I come from a big, loud family, so quiet isn’t in our vocabulary. Long pauses are non-existent too. So when I jumped into the business world I figured out quickly that if I were going to succeed in sales, I’d have to learn to be quiet.

To some, being quiet is a learned skill.

When you’re selling, the natural tendency is to go on and on about the virtues of your product or service, dazzle a prospect with your knowledge and close the sale. A prospect may start out interested in your sales pitch, but if you do all of the talking, don’t be surprised if they shut down as their eyes glaze over.

Listen twice as much as you talk and fight the urge to interject a point when a client is talking. Otherwise you may miss a key point and risk losing the rapport you’ve built with that person.

My good friend, Becky Oliver, is an investigative reporter for Fox News and a master at asking questions, pausing, and waiting for the person she’s interviewing to answer. She’s also good at making her interview subjects sweat. When you ask a prospect or client a question, do the same thing without making them sweat. After they respond, wait another few seconds to see if they have anything else to say.

By asking a question, and patiently waiting for the answer, you’ll uncover valuable information. Your clients will appreciate your sales technique and will show it through their orders or by using your services.