Chapter 28. The art of using silence
We have seen that with each customer contact, there is a time for everything. There is a time to greet and a time to discover. There is a time to explain and a time to respond to questions that the customer might have.
There is also a time for silence. "Know how to listen and know that the silence produces the same effect as science," Napoleon said. The same applies to the silence in a sales situation.
Often, silence leaves a void that people fill with their conversation. This information can be very valuable for a Sales Ambassador. Interpreting the silence is important and being able to answer questions such as "Are there any other explanations I need to make?" or "Is there any doubt in the customer's mind?" If the answer is "No," then there is still time to stay in the silence.
Silence has an elegance to it, a moment of being present, perhaps giving the person time to think something through or to take the situation into consideration. The necessary information has been shared, and the Sales Ambassador leaves the silence there, undisturbed.
Silence cuts through the noise and chatter that increasingly surround us.
To help the sale, leave space for the silence.
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