A common mistake in sales is talking too much. The Sandler selling system describes this with the rule: “A prospect who is listening is no prospect at all.” If your prospect is sitting back, silently listening to your words, that means you’re not selling effectively, you’re simply yapping their ear off.
Many salespeople try to educate the prospect by explaining every feature, benefit, and reason why their product is the best. But if you’re the one doing all the talking, you’re missing the most important part of sales: understanding the prospect’s pain points, needs, and motivations.
A silent prospect isn’t even guaranteed to be interested; they may be disengaged, overwhelmed, or just waiting for a chance to leave the conversation. When salespeople dominate the discussion, they often fail to uncover the real reasons for a prospect to buy.
Keep the prospect engaged and ensure they become an active participant in the conversation by shifting your focus to asking more and talking less.
Asking open-ended questions is ideal. By doing so, you shift the focus from pitching to discovery–from traditional selling experience to a modern, conversationalist one. Instead of assuming what the prospect needs, you let them tell you. This creates a conversation where they are engaged, thinking, and actively selling themselves on the solution.
Sales isn’t about talking—it’s about listening. If your prospect is simply “listening,” it’s time to turn the tables and get them talking instead. The more they talk, the closer you are to a sale.
SchrieberBE23 
FrenchJA21 
andersonsa22
The 70/30 rule simplifies this idea very well. Talking about yourself, your company, and your product are not the things that will gain the sale. Listening to what your client needs and wants and catering to them are the things that will secure the sale and be fruitful for both your company and your client.