The short answer
How do you practise active listening in sales?
After the buyer explains something important, recap it in one or two sentences, in their words, before you pitch, answer or ask anything new. Let them confirm or correct you.
Foreword
Why it matters
Listening is hard to check in the moment. A recap makes it visible: you either captured what the buyer said or you did not. Practising it repeatedly, with feedback on accuracy, turns it into a habit12.
Retrieval
61%
of a passage recalled a week later after three practice tests, against 40% after four readings2
What we’ll cover in this guide
- Part 01: The recap
- Part 02: Recap before responding
- Your practice task: a short exercise to try with Selly
- Conclusion and what to practise next
Part 01: The recap
After the buyer explains something important, summarise it before responding.
One or two sentences
Use their words
Keep their terms, not your product’s vocabulary.
Include the feeling, not just the facts
“…and that has been frustrating for the team” shows you heard more than the data.
Reflection questions and how to get started
- Did you use their words? Or did you translate them into yours?
- Did the buyer confirm or correct? Both tell you something.
Part 02: Recap before responding
The rule of the exercise: no pitch, no answer and no new question until the recap is done.
Holding back
Resist the solution
You will want to jump in with how you solve it. Recap first.
Accept corrections gladly
“Not quite. It’s more that…” is the buyer giving you better information.
Reflection questions and how to get started
- Did you recap every important point? Count them.
- Did you pitch before recapping? Hold back next time.
Your practice task
- In Selly, choose a buyer who explains a complicated situation.
- After each important explanation, recap it in one or two sentences before anything else.
- Let the buyer confirm or correct you.
- Check the feedback for accuracy and repeat any recap that missed.
Conclusion
A recap is listening you can check. Say back what you heard, in their words, before you say anything about your offer.
