Many people have an issue with silence.

It plays out in sales conversations where one of the biggest mistakes that I see people constantly make is they ask a question, and rather than waiting for an answer, talk about the next thing before the other person has had a chance to actually respond.

For these people, I have one critical piece of advice. Get comfortable with silence.

Once you’ve asked a question, shut up and wait for a response. How long? Till they answer.

In sales trainings I often give the example of where I waited for almost 30 minutes while a chap processed the question. Just sat there and smiled. Bit my tongue until it bled.

Until he answered. And yes, I got the deal.

So next time you ask a question, see how long you can wait in silence. You’ll be positively surprised with the result.

Till next time, this is Rashid Kotwal. Happy selling.

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