Emotional Intelligence is a very popular subject these days on the Internet. Although we hear so much about it, the stories and tips shared rarely pertain to the reality of the sales world. I think it’s time for salespeople to engage more with this concept in their daily activities in order to improve their sales results. Emotional Intelligence is actually a very important skill to have and develop as it allows us to truly connect with our clients.
Personally, I like to think of Emotional Intelligence in sales as a twofold process.
First, it’s the ability to read your clients’ emotions by paying attention to the words they use, their body language, and the energy they showed during a sales call. Attentiveness to these subtle, yet telling, clues must be nurtured to have a good Emotional Intelligence. It’s important to understand that your customer’s choice of words is a reflection of their emotions, which in turn should also be demonstrated in their body language and energy.
By paying more attention to these details, you can adapt your dialogue, create a better connection with your client, and translate this into a more positive closing. The “vibes” you get at the end of a meeting is the Emotional Intelligence you gathered.
But wait –that’s just the start! Emotional Intelligence is more than knowing how to read other people. In fact, I think that the second and most important part of having a good Emotional Intelligence in the sales industry is about understanding yourself and your emotions.
By tuning into your emotions, you will be able to better control yourself– and know, for example, when to take a deep breath – and be truly in the moment. It will also create a more positive connection with your client and foster a distinctive relationship that the customer is looking for.
To be more in tune with your emotions and your Emotional Intelligence, take a second to answer these 5 questions after a sales call:
- Was I 100% present during my sales call today? If not, what else was I preoccupied with?
- Was I energetic enough with this client?
- Did I worry about explaining all my PowerPoint slides during my pitch?
- Did I pay attention to my client’s body language? What did I learn by simply looking at them?
- Did the words, body language and energy of my client “jive together” during the sales call?
If you don’t have clear answers to those questions, then it’s time for you to reflect on how well you manage your Emotional Intelligence. The good news is that Emotional Intelligence is an acquired skill and that you can work to improve yours. The better you manage your Emotional Intelligence, the better you will become as a Sales Professional!
-Pierre Guay
President, PG Coaching Inc
