Emotional intelligence in sales: discover 5 steps to develop it!

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One of the most valued soft skills in the market, emotional intelligence is also — it could be said — one of the most difficult to develop. The reason for this is that it actually encompasses a combination of characteristics, such as self-control, adaptability, empathy , etc., and, of course, requires transforming all of them into actions to overcome everyday challenges.

The fact is that, because it is a skill directly associated with interpersonal relationships, it is quite common for it to be positively explored, for example, by salespeople and even by professionals who occupy leadership and/or team management positions — in this case, we have what is known as "emotional intelligence in sales", which proves to be an incredible ally in enhancing results , if used well.

However, one of the most common questions in this regard singapore mobile phone number concerns the importance that the relationship between sales and emotional intelligence has been gaining and the reason why it has gained so much importance in recent years. So, do you want to learn more about this topic? Keep reading!

What can really be understood by emotional intelligence?
In simple terms, we can understand emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize, understand and naturally deal with one's own impulses and emotions, and to act in the same way in relation to the feelings of others. The concept began to gain a lot of popularity in 1986, thanks to Daniel Goleman — a psychologist and PhD from Harvard University —, who deepened his studies on the subject and, later, published the book "Emotional Intelligence".

For the author, we all have "two minds": the emotional and the rational. Thus, when we become aware of our emotions, we develop our intelligence in a much more effective way.

How important is emotional intelligence in sales?
As mentioned, emotional intelligence can — and should — be explored by salespeople, as it represents a skill that is highly related to the formation and maintenance of relationships between people. However, this is not the only reason that makes it so applicable to the segment, since emotional intelligence can also prove to be a decisive skill in arguments aimed at overcoming sales objections, in managing the most diverse situations and in closing deals itself.

How to apply it?
If you want to improve your sales results using more accurate sales approaches , it is essential to first understand how to deal with your own emotions and, of course, those of the customer. This way, you can use them to your advantage. Below, see 5 key tips for applying emotional intelligence in sales.

1. Put self-knowledge into practice

When it comes to emotional intelligence, self-knowledge is essential. In this sense, the salesperson who wants to put this skill into practice, before anything else, needs to know himself better.

In short, this means that the professional must understand his or her own feelings, his or her most common reactions to specific stimuli, his or her emotional triggers, etc. Therefore, it is imperative to look inside oneself honestly and be more aware of one's behavior, temperament, personality and, of course, one's strengths and weaknesses.

2. Keep control of your emotions

Another highly relevant point that is also part of the process of developing emotional intelligence is self-control. After all, from the moment you start to know yourself better, it becomes possible to exercise greater control over your emotions.

For example, if during a sale the customer disagrees with something that was said, if the sales professional lacks self-control, he or she may be rude and even lose the opportunity to close a deal. For this reason, it is essential that you know what triggers specific feelings, as this will make it easier to better manage your reactions in certain situations.

3. Be empathetic with customers

When it comes to salespeople specifically, it is essential that they are able to understand the feelings that customers present and, even more so, what is really behind them. To do this, exercising empathy is essential.

The professional needs to be able to truly put themselves in the shoes of the individual being treated in order to understand how they feel. This way, it becomes much easier to go beyond what is said, gaining their trust and offering the ideal solutions to their needs.

4. Know your customers

Of course, it is not easy to know all customers just by the way they speak, however, many salespeople, over time, begin to master the body signals emitted by consumers to identify what they really want to say. After all, as you may have read or heard at some point, the body speaks. However, this technique is not always so successful.

Understanding when a customer is undecided and offering the best solutions, or understanding how to deal with that segment of the public that loves a discount, makes all the difference. That's why salespeople who can truly "read" consumers and consequently offer a highly positive experience stand out. Precisely for this reason, knowing how to capture these demands is such an important point and has a great impact on sales performance.

5. Practice self-motivation

Finally, the pursuit of developing emotional intelligence also involves self-motivation. In other words, sales professionals must be able to find ways to stay motivated.

In this context, when the salesperson knows themselves well, they have a better chance of identifying which stimuli can keep their motivation high. Self-knowledge — already mentioned in other moments — is essential again here.

What are the benefits of doing so?
Quoting Goleman once again, it is possible to achieve emotional intelligence when five pillars are met. Below, see what they are and how they benefit the business as a whole, generating better results and increasing profitability levels.

Emotional self-knowledge

The first aspect concerns emotional self-knowledge. After all, to develop emotional intelligence, it is imperative that we know how to identify our frustrations, abilities, reactions, triggers, weaknesses and strengths. Only after this recognition is it possible to move on to the following pillars of development.