I use this site to share thoughts, advice, tips, and tricks on doing better in business and life. And the vast majority of posts here on Your Intermittent Lex are free for everyone. But because I have paying subscribers, I do need to put some content behind the paywall. This is one of those times.

Don’t fret, though, free readers. I love you, too. And I’ll have another post as a follow-up to yesterday’s — the one on the power of saying “I don't know” — soon.

That post about “I don't know” was really focused on how it’s important to reply to people even if you don’t have the answer they want right way, because it lets them feel heard and know you care. Sometimes, though, you’re interacting with customers (or potential customers), and suddenly they go silent.