You’re Not Closing Deals Because You’re Half-Listening
How to improve your listening skills with the help of AI
The “Uh-huh” Partner: Ever had a conversation with someone who nods enthusiastically but is clearly thinking about what’s for dinner? You say, “I had the craziest day,” and they reply with a “That’s amazing”, zero context, zero follow-up, zero attention given to you. In sales, missing key details is just as bad, your prospect knows when you're not truly listening.
The Job Interviewer Who Never Looks Up: Ever been in an interview where the person is too busy jotting notes to actually engage with you? They ask a question, you answer, and they just nod while scribbling. No connection, no depth. Sales calls work the same way, if you’re too busy writing notes, you’re not fully present in the conversation.
The Friend Who Remembers Your Coffee Order: We all have that one friend who, without asking, hands you a flat white, extra hot, oat milk and suddenly, you feel seen. That’s the level of attention great salespeople bring to follow-ups. Remember the small things, and people remember you.
Why Sales Is Won in the Details (Not Just the Conversation)
Everyone thinks sales is about the big moments, the pitch, the negotiation, the “let’s get this signed” moment.
But the truth?
Sales is won in the tiny details:
→ Noticing when a prospect’s tone changes when they are uncomfortable about something
→ Remembering they mentioned they need to wait until the next quarter to confirm a budget.
→ Following up with something specific, not a generic “Just checking in!” email.
→ Recalling small personal details, like their upcoming holiday or their dog’s name and gradually introducing this information into future conversations.
→ Picking up on subtle hesitations or interest shifts that tell you what they are really feeling
These little things build trust, they make your prospect feel heard, understood, and show that you actually care about them and not just trying to hit your targets.
And when you get these details right? You become unforgettable.
However let's focus on what your current situation is probably like. You’re running on caffeine, juggling 20 different prospects, five ongoing deals, and trying to remember if you actually sent that email or just thought about sending it. Meanwhile, your Slack notifications are piling up like an inbox avalanche, and somewhere in the chaos, you swear you left your coffee, was it on the kitchen counter or next to your laptop? No clue.
The Problem: Your Brain Is a Terrible Notetaker
Here’s what most people think happens on a sales call:
You ask great questions.
They give great answers.
You remember everything.
You follow up with the perfect response.
Here’s what actually happens:
You ask great questions.
They give great answers.
You forget half of what they said because your brain was too busy juggling 10 other things, checking Slack messages, mentally drafting a follow-up email, and wondering if that investor will ever reply to your pitch.
Your follow-up is vague and generic, because you slightly remember the conversation, but not the good stuff. You open your notebook expecting detailed insights and instead find the company’s name scribbled in the corner, a half-finished to-do list, and, why is there a doodle of a spaceship? Now, you’re stuck piecing together a follow-up from memory, hoping you don’t completely miss the mark.
At best, you’re following up with something like, “Hey, great chat, let me know how you want to move forward!” At worst, you’re sending a message that makes it clear you completely forgot what they actually needed.
But let’s not be too hard on ourselves, it’s not your fault. Humans were not designed to juggle five different thought threads while also pretending to be fully present on a call. Multitasking is a myth, and the idea that you can remember everything while also actively listening and taking notes is impossible.
Let AI Take Notes for You
Meet Hoop.app – Your Silent, AI-Powered Assistant for Calls
Hoop.app doesn’t just transcribe your calls, it turns them into structured, easy-to-read notes and a clear action plan.
Think of it as the world’s best assistant, sitting in on every sales call, capturing every detail, and making sure you leave every conversation knowing exactly what needs to happen next.
With Hoop.app, you can:
→ Stay fully present in conversations, no more frantic note-taking.
→ Never miss an action point again.
→ Walk away from every call with clear, structured next steps.
And when the call ends? ChatGPT takes over, helping you turn insights into action.
Turning Call Transcripts Into Detailed Next Steps
Most people wrap up a call without realising just how much valuable content is buried in the conversation. From your call transcripts in Hoop.app you can turn these into detailed follow-up emails, ensuring you never miss a key point or action item.
Copy the full conversation from Hoop.app to ChatGPT and let it do the admin for you:
1. Generate Detailed Post-Call Notes for your CRM
Ask ChatGPT to extract:
Key pain points
Decision-making criteria
Objections raised
Next steps agreed
Now, instead of reading a full transcript, you get a clear, structured summary in seconds for you but also for the rest of the team.
2. Create a detailed Follow-Up Email
Instead of sending the classic “Great chatting, let me know if you have questions” email (which will get ignored), use ChatGPT to:
Reference their exact concerns.
Remind them of key takeaways.
Suggest a clear next step.
Example prompt:
"Summarise this call in 3 bullet points and draft a follow-up email that addresses the client’s biggest concern and suggests a next meeting date."
Step 3: Get feedback from your call
Most sales reps (and even Founders) finish a call and think, “That went well!” But how do you actually know? Did you talk too much? Did you miss a key buying signal? Did you handle objections well, or just talk too fast?
Instead of guessing, ask ChatGPT to analyse your call like a sales coach:
Copy the call transcript from hoop.app into ChatGPT and ask it to review your performance.
Request specific feedback, like:
Did I talk too much vs. listen?
How well did I handle objections?
Did I miss any potential buying signals?
How could I improve my closing statement?
Use the insights to tweak your approach before your next call, improving in real time and making incremental improvements in every call.
Example prompt: “Analyse this sales call and give me feedback like a sales coach. Highlight what I did well, where I could improve, and suggest how I could have handled objections better.”
Suddenly, every call becomes a learning opportunity, helping you refine your approach with real, AI-driven insights.
The best salespeople aren’t the ones who talk the most. They’re the ones who listen the best and follow up with precision.
Using Hoop.ai + ChatGPT, you get the best of both worlds:
→ You stay fully engaged in the conversation.
→ AI handles the note-taking and summarising.
→ Your follow-ups are detailed and tailored (without extra effort).
At the heart of great it’s about making people feel heard. When you listen actively, follow up with precision, and show that you remember the details, you’re not just another salesperson. You’re someone they trust.
People want to work with those who make them feel valued. They remember the ones who recall the small details, who follow up with something relevant, and who actually care. That’s how you build relationships that lead to long-term success, not just one-off deals.
Better listening with AI = Better follow-ups = Better relationships = More closed deals. Simple as that.
Exclusive Offer for The Relationship of Sales Readers
Since I’ve been using Hoop.app to completely change the way I handle sales calls, I’ve partnered with them to create a special deal just for Relationship of Sales readers.
📌 Get your first month of Hoop.app free!
Just go to Hoop.app and use the code VASLDGNC at checkout.
If you’re serious about improving your sales calls, making people feel heard, and actually closing more deals, this is 100% worth trying out.