "When you ask a closing question, remain silent because the first to speak loses." I disagree with that last word because I don't believe this makes anyone lose. I believe the first one to listen wins. Provide the customer with the space they need to consider what you have proposed by remaining silent.
You Must Practice the Art of Silence
Three Strategies:
- Build silence into each presentation.
- Review the result and refine the approach on each subsequent presentation.
- Build time and distance between when your customer speaks and when you respond.
I hope you have found value in this article. Now go enjoy learning to be quiet. As you begin to apply silence into your presentations, it will be awkward at times and may not always work out the way you hoped. That's okay because if you stick to the plan, you will establish a silence strategy that will pay off for you long term.
Make a difference today.
By the way, If you're interested in learning more sales tips and word tracks that will help elevate your sales and income, check out The Vocabulary Vault. The Vocabulary Vault is my latest online course designed to help you:
- Overcome customer demands and objections
- Greet the customer warmly and professionally
- Develop relationship equity with the customer
- Fully understand the customer's needs and desires
- Successfully inform the “non-buyer”
- Conquer the “I'm Not Buying Today” objection
- Create a winning value proposition
- Establish a vocabulary of Winning Words to make you rich
- Learn about The “My” Grid that has been used by Fortune 500 companies worldwide
Forget about the days when you fumbled through objections, trying to haphazardly piece together a response to a customer. If you take this course, you will gain an immense confidence backed by a winning vocabulary to help you secure more sales.
Copyright 2018: Paul Cummings Enterprises.
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About the Author: For over 30 years, Paul Cummings has taught dynamic life-changing strategies on sales, customer service, communication, building a better business, and leadership. Millions have had the opportunity to learn what it means to live and work at Level 10.
Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram via @IAmPaulCummings
Web: www.paulcummings.com