Classical pianist Artur Schnabel once said, “I don’t think I handle the notes much differently from other pianists. But the pauses between the notes — ah, there is where the artistry lies!”
A pause in a presentation is much like a pause in music. It alerts your audience, allows them to reflect, and makes them attentive to what’s coming next. The pause we are talking about is not short, like pausing at a comma when reading aloud. It’s more dramatic, lasting four seconds or more. It’s intentional, and well-placed for effect.
These four-second pauses, are four seconds of silence. When interspersed throughout a presentation, they are as important as the words you say.
In fact, your next deal may be won or lost, not in all the data you present, or in how much you talk, but in the moments of silence you allow. A pause is a moment ONLY YOU can create.
Most presenters are not aware that they run on and on, lulling their audience into passivity. They are singularly focused on sharing as much information as possible so the client cannot help but be impressed. They forget that the client wants to engage. The client wants to talk and feel connected to you and your story. The more engaged they are, the more likely you are to win.
The best presenters use pauses to their advantage. They understand that a pause isn’t a moment of nothing, it’s a moment of connection. A moment that grabs the client’s attention and brings them back from wherever their mind may have wandered. Pauses give your client time to process what you just said and chime in with questions or opinions.
Giving them a heads up that you will be pausing sets the expectation right up front that this is a collaborative meeting and they will be involved. It puts them on notice, so they are more likely to pay attention.
Your patient pause gives them time to think about what they want to say, making the conversation more thoughtful and centered around their key challenges.
It's critical that you not speak until they say something because they need time to a) realize that you were talking to them and are now waiting for their input, b) formulate their thoughts, and c) turn off their mute button.
This silence will feel uncomfortable to you, but not to your client because you told them up front that this is what you were going to do.
Here are other moments when a pause will set you apart
Click here to feel the extraordinary effect of pauses. This may be the most memorable three minutes of your day!