Talk Less

In meetings with prospects, nerves can disrupt our equilibrium, causing us to dominate the conversation. We fill space with unnecessary talk, forgetting the power of our presence and the power of listening. Here are three simple reminders to keep you in check.

1. Ask good questions, then actually listen to the answers. Demonstrate your curiosity by posing effective questions, then pause, let the other person talk, and actively listen—trust me, it makes a difference. If you stay engaged and know when to keep quiet, you create an environment for truth from which you will obtain a lot of useful information.

2. Notice how much you’re talking. This is especially applicable to sales conversations. In my experience with selling, if I talk too much, my close rate goes down; if I listen more, my close rate goes up. Pay attention to your talking-to-listening ratio—are you throwing yourself into pitch mode to show your value or your smarts? If so, try to shift the balance and trust that listening is enough.

3. Remember that people love to feel heard. Notice the next time you leave a conversation in which you were truly heard—you’ll have a natural affinity for and trust of the person with whom you were speaking. It feels good to be listened to, full stop.

Don’t put too much stock in pitching and sounding smart; remember the power of your presence and the value of giving your full, active attention. Listen more, talk less—super simple but often hard to do. Focus on that this week.

Onward.
Tom

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