We can’t resist how emotional we are as human beings! And the way we have grown in this society.
Like from childhood, the way our parents influence our decisions when we try to demand something different—to continue and get blackmailed emotionally by our gf, wife or kids?
Right? Can’t be ignored!
As you can see, emotions are part of our lives, and every decision we make is flown to our brain are strongly influenced by emotions first.
And when it comes to the world of sales, understanding your customers and building strong relationships with them is essential.
One key factor that can make or break a sales deal is your emotional intelligence (EI). Which we don’t take seriously most of the time. In this article, we will explore emotional intelligence in sales, and its importance, and I will provide you with practical tips and strategies for applying your EI in day-to-day life to close more sales.
1. So, what is Emotional Intelligence?
In simple terms, according to psychologist Daniel Goleman Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Which was formulated in the mid-1990s.
To truly understand how emotional intelligence not just can help you to close more sales deals but also help you to maintain good relations with your clients. It’s important to break down the key components of emotional intelligence.
There are five fundamental elements that make up emotional intelligence, which are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Let’s explore each of these components in detail.
A. Self-Awareness
Okay, sit back!
Recognize and understand your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors first, and then see how they affect others.
It involves being conscious of your strengths and weaknesses, values, and motivations.
In sales, self-awareness can be very critical to getting things in line. By being self-aware, you can better understand your own biases and emotions, which can help you relate to clients more effectively.
For example, if you are aware that you tend to be pushy or overly aggressive in your sales conversation, you can adjust your behavior to be more sensitive to the client’s needs and preferences.
Another example of using self-awareness in sales is recognizing your own communication style. By being aware of how they communicate, you can tailor your approach to fit the client’s communication style, which can improve the chances of building a positive rapport and ultimately closing the sale.
Overall, self-awareness is a valuable tool for you as a salesperson, as it can help you better understand yourself and your clients, leading to more effective communication and better relationships.
B. Self-Regulation
Yes! I know the world itself so heavy to regulate, but this ability will help you to manage your own emotions and behaviours, particularly in high-pressure situations.
This is an important skill for salespeople because it allows them to remain calm and composed when dealing with difficult customers or negotiating a tough sale. By regulating their emotions, salespeople can also avoid making impulsive decisions that may harm the sale.
In practical life, you can use self-regulation techniques such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and mindfulness to calm your nerves and stay focused on the task at hand. You may also regulate your behavior by consciously choosing your words and tone to maintain a professional demeanor and build rapport with the customer.
Overall, self-regulation can help you maintain your effectiveness and build stronger relationships with your clients.
C. Motivation
Motivation drives you to keep your passion alive to achieve goals, particularly in the face of obstacles and setbacks. It allows you to stay focused and persistent in pursuing a sale, even when the customer may seem hesitant or resistant.
By staying motivated, you can also inspire your customers and help them see the value of the product or service being sold.
To use motivation effectively in sales, it’s important to understand what motivates You.
Some, may be motivated by financial incentives, while others may be motivated by the opportunity for advancement or recognition.
By understanding what motivates you, you can set your mindset, clarify your goals, and ask for regular feedback and recognition for your achievements.
D. Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to comprehend and relate to the emotions and experiences of others.
It allows them to connect with their customers on a deeper level, understand their needs and desires, and provide tailored solutions that meet those needs.
By demonstrating empathy, salespeople can also build trust and rapport with their customers, which can lead to more successful sales in the future.
For example, a you may use empathy to respond to a customer’s objections by acknowledging their concerns and addressing them in a way that shows they understand their perspective.
This can help the customer feel heard and valued, which can lead to a more positive outcome for both parties.
Overall, empathy is a valuable tool for salespeople to build stronger connections with their customers and increase their sales success.
E. Social Skills
Social skills refer to the ability to effectively communicate and interact with others, especially with clients.
This includes skills such as active listening, effective questioning, and nonverbal communication. These skills are important for salespeople because they allow them to build strong relationships with their customers, and communicate their value proposition in a clear and compelling way.
For instance, a salesperson with strong social skills would listen carefully to the customer’s needs and concerns, communicate effectively to build trust, and resolve any conflicts that may arise during the negotiation process.
They would also be able to adapt their communication style to fit the customer’s personality and preferences and use nonverbal cues such as eye contact and body language to convey warmth and empathy.
The Strong Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Sales
If you still stick to this point you may observe how Emotional intelligence has a significant impact on the success of your sales skills.
And can easily help you to Building Rapport with Customers, Managing Customer Expectations, Handling Rejection, and in Negotiating.
Case Studies: How Emotional Intelligence Can Improve Sales
This case study was extracted from the book “Secrets of Closing the Sale” by Zig Ziglar.
The book mainly focuses on sales techniques, strategies, and principles.
However, it does emphasize the importance of building strong relationships with customers, understanding their needs, and adapting to their personalities and communication styles.
And these skills require a degree of emotional intelligence.
Case Study 1: In Chapter 2,
Ziglar shares a story of a salesperson who successfully closed a deal by building a strong relationship with his customer.
The salesperson was trying to sell a particular type of printing press to a potential client who was not interested in the product at first. Instead of pushing the sale, the salesperson engaged the customer in conversation and discovered that the customer was in the process of expanding his business.
The salesperson then demonstrated how the printing press could help the customer with his expansion plans. By showing a genuine interest in the customer’s business and needs, the salesperson was able to build a relationship of trust with the customer and close the sale.
Case Study 2: In Chapter 3,
Ziglar tells the story of a salesperson who struggled to sell a particular type of fertilizer to a farmer.
The salesperson tried to sell the fertilizer by focusing on its features and benefits, but the farmer was not interested.
The salesperson then decided to take a different approach and asked the farmer about his farm and his experience with fertilizers. By listening to the farmer and understanding his needs, the salesperson was able to adapt his pitch to match the farmer’s communication style and interests.
The salesperson presented the fertilizer as a solution to the farmer’s specific problems, and the farmer ended up buying a large quantity of the product.
This case study illustrates the importance of understanding the customer’s needs and adapting the sales pitch to match their communication style and interests.
Conclusion
Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill for sales professionals. It enables them to build rapport with customers, actively listen, negotiate more effectively, understand customer needs, and handle rejection.
By incorporating emotional intelligence skills into their sales approach, sales professionals can improve their performance, build stronger relationships with customers, and close more deals.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog on Emotional Intelligence and its impact on sales deals. I hope you found the information valuable and insightful.
Now, I would love to hear from you. What are your thoughts on Emotional Intelligence and its role in closing more sales deals? Feel free to share your insights in the comments section below.
Once again, thank you for being a part of this discussion. I truly appreciate your engagement and hope that the knowledge shared here will be of great help to you in your future sales endeavours.
Source
https://www.danielgoleman.info/
https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/emotional-intelligence
https://www.business.com/articles/the-psychology-of-sales/
https://www.saleshacker.com/emotional-intelligence-in-sales/
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-empathy-2795562
“Secrets of Closing the Sale” by Zig Ziglar [https://www.ziglar.com/]
