This past weekend I was going through my Twitter stream when I came across a great tweet from Carol Leaman, the former Postrank CEO and current 17Mussles CEO. “Never miss a chance to shut up.”

I find that the one thing sales professionals are perceived to be is talkers. The best sales reps are not great talkers but great listeners. As a sales rep, here are some examples of great times to just shut up.

Here is some advice for B2B sales reps:

At the Beginning of a Meeting

Especially when meeting a new contact or working on a new opportunity ask open ended questions and let the customer answer. A sales rep can then match up the needs of the prospect with the right solution.

Let the Customer/Prospect Finish Their Thought

Sometimes you have a great point or some feedback to make and you feel like you should interrupt. I suggest fighting the urge as the thing they might say next may be even better. There will be time in your meeting to provide your thoughts.

When Presenting, Stop Between Points or Slides

This is a great opportunity to solicit feedback and questions. It is sometimes intimidating to get feedback.

When Cold Calling

After relaying the value proposition or making a point don’t be afraid to embrace the silence. The prospect will often fill the silence with some feedback or information on your point.

If you listen more and talk less, your sales will actually increase because you will have a better understanding of your client and how you may help them. To receive help with your sales efforts, explore our Part-Time Sales solutions to determine how we could help your organization.