Something I’ve spoken about frequently in my newsletter is that talking too much in sales is not a good idea.
Because if you’re doing all the talking:
- You might be sharing insight…
- You might be giving value…
- You might even be building rapport…
But you’re not creating space for the prospect to speak.
And that is where the selling happens.
One of the most powerful tools in sales is the ‘pause.’
When you say what you have to, and pause rather than rambling on, your prospect now feels the urge to break the silence, and they can do this by either replying with a question, or a statement, where they agree with you, or admit to something they may be wanting to do better or improve on.
Let’s have a look at why this is the case:
Silence is uncomfortable
We hate silence because it feels like a void we need to fill.
It feels awkward. Exposed. Like we’re not in control.
But for sales, this makes it a little bit of a hidden power. Because the real power in a sales conversation is often found in what you don’t say.
What pausing really does is, it gives your buyer time to think.
Time to reflect.
Time to feel the emotional weight of the decision.
And as I mentioned earlier, because silence is uncomfortable, it creates the urge on your prospect’s side for them to speak.
But most importantly…
It gives your prospect time to respond in a way that tells you exactly where they are.
And once you meet your prospect where they are, selling becomes a lot easier!
As a matter of fact, some of the best closes I’ve ever had didn’t come after pitching.
They were built up through good questions and pauses after those questions.
Here’s how to use the pause
Ask good questions (that show you were listening to your
prospect) and pause after asking those questions. For example;
- After a discovery question: “What’s stopping your team from
- hitting your targets right now?” – then pause.
- After delivering your offer: “Here’s what I’d recommend…” – then pause.
- After stating your price: “It’s going to be an investment of…” – then pause.
- After asking for the business: “Shall we get started next week?” – pause. Let them answer.
The pause gives space for them to speak.
It signals confidence.
And it helps them sell themselves on the decision.
To reiterate: When you talk too much…
- You dilute your impact
- You rush the prospects thought process
- You lose your prospect because you’re likely just info dumping
- And this all results in you, ironically talking yourself out of the deal
There’s no shame in this, though. We’ve all done it.
You say, “So we can get started next week…” and then instead of waiting, you add,
“…or we could push it to next month if that’s easier… or maybe we do a discount for Q3…”
Stop.
Let the silence sit.
Let the buyer process.
Let them respond.
This week’s challenge for you:
On your next three calls or meetings, ask a key question, then pause.
It’ll feel unnatural, but that’s where growth happens. Remember,
you must be willing to get uncomfortable if you want to grow.
So, if you want to close more deals without being pushy, learn to embrace the silence.
Keep pausing, and keep closing,
