How Emotional Fitness Can Boost Your Sales Performance

Sales is a high-pressure job that often involves stepping out of your comfort zone and facing imposter syndrome.

To succeed, you need to develop a strong emotional muscle.

The question is: How does emotional fitness relate to our performance under pressure and our long-term resilience in sales?

Ben Drakes has prepared all the answers. Let's see what he has to say.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Enhance Your Emotional Fitness

Emotional fitness in sales means having the ability to control and regulate your emotions, especially in high-pressure situations.

It's about not being overwhelmed by stress and maintaining a calm and measured approach, often crucial for handling the ups and downs of a sales career.

Developing a strategy to manage emotional states allows sales professionals to perform better, experience less stress, and enjoy a happier and more balanced life.

“Emotional fitness for me, as a sales professional, is really that I don't have to be yanked around by my emotions at any particular time. I can have control over my emotions, and I can control my emotional state before I go into high-pressure situations.”

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1. Thrive Under Sales Pressure

Two key strategies will allow you to master your emotional fitness:

1. Top Down Control

This strategy involves maintaining a positive mindset and telling yourself empowering stories, even when facing setbacks. It's about reframing your thoughts and focusing on the positives to stay motivated and resilient.

2. Bottom-Up Control

This approach involves using physical actions to signal calm to your brain, helping you stay composed. Techniques like deep breathing and grounding exercises can help you manage stress and remain focused during challenging moments.

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2. Stay Calm and Connected

In sales, dealing with discomfort is key to success. A useful strategy is the Six Second Relax technique, developed by a group of cardiologists in the USA. Here's how to do it:

1. Inhale through your nose and say, "Mind Alert."
2. Exhale and say, "Body Calm."
3. Keep your peripheral vision open and smile slightly.

It's a simple technique that activates your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress, lowering your heart rate, and calming your mind.

Repeat as needed to stay focused and composed, ensuring you're ready to connect empathetically with your clients.

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3. Prospect with Empathy

When prospecting, it's important to establish a genuine emotional connection before discussing business.

Begin by researching and interacting with potential customers on platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The goal is to connect with their emotional side, which influences feelings of trust and comfort.

By making prospects feel positive about you initially, they are more likely to engage their rational thinking and consider your business proposal.

“Practicing and leading with empathy, both in prospecting but also when we're in meetings with customers, is critical. And how can we do that if we're not prepared?”

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4. Balance Technology with Genuine Human Connection

Salespeople should take ownership of their LinkedIn presence and share valuable content beyond just company promotions.

Personalization is key, even in high-volume outreach. Bring empathy, humor, and insightful information to make your communication meaningful.

While it's important to embrace AI tools, never forget the power of human connection. AI can't replicate genuine empathy or the value you bring to a conversation. If you keep adding real value, customers will always want to engage with you.

“We've got to use AI as sales professionals. We've got to use AI tools. What's the one way to get your job taken is not to adopt the new technology and battle against it.”

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“We always need to fall back on the process as professionals. That's what differentiates an amateur from a professional in exactly the same way as a sports star.”

Emotional fitness is a game-changer for sales professionals. Remember, it's about controlling your emotions, leading with empathy, and continuously adding value to your clients.

Start practicing these emotional fitness techniques today, and you'll not only boost your sales performance but also enjoy a more balanced and fulfilling career.

Now that you know how emotional fitness allows salespeople to successfully manage high-pressure situations for maximum performance, discover the full list of episodes at The B2B Revenue Executive Experience. If you enjoy the show, instructions to rate and review it are found here.

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