Most sales teams don’t have a product problem. They have a listening problem. In this article, Mike Belin of Nacre Consulting explains how mastering active and reflective listening can unlock stronger client relationships, build trust, and drive better sales outcomes.

By Mike Belin | Nacre Consulting

Most people don’t listen to understand. They listen to reply.

If you’ve worked in sales long enough, you’ve seen it happen: reps show up to a sales call locked and loaded with a pitch. They ask a question or two, barely pause for a response, and then rattle off a slide deck without ever noticing that the buyer’s body language is screaming, “I’m not with you.”

It’s not a confidence issue. It’s not a talk-track issue. It’s a listening issue.

Listening is the most underdeveloped skill in sales. And it’s costing businesses more than they realize.

At Nacre Consulting, we’ve worked with over 120 companies to help their teams grow sales, improve communication, and create sustainable revenue. One of the most consistent patterns we’ve seen? Underperforming reps often don’t have a product problem or even a prospecting problem. They have a listening problem.

Sales Isn’t About What You Say; It’s About What You Hear

Let me be clear: listening isn’t passive. It’s a trained skill. The best reps I’ve ever led or coached didn’t just talk less—they listened better.

They practiced. They slowed down. They paid attention.

Here’s what that looks like in the field:

Active Listening

• Eye contact that signals presence

• Pausing instead of jumping in with advice

• Picking up emotional tone, not just the words

• Giving full attention (no texting, multitasking, or side-channeling)

• Noticing what’s not being said

In my early days, I was trained to listen for sounds in the background during phone calls. Was the client distracted? Were they in a loud space? Did I actually have their attention? If not, I rescheduled the call. That simple move saved time and protected deals.

Reflective Listening

• Paraphrasing key points back to the buyer

• Asking clarifying questions

• Acknowledging tension or confusion in real time

• Using phrases like, “If I heard you right…” or “It sounds like your biggest concern is…”

This step is where most sellers fall short. Even when they ask good questions upfront, they miss the moment to reflect back what they’ve heard. That reflection isn’t just about confirming facts. It’s about showing the client they were truly heard.

That’s what builds trust.

Listening Unlocks the Sale; But Most Reps Miss the Signals

Let me give you an example.

I once observed a sales call where the rep kept presenting, oblivious to the buyer’s disengagement. She missed the cues: checking the watch, rubbing the eyes, shifting in the seat. When she asked me afterward, “What went wrong? He didn’t say anything was off,” I told her, “He didn’t have to. He said everything with his body language.”

She talked for 45 minutes. He mentally checked out after 10.

Listening isn’t just about words. It’s about watching the room. In some cases, it’s about listening for silence. If someone pauses before responding, that could be hesitation, uncertainty, or resistance. Great salespeople don’t power through those moments. They lean in.

They say, “It looks like I might’ve lost you there; want to pause and clarify something?”

Or, “You raised your eyebrow when I mentioned that timeline; what’s coming up for you?”

Those are micro-moments that build massive credibility.

Reps Who Don’t Listen Burn Good Deals

Years ago, I sat in a sales meeting where a colleague talked non-stop for over an hour. Midway through, the prospect turned to me and asked, “Why are you even here?”, and I didn’t have a chance to respond. The conversation never recovered, and the deal quietly disappeared.

More words don’t create more value.

If you want to close more deals, talk less and listen more.

Listening Is a Practice, Not a Trait

No one is born a great listener. Just like no one is born a great leader or great surgeon. It takes practice.

Here’s what I recommend to every rep and sales leader:

• Record yourself: Listen to your discovery calls. Watch your body language in presentations. Notice your filler words (“um,” “like,” “so”) and where you rush.

• Rehearse your pitch until it’s second nature: The more familiar you are with your material, the more mental space you have to adapt in real time.

• Ask your peers or coach for feedback: Not the kind that boosts your ego—the kind that makes you better.

• Practice silence: After asking a question, wait. Count to three before speaking again. Give your prospect space to fill the silence.

• Watch for emotional cues: Tension, disengagement, confusion—these are signals, not interruptions. Address them head-on.

The best way to sound unrehearsed is to be well-rehearsed.

Listening Builds Trust, And Trust Wins Deals

Every successful sale I’ve ever made, every long-term client relationship I’ve helped build, started with a conversation where the prospect felt heard.

Not sold to.

Not impressed.

Heard.

When you start from that place, your buyer will open up. They’ll tell you what they really need. And you’ll be able to serve them with clarity, confidence, and connection.

That’s what great sales looks like.

That’s what we help leaders build every day at Nacre.

Want to Fix the Real Problem in Your Sales Team?

We’ve helped over 120 companies and driven more than $500M in new revenue, not by teaching people to talk better, but by helping them listen smarter.

If your team is missing targets or your pipeline feels sluggish, it may not be a product or process issue.

It might be a listening one.

Let’s find out.

👉 Book an discovery call 

Mike Belin

Mike Belin is an Executive Growth Strategist at Nacre Consulting with over 20 years of sales leadership experience spanning industries like SaaS, manufacturing, construction, and distribution. Mike also serves as the President of the Buffalo Niagara Sales & Marketing Executives (BNSME).