The principle. Silence is uncomfortable. Whoever speaks first to break it almost always weakens their position — the seller often retreats with a discount or softens the ask.
The rule. After you ask for the close, ask a hard question, or quote a price — say nothing. Count to 7 in your head. Don't smile awkwardly, don't fidget, don't add a "you know" or "if that makes sense."
Why it works.
- The prospect is doing math, weighing options, building an answer. Interrupting that resets the clock.
- Silence forces them to confront the question. Filling it lets them off the hook.
- People reveal more when uncomfortable. Their next sentence is usually the truth they were holding back.
The opposite is also true. When they go silent after a question you asked — let them. Don't rescue them. Their silence is them processing, and the answer that comes out of a 5-second pause is worth 10x the answer that comes out of zero seconds.
The hardest place to hold silence. After "what's the price?" → you give the number → silence. Most reps panic and say "but we can be flexible." Don't. The number lands cleaner alone.