Why You Shouldn't Rush Your Customers

One of the most challenging parts of a meeting for most salespeople isn’t the greeting, the proposal, or the request to put time on the calendar in the future. It’s the long (sometimes very long) silence when a customer is looking over a proposal.

The detailed document, one you’ve likely spent days, if not weeks, preparing is sitting in front of them. You’ve walked them through your initial ideas, your thought process, and possible variations. You’ve let them know you’re ready to answer any questions they have or to receive feedback.

All you can do now is wait.

The silence that follows can feel endless. The urge to jump in and ask the customer what they’re thinking or add unnecessary additional details can be hard to suppress. But in order to put the customer’s needs first, you need to give them time to process the information you’ve given them.

It's All About the Customer's Experience.

You likely know the proposal inside and out.

You can answer questions about the content on each page. You can expand on any of the ideas. There are alternatives or slightly different options for each idea in your back pocket, and you’re ready to explain them.

Depending on how well you know the customer and how much new information was gained during the meeting, you may even have an idea of which aspects of the proposal the customer will immediately buy into, and which ones will need more co-creation to dial in the perfect solution.

Because you’re so familiar with the proposal, it’s easy to forget that your customer isn’t.

This is the first time they’re seeing the information, which means they have a lot to process. As they review your ideas, data, and plans, they’re starting to envision what a partnership with you would really be like. Questions are forming in their head. They’re picturing what the solutions would look like in practice. They may even be starting to think of ways you could adjust the proposal to better fit their needs.

When you interrupt this process to volunteer additional information that they ask for, prod for questions they haven’t come up with yet, or ask for their initial reaction before they digest the information, it derails their entire experience. Instead of taking the information in, they get overwhelmed. They may even cut the meeting short so that they can review the information on their own - which takes away your opportunity to have an interactive brainstorm.

Giving the customer time to process the information may feel uncomfortable for you, but it puts them in the right mindset to have a collaborative discussion and build the right solution with you.

What Story Do Your Actions Tell?

A salesperson who consistently interrupts the customer isn’t just derailing their own meeting. They’re changing the way the customer perceives them, and not for the better.

The customer may feel that the salesperson is impatient, rushing them, or eager for the meeting to end. They may even start to feel like the salesperson views them as a burden for taking up too much time.

Alternatively, they might realize that the salesperson is nervous and wonder why the salesperson doesn’t feel confident in the solution they’ve presented.

On the other hand, a salesperson who is calm, patient, and waits silently sends a strong, positive message. This is somebody who appears calm under pressure. They feel confident in their work. They’re ready to present the customer with valuable ideas. They’re operating with respect.

Just as a customer learns a lot about how you operate from the way you interact with other members of their team and approach their meeting, they’ll gain invaluable information by simply observing your behavior during the sales meeting.

The key to building a great client relationship is more than solid ideas: it’s about showing up as the kind of person somebody wants to partner with.

Learn More.

Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling.