Emotional Intelligence is Key to Winning Customers Over

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Lauren Newalani

Content Writer for Whistle with multidisciplinary experience spanning over a decade.

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There has been a recent trend of moving away from forming real relationships with your customers and having serious conversations with them about what their needs are. This is a dire mistake by sales companies. Whistle sees ‘the conversation’ as the perfect way to build rapport with your potential customers and start a genuine relationship that is built on trust and mutual respect. How do we do this you may ask? Whistle Appointment Setters play to one of their biggest strengths – Emotional Intelligence. 

 

Why Video Conferencing Gives Our SDRs the Edge

The SaaS revolution is being driven by Product Led Growth (PLG). While many organizations still choose the traditional methods of Inbound or Outbound calls, we are seeing a very real shift in strategy. You may ask the question, “Doesn’t PLG see to itself?” or “Isn’t my product’s performance good enough to seal the deal?” In short, no. Statistics show that about 80% of leads don’t convert or don’t convert without a little bit of help from your salespeople. Whistle uses video conferencing to create a more personal connection with users. They can see our SDRs and our SDRs have the chance to ‘read the room’ or customer’s facial expressions. The online video meeting is such a critical interaction because an SDR may have just one opportunity to make an impression on a customer and at the same time learn as much about their needs as possible. A really big part of understanding customers and getting to the heart of their needs is Emotional Intelligence. Sometimes it’s not what a customer says but rather something they don’t say that could provide an SDR with a leverage point.

 

Let Your Buyers Feel ‘Heard’

One of the most important aspects of building customer relationships is trust. Customers need to trust that the SDR is genuinely and actively listening to their needs, concerns and objections. On the topic of objections; a customer objecting is not an objection to you personally. What it usually is, is the customer saying that you are not really listening to what I need. It takes a very experienced and evolved level of Emotional Intelligence to not react to the objection but to rather look for the root of it. 

 

Toss Your Script

Too many SDRs fall prey to the practice of blindly following a sales call script. And while they may have rehearsed it to Academy Award perfection, they are probably not listening to the prospect. Whistle doesn’t do scripts. We have a framework for our sales calls that takes into account possible objections and various directions that the conversation could move in. This method encourages SDRs to really listen and understand the pain points of the user. SDRs need to change the way they see themselves. They are not salespeople but should rather see themselves as a concierge that is there to help the customer arrive at the best solution for their needs. Using your Emotional Intelligence means that you meet your customer on an emotional level and if you listen to a customer long enough, they will tell you what they need.

 

The good news is that Emotional Intelligence can be taught and improved through coaching. Having a good awareness of your own emotions will help you to better understand your customers and their needs. Ultimately assisting in building rapport, trust and a long-term relationship.