By Brett Lyons
Silence is not something that salespeople like; when the phone doesn’t ring, when people don’t e-mail you back, silence is frustrating. However, in a meeting with a client, and especially at the end of the sales negotiationprocess, silence is your best accomplice.
Don’t splatter-gun your customer
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: listening is a skill that you must master. The ‘splatter gun’ technique (firing features, benefits and quotes at a customer before they’ve even had a chance to make their mind up) is a recipe for disaster.
Asking plenty of questions, and patiently waiting for the customer to respond is essential in finding a good, sustainable solution to fit the customer’s needs. Leave them to take their time, and make sure you respond to their answers with more questions that narrow down their options. Your silence gives them a chance to talk.
Keep your questions short and easy to understand, and don’t worry about re-phrasing them if the customer pauses to think before they answer, the customer understands and is running it through in their mind. Don’t rush them, because it will bring up defences.
Pausing for thought
The same applies to you. Take your time to run things through in your mind and ensure you don’t skip anything that could be crucial to securing the deal. Clarity of mind will guarantee you the right answers.
When asked a difficult question, world leaders used to pause to fill and light their pipe, buying them time to think about their answer. Another tactic is to either repeat the question back or say, ‘that’s a really good question’ and take a moment before answering.
The ticking clock
The crucial moment in a negotiation is when you’ve discussed the terms, conditions and fees of a product or service, and after handling objections, you finally ask the client whether they want to go ahead.
….and wait for their answer.
This is where you might find that absolute silence fills the meeting room. Sometimes this can last for a good few minutes. But, it can only become uncomfortable if you let it. So don’t. This silence is the client’s thinking space; you’ve put everything out on the table and whether they choose to take it or not is entirely down to them.
Don’t talk, don’t doubt yourself and rush in with a lower price offer, and don’t suddenly say, “I’ll give you a few days to have a think about it”. Once you’ve asked the question, the onus is on the client to break the silence. Many of us have been there, and some of us will have made these mistakes before; however, don’t try and put words into the client’s mouth.
It’s only awkward if you make it awkward. The more money involved, the longer the silence is likely to be. Counter-intuitively, keeping your mouth shut displays control over the situation. Quickly speaking again can be a sign that you are quick to make concessions. It’s worth the wait.
