Far too often, we listen with the intent to reply. We’re poised for the other person to finish their point so we can impart our knowledge. Yet, effective sales dialogues are deeply anchored in the approach of listening to comprehend. Let’s delve into why this distinction holds such significance in sales, and what insights you can gain on active listening from top sales mentors.

A steadfast faith in your organisation’s products and services ranks as a pivotal factor influencing sales success. When you are thoroughly persuaded that your offerings bring tangible benefits to your intended users, you naturally become keen for your customers to experience these advantages. It ignites an internal zeal and vigour that propels your drive for achievement.

However, this enthusiasm can present a challenge. There’s a risk of engaging in a monologue rather than a mutual exploration. Instead of encouraging the prospect to share what matters most to them, you may find yourself monopolising the conversation and overwhelming them with an unsolicited barrage of product information.

A genuine enthusiasm for what you’re marketing is crucial. Equally important is your capability, readiness, and dedication to listen — truly listen — to the customer.

The Essence of Discovery.

I recall the first occasion I encountered a leader who embodied the principle of listening to understand. I had reservations about a specific process and anticipated she would instruct me on how to address it. Instead, she leaned back and invited me to describe the situation. Through listening and posing further questions based on my explanations, she gradually helped clarify what actions were needed. Together, we crafted a plan for advancement.

This was an enlightening experience. By affording me the time and space to express myself, this leader enabled me to identify the solution independently, thereby ensuring I was wholly committed to it. Experiencing that moment of realisation on my own was far more impactful than being told what to do, as it transferred the sense of ownership to me. This approach is a cornerstone of effective coaching and applies equally to sales.

There’s an adage that “information discovered holds more power than information given.” By posing insightful questions and earnestly listening to your customers with the aim of understanding their needs and generating value for them, you allow them the chance to experience their own moment of insight. Through this process of discovery, they persuade themselves of their needs or goals that require addressing, and they become receptive to solutions. This is significantly more effective than simply telling them what actions they should take.

In our increasingly digital world, more organisations are realising the necessity of shifting towards a more personable and customer-focused sales experience. Sales professionals must transcend their role as mere purveyors of information. They need to demonstrate respect and empathy to connect on a human level, uncover what value means to their customers, and then assist in realising that value. This is the contribution of salespeople to the dynamic. This is what active listening in sales encompasses. To achieve this, they must CEASE speaking about the product and, instead, prioritise the customer — and frequently, the customer’s own clients — above all else.

As you reflect on this transition, consider whether you would prefer to be regarded as someone who can supply your accounts with details on product features and benefits, or as someone adept at assisting your accounts in resolving their issues and attaining their objectives? Which would invigorate you more? Which would make you feel more valuable and successful?

Selling by Seeking-to-Understand.

When you adopt a mindset focused on seeking to understand others, it reflects in your behaviour, enabling you to forge   genuine relationships, unearth deeper needs and challenges, and ultimately deliver uniquely valuable solutions to the customer.

To clarify, practising active listening in sales—listening to comprehend—isn’t merely about remaining silent and awaiting the other person’s revelations. Successful sales professionals engage in a structured approach of posing insightful questions and listening, which encourages individuals to articulate and reflect upon their current circumstances, their aspirations, the discrepancy between these states, and the implications of maintaining the status quo without taking decisive action.

The crux lies in staying attentive post-questioning. Bear in mind, the aim isn’t to listen with the intention of replying, extolling the virtues of your product, or persuading them of their supposed need for it. Instead, the goal is to grasp the essence of their situation, thereby facilitating a dialogue that navigates towards a resolution.

This method not only cultivates trust but is far more effective than attempting to coerce or sway someone. For instance, if you’re involved in pharmaceutical or medical device sales, trying to convince a leading cardiologist to adopt your product based solely on your persuasive skills can be exceedingly daunting! Adopting an inquisitive approach to understand shifts this dynamic, alleviating the discomforting pressure on both parties. Now, the conversation isn’t about convincing them; it’s about earnestly inquiring to comprehend their current position and aspirations, the envisaged outcome, its significance to them, and the potential consequences of failing to bridge that divide.

This approach doesn’t just add significantly more value for the customer; it also engenders a sense of achievement and satisfaction far more gratifying than any feeling derived from pressuring someone into a purchase. By understanding the customer’s dilemmas and their vision for the future, you’re in a position to genuinely assist them in reaching their desired destination. That’s an immensely fulfilling experience. And when you truly believe in the value of helping customers

Coaching and Leading with a Human-Centric Approach in Sales.

When a salesperson genuinely values their clients, implementing this strategy becomes considerably more straightforward. Nevertheless, it often necessitates the breaking of old habits, particularly during periods of significant external change—increased competition, a surge in virtual selling, and other sales landscape challenges. It’s tempting to revert to familiar practices. For many sales professionals, this means focusing on presentations and product features.

Sales leadership, coupled with training and coaching that targets both attitude and competence, plays a crucial role in bridging this gap. Taking the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors as examples once more, there’s a marked difference between training teams to offer services to physicians and preparing them to influence and transform care delivery. This latter approach prioritises outcomes and depends on the capacity to foster trust, establish meaningful connections, sell effectively, and act ethically and efficiently.

In essence: To cultivate consultative sellers, you must embody a consultative leadership style.

Just as sales personnel must reassess their roles and the value they deliver, sales leaders need to scrutinise their leadership philosophy. If your leadership style is directive, focusing on instructing people what to do and how to rectify issues, then you’re likely listening to reply, not to comprehend.

Being a consultative leader involves supporting individuals in expanding their abilities, seizing new opportunities, and tackling fresh challenges. People don’t develop by simply being told what to do. Instead, growth necessitates listening to understand, assessing their current status and blind spots, and through a conversational exchange of questions and answers, helping them identify their aspirations and assume responsibility for their solutions. Once they’ve identified pathways for improvement, it becomes a cooperative effort to navigate the plan and establish accountability.

Effective sales coaching relies on asking impactful questions, mirroring the prerequisites for successful selling. Consider a team of adept medical sales professionals who, lacking medical licenses, may feel daunted by the prospect of discussing product relevance with the Chief of Emergency Medicine regarding patient care. They have faith in the product but are apprehensive about initiating such dialogues.

A proficient sales coach would pose inquiries like: What’s the barrier? What are your apprehensions? What do you need to overcome these fears? What would an ideal outcome look like? What resources are necessary? How can I assist? What if we approached it this way? How would the situation appear at the conclusion? Encouraging them to articulate their objectives and experience those moments of insight also leads them to self-impose accountability.

The Impact of Active Listening in Sales.

Offering individuals the chance to speak and express their thoughts comes with numerous benefits. Firstly, you gain insight into their knowledge, which might reveal areas they need further support in, or it could uncover fresh perspectives and opportunities previously unconsidered.

Many sales professionals strive to be the catalyst for change, the solver of problems. When presented with such an opportunity, their enthusiasm intensifies because the value they provide becomes markedly distinct. For those merely disseminating information, their relevance diminishes once the information is shared, leaving them with little else to contribute.

Moreover, nurturing and developing individuals offers far greater satisfaction than simply instructing them on what to do. Reflect on a moment when someone recognised a potential in you that you hadn’t seen in yourself — how you surpassed your own limits of self-confidence through their support and foresight. As a leader, you have the privilege to facilitate this growth in others. Demonstrating your belief in their capacity for achievement — and supporting them as they advance, evolve, and even occasionally stumble — will enhance trust, efficiency, and loyalty, leading to superior outcomes and job satisfaction.

I remember the leaders who have significantly influenced my life and the extent of my efforts to meet their expectations, driven by their confidence in my potential. Similarly, I recall the salespeople who provided value beyond my anticipations by identifying latent needs and clarifying my thoughts and decision-making process. This approach is something I aim to emulate in both leadership and sales, symbolising the type of organisation I wish to be part of. Such leaders are not only unlocking their own potential but also the potential of those under their guidance. They embody the sort of purpose-driven sales professionals who genuinely benefit their customers. This exemplifies the profound effect of listening to comprehend.

Written by John Crowder from Integrity Solutions: The Importance of Active Listening in Sales (integritysolutions.com)