Podcast Summary:

Andy Elliott's Elite Mindset Motivation and Sales Training
Episode: #1 Rookie Mistake Sales People Make | Andy Elliott
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Andy Elliott

Overview

In this high-energy, practical episode, Andy Elliott dives deep into the single most critical mistake rookie salespeople make: "selling blind"—talking too much and not listening enough to their prospects. Andy presents a step-by-step playbook with 10 actionable ways to fix this problem, coaching listeners on how to become master "listening machines", build unmatched rapport, and ultimately close more deals. This no-nonsense, motivational training is packed with Andy’s trademark urgency and passion, aimed at helping sales professionals at any level level up their income by mastering the art of listening.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The #1 Rookie Mistake: Selling Blind

• Summary: Most rookies (and even veteran salespeople) fall into the trap of dominating the conversation instead of asking questions and truly listening. This prevents them from understanding their prospects' real needs, leading to lost sales and missed opportunities.
• Quote:

  “The number one rookie mistake that salespeople make is they’re freaking selling blind. They talk too much, they listen too little.” (Andy Elliott, 00:20)

Andy’s 10 Ways to Become a Listening Machine

1. Start with Questions, Not Pitches (02:18)

• Don’t launch into a pitch. Begin every conversation by asking why the prospect is there, what they want to solve, or what their biggest problem is.
• Actionable Tip: Ask, “What's the biggest problem you're facing right now?” and let them talk first.

2. Use the 80/20 Rule (04:08)

• Not the usual sales 80/20 rule about revenue—here it means the prospect should talk 80% of the time; you talk only 20%.
• Quote:

  “If you're dominating the conversation, you're losing... The more that you talk, the more that someone can disagree with.” (Andy Elliott, 01:53)

3. Mirror Their Words (06:20)

• Repeat key phrases and important points the customer shares. This builds trust and shows genuine listening.
• Example:

  “If this car makes you feel unsafe with your children, over my dead body and yours, are we going to let those kids get back in this car again. Not gonna happen.” (Andy Elliott, 08:38)

4. Ask Follow-Up Questions (10:01)

• Go deeper by probing into responses. Don’t settle for surface-level answers.
• Techniques:
  • The “dig deeper method”: After a response, ask “Why is that important to you?” or “How does that affect your business?”

5. Pause After They Speak (13:18)

• Don’t rush to respond; let a 2-second pause happen after they answer to make them feel heard and to give yourself time to consider your next step.
• Quote:

  “The pause after they speak is something that’s not done ever. And I do it all the freaking time. And it is deadly.” (Andy Elliott, 13:24)

6. Take Notes (16:35)

• Always write down key points, names, problems, or details—shows you value their time and forces you to focus.
• Example:

  “Every single person in this world, if they can see that you value their time, they'll value your freaking time, dude.” (Andy Elliott, 17:35)

7. Summarize Their Pain (19:30)

• Reflect their problem back to them to show understanding.
• Technique: Use phrases like, “So what I’m hearing is…”
• Quote:

  “When people openly admit that they have a problem, it’s easy to close them. If I don’t ever get someone to admit they have a problem, they’re very hard to close.” (Andy Elliott, 20:07)

8. Shut Up During Objections (22:41)

• Don’t jump in defensively when someone objects. Let them finish explaining their concern before responding.
• Quote:

  “Objections are good. They’re not bad. The best people in the world give objections.” (Andy Elliott, 24:11)

9. Use Silence as a Tool (25:10)

• Leverage silence, especially after tough questions—it compels prospects to fill the space, often revealing critical information.
• Quote:

  “Use silence as a tool. Control your emotions. Whoever can control their emotions the best wins.” (Andy Elliott, 25:29)

10. End with Their Words (27:08)

• Close the conversation by tying your solution to what they said. Restate their words and demonstrate you’ve listened and cared about their specific needs.
• Example Close:

  “So, John, you came in here today, you said you guys got a baby on the way, right? … Based on everything you said, we're going to take the vehicle that doesn't sit high enough, that doesn't have enough seats, and you're no longer going to make any more payments on it.” (Andy Elliott, 27:23)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Gift of Gab:

  "If you’re watching this and you got the gift of gab…that is a problem…The more that comes out of your mouth, the more that someone can disagree with." (01:06)

• On The Importance of Note-Taking:

  “That’s why I hate when people don’t write stuff down. One thing I’ve always done for 27 years in sales is that I've always wrote stuff down…” (16:49)

• On Summarizing Pain (Empathy):

  “This is not a method to use because it’s a strategy. It is a method because you care about them.” (21:38)

• On Objections:

  "Don’t be afraid of objections. Objections are good. They’re not bad…That’s why you get paid the big bucks. Do you feel me?” (24:11)

• On Silence as a Superpower:

  “Silence is a superpower. After asking a tough question, stay quiet. They'll fill in the gap with the gold.” (25:29)

• On Customer Focus:

  “Act like they’re the only one in the room, even if there’s another 500 people in the room.” (26:44)

Timestamps: Key Segments

• 00:20 – Introduction to the #1 rookie mistake: selling blind
• 02:18 – 1) Start with Questions, Not Pitches
• 04:08 – 2) 80/20 Rule (They talk 80%, you talk 20%)
• 06:20 – 3) Mirror Their Words
• 10:01 – 4) Ask Follow-Up Questions / The Dig Deeper Method
• 13:18 – 5) Pause After They Speak
• 16:35 – 6) Take Notes
• 19:30 – 7) Summarize Their Pain
• 22:41 – 8) Shut Up During Objections
• 25:10 – 9) Use Silence as a Tool
• 27:08 – 10) End with Their Words

Tone, Takeaways, and Final Thoughts

• Tone: High-energy, relentless, direct, motivational, urgent, and actionable.
• Key Takeaway: The most dangerous salesperson isn’t the best talker—it’s the best listener. Master these ten habits, and you'll transform your sales career, out-earn your peers, and develop professional relationships that last.
• For Listeners: Andy encourages active engagement—take notes, self-diagnose your weaknesses, replay on repeat, and share the episode with teammates, especially “the guy that talks too much.”
• Big Picture:

  “If you just take every one of my videos and you literally study every single one of them, you will become the most dangerous salesperson on planet Earth.” (00:56)

This episode is a comprehensive crash course in elite sales listening—a must for anyone serious about earning “pro money” and accelerating their sales career by fixing the rookie mistake of talking more than listening.