Emotional Intelligence for Sales People
Emotional stimulation stimulates higher sales success.
This was recently empirically demonstrated. A group of individuals were shown emotionally charged videos, after which they were pitched by a salesperson.
It turned out that the members of this group were willing to pay significantly more for what the salesperson was selling than was a group of similar individuals who did not see that emotionally evocative video.
One interesting factor worth noting here is that whether the video left the audience feeling elated or saddened, pleased or frustrated, encouraged or anxious, made no difference. It was the emotional stimulation, not the quality of emotion stimulated, that opened up people's wallets and led to a higher value sales closing.
The lesson: During sales presentations, be emotional. Convey deep feeling. Based on the fact that emotional states are contagious, your emotionally stimulating state will stimulate your prospect's emotions. Particularly at the close of your presentation, end on an emotional note.
This is a great way to channel any nervous energy you may be feeling during a presentation. Direct that energy into deep feeling.
We can call this �emotional intelligence for sales people�.
To develop your emotional intelligence for more successful sales presentations, practice EXPERIENCING and EXPRESSING emotion in sales role-play exercises with fellow members of your sales team.
Practice in the mirror. Practice in a private space. And most importantly, practice during your sales presentations.
To use emotion most effectively, however, a successful sales person accurately reads the emotional �comfort zone� of the prospect.
It's possible to be too intensely emotional. Excessive emotionalism can cause a prospect to feel too uncomfortable to remain engaged.
So there are basically two levels of practice to develop emotional intelligence for sales success:
1� Pay close attention to your prospect during your conversation to read the body signals that express comfort and discomfort, engagement and disengagement.
2� Practice conversing and listening with deep feeling.
