You can have the perfect sales pitch and still miss the deal if you’re not listening. Active listening is about fully engaging with what a prospect is saying and then using what you hear to guide the conversation. It’s not just hearing their words or nodding along while you think about your next response.

Aditya Kothadiya, the founder and CEO of Avoma, says active listening is one of the most powerful skills for closing deals. It helps build trust, uncover real pain points and create meaningful conversations that drive sales forward. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share his top active listening techniques so you and your team can get more out of every sales conversation.

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  1. Let them talk more. This is the first step of active listening, Kothadiya says. Remember it’s not about you — it’s about them. They’ll appreciate the opportunity to share what’s on their mind and the discussion will feel like a collaborative conversation instead of a sales pitch. He recommends prompting them with more questions to encourage them to share more.

  2. Listen with the intent to understand. That’s what active listening is all about but it’s often easier said than done. Many sales reps simply wait for their turn to talk or think about what they want to say next. Kothadiya says the best salespeople listen differently. Instead of focusing on pitching their offering, they focus on truly understanding the other person.

  3. Focus on the conversation and the people. This means no multi-tasking, he says. Stay genuinely engaged in the discussion and throw out any script. Let the conversation flow naturally. You can show you’re actively listening by maintaining eye contact or leaning in when listening.

  4. Avoid the temptation to interrupt. After your prospect finishes speaking, Kothadiya recommends counting to 3 before replying or asking another question. The last thing you want to do is interrupt them. You may want to finish their sentence or speed them along if they’re talking slowly. However, never interrupt.

  5. Repeat and paraphrase what you heard. After a prospect shares something important about their challenges or goals, Kothadiya says you should repeat what they just said. This allows them to confirm or clarify their statement. Don’t oversimplify but simply retell the story in your own words. Focus on the feelings and emotions behind their words — not just the facts. He says this demonstrates that you understand their situation and can empathize with their struggles.

You don’t have to talk more to sell more. In fact, the opposite may be true. Slow down and really listen to your prospects. This is how you can better understand them and earn their business.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Aditya Kothadiya is the founder and CEO of Avoma, a conversation intelligence platform.