A few weeks ago I was going through my Twitter Stream and came across a great tweet from Carol Leaman the former Postrank CEO and current 17Mussles CEO.
"Great advice for sales reps RT @CarolLeaman: Never miss a good chance to shup up"
I find that one thing that sales profession is perceived to be is talkers. The best sales reps are not great talkers but great listeners. As a sales rep here are some examples of great times to just shut up.
At the beginning of a meeting: Especially when meeting a new contact or working on a new opportunity ask open ended questions and let the customer answer. A sales rep can then match up the needs often the prospect with the right solution.
Let the customer/prospect finish their thought: Sometimes you have a great point or some feedback to make and you feel like you should interrupt. I suggest fighting the urge as the thing they might say next may be even better. There will be time
When presenting stop between points or slides: This is a great opportunity to solicit feedback and questions. It is sometimes intimidating to get feedback.
When cold calling: After relaying the value prop or making a point don’t be afraid to embrace the silence. The prospect will often fill the silence with some feedback or information on your point.
If you listen more and talk less, your sales will actually increase because you will have a better understanding of your client and how you may help them. For more information about Venture Accelerator Partners, please visit our website and contact one of our team members for more information on sales, marketing and social media.