Sure, you may know quite a bit more than your customer, but if you don’t learn to pause at the right time, you may lose the sale.
The typical salesperson thinks they know everything, and many times they do know quite a bit more than the customer.
Just because this might be true doesn’t give the saleseperson the right to assume the sales call is their time to play “conquer the enemy.”
On every sales call there is always a rhythm, and typically the salesperson’s rhythm is faster than the customer’s. What this does is get the customer to believe the salesperson doesn’t value what it is they have to say.
One of the most effective ways to slow your rhythm and allow the customer to have input is by pausing. Don’t think for a moment that every second of a call must be filled with your voice.
After the customer gets done saying something, pause, wait, and restrain yourself from jumping in to talk. By pausing and allowing a second or two to pass before talking, you give the customer the sense you’re listening, as well as processing what you’re going to say next.
This makes the value of what you say seem that much more important.
Another great benefit about pausing after the customer speaks before saying anything is oftentimes the customer will start talking some more. In my book, that’s beautiful. The customer is talking and you didn’t even have to ask a question.
Pausing is also a powerful tool when we are communicating something of importance. As I mentioned earlier, it gives the impression of increased importance in what we are saying. This means that when you pause anytime you share a key piece of information or answer an objection,your response will seem more credible because of the pause.
The pause is of particular importance when you are sharing the price. A slight pause before you state the price and an even longer pause after are critical. I say a longer pause after you state your price because your objective is to ensure the customer speaks first after you’ve shared the price.
The power of the pause. Try it on your next call.
Yes, it can feel uncomfortable at first, but after you master the technique, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable, thanks to the additional sales you’re closing.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
What do you do when you are in the rhythm of the sale, the customer asks a question about the product, and after you give them an answer that is not ideal, they just say “Ok. *pause*”. It totally brings the conversation to a halt. I am left with moving on to the next subject knowing the customer is unhappy and the sale is most likely dead, or digging into the subject deeper, which in most cases further destroys the sale. For reference, health insurance telemarketing.