There is an old expression you can tell a sales rep is lying because their lips are moving. While I don't agree reps lying, I will agree moving lips are not a sign of effectiveness. In fact, the less a rep can move their lips, the better position they'll be in. This brings me to two of my favorite skills in a sales tool belt.
1) Silence is one of the most unnatural to master yet yields the most results. Many of us, regardless of making a sale, feel the need to fill in the awkward moments of silence. In sales the knee jerk reaction is amplified. Reps tend to fill in the space with useless information that could risk the deal or completely talk a prospect out of a sale.
Be comfortable with silence and learn to embrace it. Sometimes it can be gut-wrenching and the sound of silence can be deafening. Get over it and get comfortable with the mute button. Once a rep can embrace silence, it's a waiting game. The prospect also feels the knee jerk reaction to fill in the silence. If a rep can be patient, the prospect's need to fill in the silence will take over. What the prospect will divulge during the "filler" time is MUCH more interesting and valuable than anything a rep has to say. Silence is a huge advantage in a sale. While it takes practice and patience, the sound of silence will be welcomed technique.
2) Ask questions. When a rep is telling a prospect something or making a pitch it gives the prospect time to think of objections, check their email, hit mute, talk to their colleagues, day dream, etc.
Instead of making a statement, pose it as a question. This does 3 things. First, it minimizes the amount of talking from a rep. Second, it keeps the prospect engaged and they need to think of an answer to the question asked opposed to thinking of objections, checking email, miming comments, etc. Third, it forces them to come to the conclusion on their own. It might also uncover a piece of information that would have otherwise never been discovered.
Here is an example:
Statement "We have a tool that tells you the best time to post a blog article".
Question "When do you think is the best time to post a blog article?" Even if one elicits the answer "I don't know" it still engages the prospect and divulges the prospect might need help.
What do silence and asking questions have in common? They both minimize the amount of talking one does during a sale. The less one talks in a sale the more effective you are. In other words, less is more. Stop talking and start listening!
