Do you know what to do when you're in a negotiation and everything goes silent? We often believe silence is one of the most uncomfortable things that can happen in the middle of a negotiation, because we don't know how to continue the conversation or we simply panic.
Silence can be a great tool in a negotiation. If you're in the middle of a discussion and feel like you're losing control of the situation, try to stay calm; this will give you time to think about your next move. Sometimes silence can also make the other side feel uncomfortable, and they may be more likely to give in on the conflict.
Moments when you should use silence as a tool
1. As soon as the pleasantries are over
Some reps immediately start offering discounts or better terms if the buyer doesn't speak. However, although this might show the prospect that you're willing to negotiate, it often leads you to grant unnecessary concessions to close the deal.
If you're not comfortable staying completely quiet after the presentation, use a neutral question or phrase, such as “What do you think of the proposal?” or “What's the next step on your end?” This way, you'll hand the floor over to the prospect.
2. Right after setting a condition
It's essential to pause after presenting a condition or a detail of the deal. Reps who keep talking after presenting a figure end up rambling, which makes them seem insecure and weakens their negotiating power. What's worse: you can end up making unintended concessions.
3. When the prospect has made a counteroffer
It's very hard to stay quiet when the other person has made their own offer. This is because society has taught us to take “turns” in conversations, and by skipping yours, you break a lifetime of convention. If you're negotiating in person, simply nod once or twice and wait. However, if the conversation is over the phone, the buyer may mistake your silence for a sign that you didn't hear them, so say something like “I understand...” and then pause.
4. When the prospect is talking
There will be many moments during the negotiation when you'll probably want to interrupt: when the other person makes a wrong assumption, suggests something that's impossible to carry out, beats around the bush, etc. Resist the temptation to jump in. Not only can it sound aggressive and potentially disrespectful, but you'll never know what valuable information you might have missed by interrupting the buyer.
5. When the buyer makes a ridiculous request
Sometimes prospects make unreasonable requests to see your reaction, test your patience and, ultimately, get a better deal. However, by saying nothing, you subtly show your disapproval. They will usually feel they need to back down.
6. When you're dominating the conversation
Monopolizing the conversation might seem like a good thing to you. After all, you're in charge, right?
Nothing could be further from the truth. If you dominate the conversation, you'll completely lose the chance to discover your prospect's needs, priorities and concerns. A buyer who is 90% sure of their purchase decision won't sign a contract until you've answered the rest of their objections, so you need to go silent and listen to them.
In a negotiation, more than product knowledge or anything else, it's silence that can make the difference between success and failure. The intent and the effect of staying quiet are often different. In fact, put it to the test! Ask a family member or acquaintance a simple question like “What did you do over the weekend?” and then go silent. Once you've practiced staying calm, you'll be able to apply this technique both in conversations with your group of friends and in all kinds of negotiations.
Advantages of staying silent
The main advantages of practicing silence in a negotiation include:
- It improves our relationship with the other party, since they feel heard, valued, appreciated and understood.
- Silence is a sign of respect toward the opponent in a negotiation.
- It allows us to show the other party that we're truly interested in what they're telling us.
- It makes the other party talk more, which provides a greater amount of information. This benefits us directly, since the opponent truly expresses what their real needs and problems are, the expectations they have for the final agreement, etc.
- Silence gives us time to spot signs that a close is possible.
- Silence gives us more time to choose the best argument for a particular objection.
- Emotional reactions are avoided, since the dialogue is unhurried and free of interruptions.
- The atmosphere stays calm and makes it easier for us to reason and think logically.
- If no agreement is reached, the relationship isn't damaged, since respect was never lacking at any point.
- The chances of making sudden concessions to the opponent decrease, since every concession made will have been weighed and considered beforehand.
Conclusion
In these types of negotiations, the team often needs to be on the same level as its counterpart and be able to rise to the occasion.
That's why, when you have to negotiate with other companies, it's essential to have the skills needed to make the most of the negotiation. Because, in the end, the ability to negotiate is a necessary skill for moving the company forward.
What about you? What do you think? How do you negotiate with other companies?
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