The best things I learned in training: Golden Silence

You've heard the phrase to "have second thoughts" and that those thoughts are more considered?

You can get a client to share those thoughts by practicing golden silence: Here's how

1. ask a question

2. allow the client to answer

3. when they have answered, stay quiet, stay focused on the client and count to 10

4. listen to the client‘s second answer

And that is where the magic happens, using the silence for the client to expand upon their first response. Most sales people will take the first answer from the client and ask another question. But that pause, that silence, allows a second, deeper, more reflective response to your question which often is truly valuable to you to gain a better understanding of the need, problem, goal etc. (hence “golden”)

As a sales person I used this all the time. As a sales leader I worked with my team to practice it. As a leader I tried to employ golden silence as often as possible. As a coach it’s known as “holding the silence” but it’s the same principal; creating a space for the client / colleague / coachee to speak, pause, reflect and speak again.