Please learn to shut up

I tell my sales team this and you should, too.

You may have seen sales calls go something like this:

Seller: “Thanks for taking the time to talk with me today.”

Buyer: “No problem. I’m really looking forward to…..”

Seller: “So what I thought I’d do today is tell you a little about our company and how cool we are. How our product is unlike any you’ve ever seen and how it’ll solve all your problems. This demo I’m opening up right now is a great place to start. Sound good?”

No. Nein. Não. It doesn’t “sound good” skippy. This is a very bad approach to a first date in your love life. It’s no different in the business world.

Sit on your hands and shut up. Let the buyer talk and tell you their problems. Be like a doctor. Ask lots of questions so that you can diagnose, give a good prognosis and prescribe a solution.

“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” -Francis Bacon