What is Emotional Intelligence?
The psychological science dealing with one’s own emotions and those of others is known as Emotional Intelligence. The emotional intelligence skill set essentially includes emotional self-awareness, the capability of emotion regulation, empathy, emotional harnessing to solve issues for one’s own self and others. Emotional Intelligence means the ability to think straight in difficult situations, executing rational actions even under pressure and prudent problem solving to get the desired result.

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters When It Comes to Sales?
According to a list of the top 10 skills that employees will need to possess to thrive in the workplace of the future published by World Economic Forum, Emotional intelligence was ranked number sixth. Although there is no standard scale to measure emotional intelligence, many businesses tend to include emotional intelligence mapping in their hiring process. This is because people with higher emotional intelligence tend to serve better in leadership-oriented roles. Not only they are great at motivating themselves but they also empathize with co-workers and motivate them too. The higher emotional quotient of an employee also contributes significantly towards sales in business environments.

When we talk on the importance of emotional intelligence for a sales professional, we know that the job profile mandates clear thinking and smarter actions. Any business seeking to increase the returns on its investments needs to hire a sales team that not only excels at rapport building with prospects but also motivates them towards better avenues. Emotionally intelligent sales professionals come with the prowess of keeping calm during storms. With their affirmative outlook, empathetic nature and driven approach they take all criticism in their stride and motivate the team towards tackling the clients in more humane ways.

1. Overcoming Objections
A sales professional can harness the power of Emotional intelligence while handling objections. If we access early stages of a sales funnel, all prospects pose a unique set of needs and have concerns that require to be addressed. Working empathy during this phase and addressing the concerns that a prospect might have; helps a sales personnel handle objections in a more precise manner. The affirmative approach of an emotionally efficient sales team member helps address the prospect’s question or objection in a helpful manner, without any demotivation.

2. Handling Rejections
Emotional Intelligence allows sales professionals to deal with criticism in a composed manner. Being a motivator, these individuals look forward to the ways in which they can mitigate a problem rather than wallowing in despair. A balanced outlook helps them avoid negative reactions or pompous displays of emotions. They constantly work towards adding value towards a customer’s experience and this becomes the subtle secret to their success.

3. Building Rapport
There is no standard way a salesperson can build rapport with potential new leads. However, emotionally intelligent sales professionals can read between the lines and decipher the signals that a prospect exudes. They then proceed to adapt their pitch accordingly. With a flamboyant and outgoing lead, the salesperson can don a somewhat informal approach and vice versa.

4. Accepting Delayed Gratification
Sometimes businesses are so focused on closing deals, they overlook the crucial technicalities that lie in details like timing. Emotional Intelligence allows sales personnel to weigh in the situation from all corners and make informed moves. Emotionally Intelligent sales workforce doesn’t focus its energy with the sole objective of closing deals. Instead, they work towards forming good relations with a prospect and offer value propositions to them when the time is ripe. To them this kind of delayed gratification is acceptable.

5. Authentic Conversions
Emotional Intelligence helps sales professionals connect with prospects at a more personal level. Thus, they can leverage their emotional understanding by crafting their pitches to cater specifically to a prospect’s pain points. Thus, by initiating relevant conversations, emotionally capable professionals can turn around the sales function for your business. They know exactly what to say and how to convey it, which minimizes the chances of any misinterpretations.

6. Offer Personal Accountability to The Clients
Being emotionally stable, sales personnel develops a clear understanding of the team’s pluses and weaknesses. This gives them the confidence to take responsibility on behalf of the business when they make personalized connections with a client. Offering client personal accountability can be a distinct competitive advantage in the business world as it creates a good rapport. They steer clear from blame-games and take full responsibility for the actions of their team. When met with criticism they don’t allow the team to be overcome with emotions, instead, they think straight and provide solutions to the client in distress.

7. Increase social competence
Sales professionals who are emotionally intelligent also come with a degree of social competence. Not only are they well- aware of the surrounding they function in, but they also excel at people’ skills as well. Emotional intelligence provides them with an in-depth understanding of ulterior motives of others and they then use this knowledge in making long term relationships with people. They practice patience and make moves only when the time is ripe.

How Much Emotional Intelligence is Too Much Intelligence?
While Emotional Intelligence remains an integral part of sales routines throughout the business world, it is important to note that it is ‘morally neutral.’ What this means is that an individual can use it to help, protect and promote another individual or his/her self at the cost of another. Sometimes, excess emotional intelligence brings out the socially manipulative personality of people which they use to serve their own purpose. Using emotional intelligence to serve selfish motives at the expense of others can be unjust and harm the business in the long run.

How to Make the Most of Emotional Intelligence?
Though common factors like prices and features dictate purchase decisions to a large extent, most customers are unknowingly stimulated by emotions when they purchase a product or a service. Even brands are built to stir emotions among users. Any advertising that makes emotional connect with a user is a winner. Brands build trust among their prospects through marketing activities and harness profits through emotional intelligence. For a sales professional to gain good returns for the business, he/she must perceive their customers’ emotional state and craft his or her pitch accordingly.

How to Boost your Emotional Intelligence?
Getting better of your emotions is the essential key to success in sales. Emotional Intelligence allows you to make better connections, enhance performance and be a charmer through empathic conversations. Here is a quick guide to How to Boost your Emotional Intelligence:

– Develop Insight about Yourself
Do you know who you are? What are your chief personality traits? If not, take a personality quiz. Figure out how open to a new experience you are. Find out if you are mindful at all. Are you outgoing, or are you reserved? Are you a team-worker? If emotional stability your chief trait? Once you figure out your personality kind, it would be easier for you to decide on a way to improve yourself. This also makes you accepting of the ways in which other people behave.

– Have Well-defined Values
It is important to note that every individual function with a different set of values and beliefs. Be yourself when it comes to values and never copy other people. Stick to values you believe in and direct your energy in achieving your goals.

– Always respond. Never React
It is natural for any individual to act defensive or react protectively in a troubled situation. However, emotionally intelligent people immediately configure what is causing trouble in a particular situation and deal with it with a calm front. They listen out the aggrieved parties with poise and without bias, develop a perspective of the whole situation before they conclude. Their response is a well-thought-through the act and never a thoughtless impromptu reaction.

– Be Genuine
It can be so frustrating to deal with individuals who say one thing and mean another when they face tumult. Integrity is a prime trait of an emotionally intelligent individual and thus they ensure they put across the most genuine front. There needs to be integral honesty and transparency in everything they say or do, regardless of the situation they are in.

– Handle Emotions Wisely
To boost emotional intelligence develop a wide array of emotions and learn how to handle them. When you recognize unpleasant feelings, it becomes easier for you to manage them. It prevents cases where people react negatively to emotions that aggravate them. Managing emotions allows one to act appropriately in social situations. Recognize different emotions and recategorize them as you feel them. Develop ways to keep calm during negative emotions.

– Listen with Intent
Stop being Mr/Ms. Know-it-all. Listen to all things without any preconceived notions and try to develop a wholesome perspective on things. Such observations with help expand your pool of knowledge and make you more considerate.

– Communicate Well
Take the honest route of communication but be considerate of other people’s feelings. Pay attention to body language signals the people emit. Maintain a good posture to command respect from others. Use eye contact to establish trust. Be expressive and loving in the way you speak. You don’t’ need to conceal your vulnerable side, as it can make people feel connected to you,

– Reality Checks are important
It is important to have an open mind. Be acceptable of the fact that there will be times when you might be wrong. Such reality checks are important for a more balanced approach in the world.

Conclusion
All businesses can mend and excel client relations with an emotionally intelligent workforce. Business success is directly proportional to social success which in turn is dependent a great deal on emotional intelligence.