Emotional Intelligence: The Secret to Sales Success

Research shows that only 20% of a person's success is based on general intelligence (IQ) – the ability to learn, understand, and reason. The other 80% is driven by emotional intelligence (EQ) – the ability to understand ourselves and interact with others. Successful sales professionals, in particular, exhibit high levels of EQ, which sets them apart and drives their success.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Sales

Sales is fundamentally about managing emotions. The success of a sales professional depends heavily on their emotional intelligence. Salespeople must collaborate with internal customers such as the operations and supply chain teams to ensure product availability. They also need to secure support from HR and finance, while effectively managing relationships with their boss, peers, and geographically and demographically diverse teams.

Managing Relationships

A high level of emotional intelligence allows sales professionals to navigate a complex web of relationships:

• Internal Teams: Working closely with operations, supply chain, HR, and finance teams to bring products to market.
• Leadership and Peers: Managing relationships with superiors and colleagues to ensure smooth operations and support.
• Diverse Teams: Leading and coordinating teams spread across different geographical and demographic regions.

Customer and Distributor Management

Sales professionals also need to manage external relationships:

• Customers and Distributors: Engaging with customers, distributors, consignment agents, supermarkets, and outlet owners to drive sales.
• Technological Integration: Understanding and working with technology providers to leverage tools that enhance sales processes and outcomes.

Self-Awareness and Self-Discipline

Emotional intelligence starts with self-awareness and self-discipline. By understanding and controlling our emotions, we can create lasting changes in our behavior and performance. This transformation is crucial for developing a leadership mindset.

The Value of EQ in Sales

Why do some people earn less than $10 an hour while others, like Fortune 500 CEOs, earn more than $10,000 an hour? It’s not about the hours worked but the value created in those hours. High-value, high-performing sales professionals distinguish themselves through their high level of EQ. They manage relationships with bosses, peers, customers, distributors, and the broader community, making them exceptional leaders.

Conclusion

Experts say that 90% of our successes and failures in life stem from our mindset, values, beliefs, and vision. This means we have the power to control our destiny. By cultivating our emotional intelligence, we can unlock our potential and achieve extraordinary success.

Embrace your inner game. Develop your emotional intelligence. Become the sales leader you’re meant to be.