by Catherine Brown, President Initial Call

This week I read an article on the art of speaking well when selling. I thought I’d pass this along, as there are some helpful tips to keep in mind when selling in person. (See Marshall  W. Northcott's blog article, The Art of Conversation.)  The article made me think about the huge advantages that a person has when selling in person versus on the telephone. At Initial Call, we do almost all of our selling on the phone. When someone speaks on the phone, they are disadvantaged by not being able to watch body language; it is also easy to overlook or misinterpret the “tone.”

One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned in selling (and have to keep reminding myself!) is this:  it is okay to be quiet. When cold callers get nervous, they often fill in the gaps and jump in and speak before their prospect can speak. When soliciting an answer, wait a few seconds before answering. I’ve even been known to count to 10 in my head while waiting. This will seem like an eternity on the telephone when you are wondering if someone is going to hang up on you, but you will often have the opposite response that you expect. By giving the prospect an opportunity to think about your question or ask you a question, you will likely engage in a more productive conversation.