Years ago when I was just starting out in the business I used to continuously listen to recordings by successful sales trainers any chance I could. It was invaluable to hear stories about how these trainers handled all aspects of the selling process. Today, I would like to share a very important lesson that has been invaluable to me in my career.
One morning, I was riding down the road on the way to an appointment as I listened to J. Douglas Edwards talking about the importance of active listening when all of a sudden he yells out, ” SHUT UP, SHUT UP.” This was followed by dead silence. He had made a point that to this day I have never forgotten. Once you have made your presentation, you need to sit back and listen to the client’s response. You may feel that you are waiting an usually long time, but the operative word here is listen. In this case, the trainer was trying to emphasize that when the client responds, they will tell you how you may help them solve their problem.