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Inspiration

The beauty of long pauses

hen it comes to success in sales and in The benefits of using these long pauses are fivefold,
life, superior listening skills are paramount. according to Green:
Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the 1. You won't feel compelled to continue talking
W United States, once observed, "It takes a after asking the question if you force yourself to
great man to be a good listener," which was a testament to pause. People don't always immediately answer,
how uncommon people who listen effectively really are. and pausing gives them the opportunity to think a
Part of the problem may be found in the hectic lives we bit before responding.
now live. In The Road Less Traveled, author M. Scott Peck
wrote, "You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything 2. The number and length of responses will in-
else at the same time." This is difficult to do in today's crease. People feel more comfortable when you
multitasking world. give them time to frame their answers, which will
likely be more comprehensive.
Over the years, we have published articles in which 3. The amount of unsolicited information will
payments industry veterans emphasize the need for increase. If you don't jump in immediately after
merchant level salespeople (MLSs) to cultivate superior they've answered, prospects have more time to con-
listening capabilities. For example, in "Say less, sign more," template what they've just said. This may prompt
The Green Sheet, April 12, 2010, issue 10:04:01, Jeff Fortney additional comments and objections. Having the
wrote, "Listening is becoming a lost art. In conversations objections voiced may permit you to address them
it has become all too common for people to be focused on early in the presentation.
what to say next, not on what the other person is saying.
Listening effectively requires sellers to know when to stop 4. You'll have more time to understand what
talking." they've said. Since you know you're going to pause,
you can spend all of your listening time focused on
"Listening well goes hand in hand with relationship the message, not on what you will say next.
building," Paul H. Green reminded readers in "Become a 5. You will have more time to formulate your next
master communicator," The Green Sheet, May 26, 2014, issue comment. When you pause again after prospects
14:05:01. "Outstanding communicators are always adept at or customers have finished answering, you can use
comprehending what others have to say." the time to develop your next question or state-
ment.
Wait and enjoy the benefits
Knowing the critical importance of listening skillfully, So go forth and pause; then see how much more you learn
however, does not necessarily make it easy to do. So, what about your customers and prospects.
should conscientious MLSs do to sharpen up their listening
abilities? One tactic Green set forth in Good Selling! TM: The
Basics is to cultivate the pause, and not just a brief pause,
"but a two to three second pause." The two points where
Green recommends using this pause are after you ask a
question and after a merchant answers. Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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