Stop, Pause and Listen

SalesManUp


Stop, Pause and Listen




“ There isn't much I have to say, that I wouldn't rather just shut up and do. “ - Ani DiFranco


Alan Dershowitz once said that , “ a good lawyer knows how to shut up when he’s won the case.” I believe the same is true with a good sales professional. Alex Trebek added to this thought in stating, “ It’s very important in life to know when to shut up. You should not be afraid of silence.”  I think Alex nailed it.  Sometimes we keep talking out of nervousness or fear. Salespeople become afraid that if we are not controlling the conversation, then somehow, we may lose the opportunity, right ? Thus the term, “ fast talking salesman “ comes into play.


One of the most basic rules of good sales is learning not to “ show up and throw up “. Blah …. All over the customer! I cannot overemphasize the importance of learning to listen to our clients. Only by listening, do we discover someone's core needs and problems. As we drill down deeper into the sales presentation, we learn that it is similar to reading a piece of music with very specific notes and rests ; understanding that the rests within music give emphasis to the song. The rest beats make the balance of the music pop. Likewise, it is the times that we ask questions and stop , pause, and listen ; that give emphasis to our sales story, and show empathy towards our client. We pause when we ask the prospective client questions about their business and their challenges. We pause to allow them to respond to our features and benefits. And we pause after we ask them closing questions. Some salespeople just keep talking and pushing through the process like a bull in a china shop. It would be like a man asking a woman for her hand in marriage, and not giving her a chance to respond ; but immediately jumping into a  diatribe about where he wants them to live, how many kids they should have, what schools their kids should go to, ad nauseum. Do you think there’s a chance that she might not say “yes” ? Have you ever seen someone literally talk themselves OUT of a sale because they didn’t know when to stop ?


A wise rabbi once told me that “ the best time to stop speaking is when people don’t want you to.” Once someone’s brain switches off, you’ve lost them ; and you see that glazed over look in their eyes that screams, “ Help ! I need a shot of caffeine !“ It's too late at this point !  Have you ever endured a Powerpoint presentation where the speaker feels it is their corporate mandate, to read every single word of every single bullet point ? Snore ! By the time they get to the end of the presentation and they ask for questions, the audience looks more like a recovery group for insomnia. Rarely will anyone ask any questions at this juncture, because they are all feeling like kids cooped up on a long ride  in a school bus , wanting to be set free ! Usually, more information is not better; it’s just more information. Why drop the entire military into the confluct when a small group of special forces can get the job done? In other words, smaller statements and certain strategically placed power questions, can actually lead to better results, than hours of extemporaneous product babel.


I have seen sales people, or even managers , become upset when prospective clients interrupted their presentations. Don't be ! If we are interrupted, it means the client is actually listening and is thinking about what we are saying. Roll with it. Allow guided conversation to spontaneously take place. As long as it has to do with solving the customer’s problems with your product or service, who cares ? So you don’t cover every slide of your beloved powerpoint. Is it really a big deal ? Stay in the moment with the client. Some interaction is better than dead silence, believe me. I conducted a luncheon presentation for a company one afternoon, and it became very obvious that the group was present for the free food and the continuing education. I could’ve turned the lights off and let them nap, and they would’ve extracted as much out of my presentation. I find this  situation is very rare. I recently participated in a presentation that we had to skip over parts of the course, because the architects were so engaged with the subject material. They actually started applying our information to their current projects, and we let them !


Don’t be afraid of silence. Don’t be afraid to ask good questions, then shut up and listen. The client could end up saying “ I do “ , and a new relationship could begin.




“ Till I was 13, I thought my name was ‘Shut Up.’ “ - Joe Namath