How To Get More Information by Not Asking for It

If you ask a question on a particular subject and the answer is not satisfying, the best response is none at all. If you're seeking more information or a different kind of information, ask for it by remaining silent.

There are plenty of articles and books that stress the use of silence in selling and negotiations, for a good reason. There comes the point in any sales pitch or negotiation when the other person should be talking, and there comes the moment when no one should be talking. It's hard to get to either point if you don't know when to remain silent.

Silence has many different applications depending on the situation you're in at the time. If you stop talking and start listening, you might learn something, and even if you don't, you'll have a chance to collect your thoughts. Silence is what keeps you from saying more than you need to and makes the other person say more than he means to. Knowing when to remain silent can strongly influence the impression you make on others.

The tactical use of silence serves one of the two purposes- it either lets the other person talk or forces the other person to talk.

Silence is a void, and people feel and an overwhelming need to fill it. When someone has finished speaking, let there be a slight pause, and don't play along by taking up your end of the dialogue. If used at the right moment,  this slight pause will lead them to elaborate more on what they said. Eventually, they may say what you want to hear.