Many skills are required to be a successful salesperson. Salespeople need to be confident in their sales presentations, have the motivation to increase sales, and have a passion to promote their products and service. Their most important skill is likely to be emotional intelligence.
Selling at high levels requires emotional connections with customers. Building genuine connections requires understanding your emotions and those of your customers and prospects. These skills are called emotional intelligence.
We will discuss emotional intelligence and why it is important in sales. And how you can cultivate it within yourself and your sales team.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to control and express one’s emotions and read other people’s emotions. It also allows you to respond compassionately. Five components make up emotional intelligence:
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Social skills
- Empathy
- Motivation
People with a high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) are often referred to by others as high emotional quotient. High EQs make people more valuable in the workplace, as business owners and managers become more educated on the importance of managing stress at work and creating an environment that supports employees’ mental health.
Also read: 5 Best Sales Mapping Software
What is the value of emotional intelligence in sales?
Emotional intelligence is an important soft skill for any career, particularly in the sales industry. If you have a job that involves breaking down barriers with strangers, it is important to overcome objections, building relationships and connecting with people requires the ability to control emotions and react appropriately.
Here are some ways that emotional intelligence is important in the sales industry.
1. Emotional intelligence helps you overcome objections.
When dealing with objections, emotional intelligence can prove to be an asset. Every potential customer is different unique needs and concerns in the early stages of the sales funnel. It is possible to make it easier for customers to communicate their concerns and understand their viewpoints.
Poor self-regulation can lead to people seeing sales objections negatively and becoming discouraged, frustrated, or even depressed. Someone who is able to self-regulate will see sales objections as opportunities. You can solve a problem by asking a question or object.
Salespeople who are positive and smart can convert objections into sales. They should prepare a proactive plan to overcome common objections.
2. Emotional intelligence helps you handle rejection.
Although rejection is inevitable in the sales profession, it doesn’t mean that it’s easy. High EQ salespeople understand that a “no” is not a rejection of their personal business. Rejections are less likely to cause stress or upset, so they’re less likely to be stressed. They will instead see rejection as an opportunity for improvement.
Emotionally intelligent people are motivated and can persevere despite being frustrated. They will seek mentorship or training for employees if they are having trouble with something.
3. You can build rapport with leads by using emotional intelligence.
There is no single way to build rapport with customers and leads in sales. Strong social skills make it easier for salespeople to encourage prospects to talk about their needs and grow customer relationships that are based on trust, caring, and caring.
Salespeople who are self-aware can recognize when they’re being too aggressive and can adjust their approach accordingly. Empathy is more effective at understanding the signals of a prospect and adapting their pitch accordingly. If the lead is friendly and open-minded, the salesperson may choose to be more casual. The salesperson can be more formal if the customer prefers to be addressed by their name.
4. Emotionally intelligent salespeople come across as professional.
Self-awareness and self-regulation are key to identifying and controlling feelings of anxiety, fear, and irritation when presenting to customers and prospects. A high-EQ salesperson is able to remain calm, confident, and competent while projecting a professional demeanor regardless of the situation.
High-EQ salespeople with excellent social skills can diffuse tension in situations using humor or empathy and make prospects feel at ease.
5. Emotionally intelligent salespeople understand delayed gratification.
Salespeople are driven by the excitement of closing a sale. Sales representatives often focus their efforts on closing sales deals to get instant gratification. This can have a negative impact on your sales funnel. It means that you aren’t generating sales leads at a suitable pace.
People who are emotionally intelligent are more likely to be willing to do the work that will bring them the reward. This is called delayed gratification and it’s an important element of self-regulation.
Also read: What is Market Intelligence And How To Use It
Do people with high EQs make better managers?
People who are emotionally intelligent often make great leaders and can guide their teams through difficult times. Sales can be stressful for both the mind and the heart. There are highs that make your team feel like celebrating, but there are also low points when every path leads to an end.
A team leader who is emotionally intelligent can help reps feel positive in difficult times and boost the morale of the whole sales team. They are able to sense emotions and can be supportive and compassionate when colleagues are under stress or pressure. They are also able to assist people with mental health problems, stress, workplace burnout, and other issues.
High-EQ managers can identify their own overwhelmed feelings and seek out help, time off or proactively address them.
Can you develop emotional intelligence skills?
The business world is increasingly interested in emotional intelligence. It allows you to understand and control your emotions. Although some people have a natural tendency to emotional intelligence, others can increase their EQ.
These are some easy, effective ways to increase your emotional intelligence.
- Respond instead of reacting. It is common for anger and emotional outbursts during conflict situations. Higher EQ individuals are calm in stressful situations and don’t react impulsively to make bigger problems. When there is conflict, emotional intelligence can help you react instead of react. In other words, it means that you make better decisions and your actions reflect those decisions.
- Listen actively. There is a big difference between listening and hearing. A person with a high EQ listens more for clarity than waiting for their turn. They listen to what is being said and pay attention to non-verbal cues in a conversation. This helps avoid misunderstandings, shows respect, and allows the listener to respond appropriately.
- Be friendly and approachable. Show appreciation to your co-workers and employees. Be positive. You can improve your social skills by focusing on how you interact with others. An emotionally intelligent person. You must have great interpersonal skills and be able to communicate clearly with others.
