The short answer
What is the opening-and-pause exercise?
Deliver a two-sentence cold call opening that ends in a question, then stay silent for a count of three so the buyer takes their turn. Repeat it several times with different buyer replies until the pause feels normal.
Foreword
Why it matters
Most openings fail not because of the words but because the seller keeps talking and never gives the buyer a turn. Practising the pause until it feels normal is a skill of its own1, and deliberate practice needs a target you can check2.
Retrieval
61%
of a passage recalled a week later after three practice tests, against 40% after four readings1
What we’ll cover in this guide
- Part 01: The opening
- Part 02: The pause
- Your practice task: a short exercise to try with Selly
- Conclusion and what to practise next
Part 01: The opening
Keep it to two sentences: who you are, and why this call could be relevant.
Two sentences
Sentence one: who
Name and company. No “how are you today”.
Sentence two: why
A reason tied to the buyer’s situation, ending with a question.
Reflection questions and how to get started
- Is it two sentences? Cut until it is.
- Does it end with a question? It should.
Part 02: The pause
After the question, stop talking. Completely.
Holding the silence
Count silently
Count to three in your head before saying anything else. Most sellers fill the gap at one.
Let the buyer choose the direction
Whatever they say next, respond to that, not to your plan.
Reflection questions and how to get started
- Did you speak before the buyer did? Count to three next time.
- Did you respond to what they said? Or did you carry on with your plan?
Your practice task
- Write a two-sentence opening ending in a question.
- In Selly, deliver it and count to three before speaking again.
- Repeat five times, varying only how the buyer replies.
- Check the feedback for talking over the buyer and repeat the attempts that slipped.
Conclusion
The words of an opening matter less than the space after it. Two sentences, a question, and a pause long enough for the buyer to take their turn.
