As President Calvin Coolidge once said, “No man ever listened himself out of a job.” It’s time to replace the stereotype that a good salesperson is someone who can talk their way through anything. The real key to success in a sales call is active listening. This technique involves giving a customer your undivided attention to build their trust and provide accurate solutions to the problems you hope to solve.

For promo pros who pride themselves on being consultative sellers, it’s imperative to cultivate this skill. Try these five tips to improve your active listening.

1

Choose Your Words Wisely

Your goal of understanding the qualities and, most importantly, needs of the person you’re selling to is dependent on your ability to get them talking. Sales software company Gong analyzed the results of over 25,000 sales calls to determine that the ideal salesperson should spend 43% of the call talking and 57% listening to achieve what is known as the “Golden Ratio” of successful sales. Try asking open-ended questions (i.e., trade “Do you think that … ?” for “What do you think about … ?”) and leave awkward pauses open. In many cases, this will prompt the customer to continue talking to fill the space. The more voluntary information you get from them, the easier your job becomes.

2

Build Trust

As you listen to a prospect, try to understand their needs. Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, is known for his ability to appeal to irrationality and erratic emotions with a technique he calls emotional labeling. In his book Never Split the Difference he gives this technique a more feasible application to the business world – in practice, the technique is just observation.

Once you’ve given your customer the space to speak openly and honestly, reiterate their emotions to clarify. Begin your sentences with phrases such as “It sounds like you…” or “it looks like you need…” to confirm their requirements. A solid active listener will be able to restate customers’ concerns in a way that lets them feel heard and ready to find solutions.

3

Value Conversation Over Presentation

While preparation is necessary for a successful conversation, don’t let the customer think you’re relying on a script. According to Devin Reed at LinkedIn, sales discovery calls with slide presentations have lower success rates than those that don’t include slides. This data doesn’t apply to late-stage meetings, just the initial call. Customers seem less likely to oblige when their salesperson is seemingly spitting information at them in a predetermined, list-like manner. The pitch should be focused on exchanging information and shouldn’t be preordained. Let the customer take the lead.

The ideal salesperson should spend 43% of the call talking and 57% listening to achieve what is known as the “Golden Ratio” of successful sales. (Gong)

4

Maintain Eye Contact

Physical connection is important in building trust and is one of the most vital traits of an active listener. In the age of remote sales calls, eye contact may not always be possible, but there are a few modern equivalents to let your client know you’re listening. If the customer can see you, try nodding along to what they’re saying and silently reacting. If not, audible reactions over the phone are helpful as well. Make sure your notifications are muted, and don’t under any circumstances check your phone during the conversation.

5

Be Solution-Oriented

The failure of many sales calls is the fault of predestined conversations and answers. You may think you know the problems your customers face but be open to the information they give, even if it’s unexpected. You don’t need an answer for everything, and if an issue is presented that you’re unable to solve, provide opportunities for the customer to pivot and continue searching for solutions at a different starting point.