Good salespeople know how to control their emotions.
Sales DNA consists of 6 elements that each play an essential role in the execution and therefore sales performance. The absence of one or more components that make up the DNA will have a negative impact on the course and outcome of the sales process.
Understand that Sales DNA has nothing to do with the technical selling competencies of representatives. You can have sales representatives who “know” sales like the back of their hand, yet can’t perform as well as they should because of defects in their Sales DNA.
Controlling emotions is one of the components.
- What is it?
- How does the lack of control manifest itself?
- How does it prevent a salesperson from performing?
- What can you do to repair DNA?
What is the control of emotions in sales?
If salespeople do not panic in the heat of battle or become too excited when they hear what they want to hear, they can control the sales process more effectively. — Objective Management Group.
In sales, controlling emotions means having the ability to remain anchored in the present moment whatever the prospect may say or do. In other words, a salesperson who controls emotions is never surprised by a question or comment from a prospect; he or she can stay focused instead of drifting off in thoughts about what was just said or what could potentially happen next.
64% of all salespeople don’t control emotions, so there is a good chance that even in a team of two representatives, at least one of them will be affected.
How does a lack of emotional control manifest itself in sales?
Lack of emotional control will manifest itself when the representative is caught off guard by an objection, or even a simple comment or question.
A salesperson needs to stay in the moment, not in their head, to use active listening skills. After being caught off guard, a representative who doesn’t control emotions will disconnect from the conversation to listen to his or her inner voice and deliberate. These reps can panic, get excited, over-analyze, prepare a response strategy instead of listening to the prospect and ask more good questions.
There may even be physical manifestations of the discomfort or enthusiasm of a representative who loses control of his or her emotions: sweating, red cheeks, staring for example.
What are the consequences of not controlling emotions in sales?
When a representative lacks emotional control, he or she no longer listens to the prospect, stops asking questions and misses essential information. Subjectivity also takes over, the representative no longer follows the set sales process and ultimately loses control of the conversation.
When this happens, the objective of the meeting with the prospect won’t be reached.
At a higher level, lack of emotional control will impact a salesperson’s:
- Ability to optimize and shorten their sales cycle because if a salesperson panics in the heat of the moment or becomes too excited when they hear what they want to hear, they effectively lose control their sales process.
- Become a consultative seller because they’ll have a harder time listening and asking questions.
- Effectively negotiate contracts.
Impact of controlling emotions in sales managers
Sales managers need to coach daily and when they aren’t able to control their emotions, they aren’t able to coach correctly. If a sales manager doesn’t panic in the heat of battle or become too excited when they hear what they want to hear, they can control the coaching process more effectively to listen and challenge their reps adequately.
How to control emotions in sales?
- Become aware of the problem.
- Identify situations and issues that lead to a feeling of vulnerability in sales meetings.
- Practice, practice and practice again: role-play (sales manager and representative) to train you to answer objections, typical questions from prospects.
- Prepare meetings (even if no meeting will ever go as you planned).
- During meetings: focus on the prospect as soon as you hear your inner voice (for example, change position or pinch yourself under the table).
- After the meetings: note the triggers that lead you to lose control over your emotions to role-play during a coaching session.
Ultimately, a salesperson who can’t control emotions needs to identify the situations to which they become vulnerable and practice their responses through role-plays until they can handle them in their sleep.
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