Sales EQ: How Ultra High Performers Leverage Sales-Specific Emotional Intelligence to Close the Complex Deal

by Jeb Blount, Anthony Iannarino (Foreword)

Sales EQ arms salespeople and sales leaders with the tools to identify their most important emotional intelligence developmental and learning needs and strategies for developing their Sales EQ. Readers learn how to leverage Sales EQ to improve the buying experience and close more deals faster and gain easy to understand and deploy frameworks for human to human interaction developed around the 5 Most Important Questions in Sales:


Do I like you? Do you listen to me? Do you make me feel important? Do you get me and my problems? Do I trust and believe you? In every interaction with a salesperson and throughout the sales process buyers are asking these five questions of salespeople. When salespeople answer the five questions in the affirmative, it becomes almost impossible for the buyer to say no.

Genres: Business, Psychology, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Self Help, Audiobook, Buisness

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2017

Reviews

[John Schwirtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of good sales advice in here but it often feels like an all-in-one sales guide that just throws in comments about empathy to keep it relevant to the title. The outline and structure of the book is also confusing. It could definitely benefit from a more hierarchical structure with different "parts" and better outlining in each chapter to make the strongest content easier to identify and consume. All that said, there are some strong chapters on listening and asking questions to really put yourself in your buyers shoes.

[John Scargall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, great for those who want an advanced understanding of sales. It really explains why those people who are great at forming relationships seem to get all the business! He goes into how people make decisions DIFFERENTLY than your sales process and their buyer process, and the key is aligning all three of those processes. If there's one thing that could be taken from this book, it's to learn and practice listening, since the very act of listening to someone attentively makes them like you more, and that makes them more likely to do business with you, even if someone else has lower prices, etc.

[Jason Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blount makes the case that average salespeople focus on techniques, while Ultra High Performers (UHPs throughout the book) focus on connecting with people.

The book can be summarized, perhaps, with, "shut up and listen" and then offer a solution to the potential client's problem(s).

There is much more helpful information herein, of course, but nothing so complex that it can't be summarized thusly. My chief reason for not giving five stars, perhaps, is that it could have been half the length. I think publishers demand 250 page books.

Recommended.

[David Kudlinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good manual by Jeb Blount. A compendium to Fanatical Prospecting. This is not an easy read and takes a long time to finish. I can image some folks giving up on it, and it will surprise many readers - it is a paradoxical "shut up and listen" advice instead of "pitch" tactics. I'd imagine someone would need a job with a 100% sales role with a daily slate of calls and appointments to put all this Ninja content into action.

[Kirill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book constantly tells you that “this topic is too much to be fit in a book, but you can go to our website where we will upsell our workshops to you”. There is some kind of a wired trend of sales books trying to sell more of themselves to the reader. I guess authors just do their job.
Still, the text contains useful advices and tactics that could be followed with a positive outcome.

[Benson Koh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book in sales

Amazing book for any sales person who wishes to perform on the top tier in their industry. Worth your time.

[Marisa Kahley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something that can be learned in all of Job Blount’s books. In Sales EQ, the thing that stood out to me was concerning Disruptive Emotions. During the sales process, it is so easy to be blown off course by obstacles, especially when the buyer’s emotions are involved. This part of the book really helped me focus on identifying that disruptive emotion, handling it calming, and staying on course.

[Matthew Banever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for sales! I regretfully listened too it, I’ve already purchased it because the book is packed with useful and PRACTICAL tips. There are no tricks on how to close a deal, no magical combination of words that guarantee a sale everytime…it’s about laying ground work and developing a connection. This is probably too 3 sales books I’ve ever read.

[Hari Krishnan Prasath (The Obvious Mystery) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot make myself read non-fiction books! They either make me sleepy or my mind boards a train and journeys through different worlds of my creation! Sales EQ was no different but I had to bring myself to read it because it is a framework for the work I do. So I sat there, on my bed, willing myself to go through its pages when it happened. Midway through chapter three, I was hooked!

Sales EQ primarily talks about or rather explains how the emotional quotient of a salesman plays an integral part in closing deals as well as creating and maintaining relationships. Jeb Blount highlights various factors such as Rationality, Cognition, Pattern painting, etc., that guide and disrupts emotions. He also talks about several concepts that help shape the salesman's mind and help him become an Ultra High Performer!. The journey starts with an overview of the involvement of EQ through a detailed explanation of Intelligence, Emotions, Drive, Probability and finally Communication.

Jeb Blount does an exceptionally good job in helping any layman understanding how important emotional intelligence is for a salesman. The highlight of this book is the various stories and incidents that the author describes to give the reader a better understanding of what he means to say. He compares an average salesman and an Ultra High Performer and tells the audience why the latter is successful and the former isn't. This book is one of the few catches I deem productive and for a person who does not dwell into Non-Fiction, this was interesting as Fuck! If you're a salesperson and want to make your job a lot easier, this is the book for you.

[Chip Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for anyone looking at furthering their sales career. Great insight into being successful and ways to not just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

[Chris Finlayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful bits, but falls short of the title

Not as good as Fanatical Prospecting. That said, Sales EQ is full of interesting ideas worth trying: murder boarding, asking a customer what they like about current vendors and techniques for recognizing how to deal with objections.

The book isn’t focused enough on the EQ topic. Too much of the advise feels generic and trite: dress to impress, listen and ask good questions. Sales is not rocket science, but parts of this book don’t do much to push the conversation forward.

[George Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do you find a book that spans both simple and complex sales so well and Jeb Blount manages to pull this one off.

Sales EQ builds upon the previous greats focusing on the emotional component of the sales and being able to use emotional inflection points to flip the customer script. It is meant to be an update to Psychology of Selling for the "modern times" and it may not pull that off, but it certainly comes close, only time will tell based on the adoption.

[Margot Note]

"You must learn to speak your prospect's language, because people buy for their reasons, not yours" (2).

"Average salespeople delude themselves into believing that buyers make rational, logical decisions based on empirical data and information. But that's not how the human mind works. Emotions come first, then logic" (6).

"Never have a meeting with a stakeholder, whether in person or on the phone, without setting and committing to a firm next step. Ever!" (121).

[Jeannette Arrowood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pivotal to my sales career

Love this book for its practical recommendations and for including real life examples along the way. The key to the power of this book is to put the principles into action. Take good notes and then do what they instruct. It will be fruitful and you will get results! Grateful to the authors and all those involved in writing this absolute gem of a book.

[Jenish Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this made me confident that to stay in a sales job and to achieve more you have to be the best (Ultra High Performer), there is never an average successful salesman. Author has given nice insights into the world of pitching with good examples and theories.

[Tom Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Sales Book by Blount

Jeb manages to take the intangibles that win sales and articulate them in a way that makes it understandable. Well done. Must read for sales professionals.

[Samuel Dergel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical sales book.

If you are in sales (who isn't) and do not want to be Herb Tarlek, this book will show you the way.

[Dustin Witmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on sales I've ever read.

[John Roszkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid Book

EQ is an Area I am weak in and now feel well equipped to perform. The general sales knowledge is also very useful. I highly recommend Fanatical Prospecting and Sales EQ.

[Mark Steinman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Sales book I have read in the last 20 years.

[Ryan Pereus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. high level, 21st Century sales

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taught me everything I need to know about sales!

[Jason Wicky Ong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Similar to How to win friends.

The book is good for independent contractors and company who need to improve their sales process and overall results.

Lazy brain
What do you dislike about this ?
Always learn
High internal locus of control. You can control
Increase ur win % with prosp, img, eq
Law of needi
Law of replace

Let them talk about their life
Be in their shoes, fit their lifestyle, sincere, on their side empathy, increase %

Feed ur fam
Be highly aware
Goa, how badly do u want
360 degree view,reflect
Optm, exp to succ, drive, conf, need to ach, amb
Do whatever
Drive is most impt
I am in ctrl
Act, react, mindset
Bel u will win
All neg to act
Ex, sleep
Eat well, breakfast
Acc pai and sac
Def purp
Regulate ur emo and oth emo
The danger not real, just figh
Dev self ctrl and mental toug
Antici pra
Preplan, visu, bod, neg to act, enthu
Juzdo till famil
Deep brea and do
Rise above ur emo
What do u really want?
UHP Master emo
Wisd, indulg, vital existence, aware do
Dun waste time, qualify: BANT Budget, Auth, need, time-urgent
Ask for small commitment, keep them engaged, ask for their emo(skin in the game), tk small st daily
Do they give long commited replies?
No commi, walk away
Get another agent in if not suitable
Since they have done so much, they are likely to commi.
Always be testing. Giving new dates.
Mk it rare n hard to buy. Pull away.
Always get them to commit to a date when calling (detailed, pro, save time)
Just ask. Mv ball fwd
Ledge statements, Disrupt/Agree with them, ask for date
I have got a packed schedule nx wk, why don't we get a meeting booked before some1 take it. How about sun 10am
Ask n know their commitment lvl
Be conf assert
Never say just checking
Don't skip steps
Get there first
Do not send out too much info, req commit, ask to meet
Ask for more info to tailormade a proposal
Subtle shift bod
Hearts first before mind
Ppl pay attention and u too. Ey

5: Likab, conn by listen, solve, trust, pos exp
The emo part with u is impt

Only have 5 min. Tell me what u got?
Still ask. 5 m is nt nearly enough time for me to learn abt u and ur company. Pitching the product without understanding ur issues wld be a disercice to u n ur time. Why don't we resch for wed 2pm?
The reas for the call is to know more about u and ur needs. In particular, ...
Mind hates unknown so tell ur intent lower emo wall and reduce cognitive load by stating a few proj.
I don't know if it make sense for our companies to work together.
Disrupt, wanting what they can't hv, relax non pitch.
U r the prize
Priming.. gold, sea, red, apple
Before we get started, is there anything you want to be sure we covered? They will say not at the moment but just ask.
Should not buy. Rebel
The choice is up to you
Ignore early obj and don't raise up unless buyer say again. Ack but dun argue.
Dun pitch no matt. Tell me your needs and wants.
They talk first, you bridge their story, conf ask for next
Rel conf is key. Also pos
No one can make you feel inferior without ur consent. -E. Roosevelt
Listen, ask: begin with empathy, present, intent to listn, trust in list
Ask open ended ask deep discover mindset shift. Dun shortc
Dun scrape the surface only
Converse, not interrogation
Ask easy q 1st, avoid weather
I bet u hv seen a lot of chan
What made you decide to come here
Tell me more, let them tell stor
Wow it sounds really challenging, pause
Empah, emo, att
Mk them feel impt, understand them, sincere compli, personalized
Law of recipr
Extra mile
Use their jargon and language
The so what test
Conf authori
Better fut
Assume get yes, conf assert, dir, shut up
'No' won't kill u. Aware. Learn. Juzdo
Pre-trial, plan
Priming, micro commit
Dun overcome obj, turn them around
Ack obj relate get on their side, Clarify ask what they mean, Other than that, is there anything else?, Stand in their shoes discover micro commit, Minimize fear, talk benefits, ask conf, it doesn't make sense to wait, why don't we get it signed asap, Get exact date for next appt
Pristine condition, neat
Listen, empat, Grati, how u respo, how badly do u want it?

[Matthew Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book on sales! Right off the bat this taught me a great lesson with the salesman and the customer. Salespeople come in first with the facts and logic, while the customer is first coming in with emotion. This is why often there is a push back with the process. When you as a salesperson come in first with the emotion of the sale you get on the right frequency as the customer. This connects you. After the customer is all excited, they then move to logic to complete the sale. Now you can apply the facts/logic and it will seal the deal! So true when doing lead generation and you just try to pitch your product/service, it is so cold and you often get push back. When you just open it up emotionally to anything else and connect with them (doesn't have to be about your product) it will put you both on the same page, trust will develop and you can move forward much easier from this point.

Having set objectives for calls, meetings, etc is vital to the sales process. You must be in control of the outcomes or you will not create the outcome you intended on.

Ultra High Performance sales is all about qualifying and working on great leads rather than focusing on mediocre leads. Average salespeople will work on bad leads because they have put in time or they just work on anything that comes up. This is how you waste lots of time and do not define what your customer is.

This book is a gem!

[Ahmad hosseini · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the starting of reading the book, I guessed the book is about neuroscience and human psychology and maybe be a little boring for me! It was a little about neuroscience and human psychology but it was not boring. I learned a lot from it and I found solutions for some of my mistakes.
In Sales EQ, you will gain a deeper understanding of human psychology and influence frameworks. You’ll take a journey inside your mind to understand the cognitive biases and disruptive emotions that hold you back in interpersonal relationships and undo your efforts to win deals.
Author talks, based on my opinion, about very important things in sales and educate you to how be master on them. Managing your own disruptive emotions, interpreting and responding to the emotions of stakeholders, qualifying prospects, managing sale process and asking question are some the most important things that author talks about them.

[Nabila Azima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dari buku ini saya dapat belajar bahwa keterampilan teknis penjualan penting, kecerdasan emosionallah yang membedakan penjual hebat
1. Penjual sukses harus mampu mengelola emosi mereka sendiri dan memahami emosi pembeli. Membaca sinyal emosional klien, mengelola stres, dan tetap tenang di bawah tekanan sangat penting.
2. ⁠Empati atau menempatkan diri di posisi pembeli dan memahami kebutuhan serta kekhawatiran mereka akan membantu membangun hubungan jangka panjang.
3. Penjual yang efektif tidak hanya fokus pada menjual produk, tetapi juga membangun hubungan dengan klien. Kepercayaan dan hubungan emosional yang kuat akan memudahkan proses penjualan.
4. Penolakan adalah bagian dari pekerjaan seorang penjual, tetapi bagaimana seorang penjual bereaksi terhadap penolakan sangat penting. Penjual yang memiliki EQ tinggi mampu tetap termotivasi dan menggunakan penolakan sebagai peluang untuk belajar dan tumbuh.

[Jung]

Ultra high sales come from influencing your prospects’ emotions – and from learning how to manage your own. Customers buy from people they like and trust, not the people who bombard them with slick sales pitches. So, make a human connection with your prospective clients, and leave the hard sell to the amateurs. 

Actionable advice: 

Give the gift of a compliment. 

Now that we know how closely sales and likability are connected, finding ways to dial up your personability can help you meet your sales goals. One powerful way is to give a compliment. Complimenting someone makes them feel important and valued. The most effective compliments are sincere and genuine, so take the time to get to know your prospect. Notice their unique achievements and qualities, and let the person know that you appreciate them.

[Dr. Tim Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

You want to read this if you want to be a UHP Seller

When I need a new direction in my training programs, I always turn to Jeb’s work. It’s creative, inspiring and motivates me to think differently about how I approach developing my programs. This book is yet another one of his greats. Maybe someday, I will meet him again and actually recognize him this time. LOL! It was a flight from Greensboro, North Carolina to Atlanta. Jeb boarded the plane, and I was reading his book. He asked me if I liked it, and I said something like, “He’s a great author.” And! I didn’t even recognize it was Jeb asking.

[Blaine Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book via Audible over a two week period. Overall, I would call it an encyclopedia of sales tactics / approaches. I'd categorize it this way:

40% - classic material, review for anyone who has had sales experience (first impression, ask questions, research your prospect in advance)

40% - interesting takes, valuable insights for pro salespeople (controlling your emotions, things not to say, the value in getting a tour)

20% - new material, enables a pro to expand the repertoire (implementing DISC profiles, advanced qualifying)

Overall, I think this would be a valuable reference for most salespeople. I plan to refer back to it from time to time.

[Josua Purba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dari buku ini saya mendapat beberapa masukan yang baik sebagai sales, antara lain :
- bagaimana mengahadapi tekanan, baik menjawab atau memberi alasan untuk mendekati seorang customer dalam hal ini yang membeli produk kita
- fondasi sebagai seorang sales, bagaimana mengatur empati terhadap customer
- kesadaran diri, dimana saya sebagai sales juga membutuhkan pelatihan atau mentoring serta mereview apa yang sudah saya lakukan selama membidangi nya
- membangun dorongan mental serta kesehatan fisik sangat dibutuhkan
- cara pengendalian diri, baik dalam mengelola emosi dan mengembangkan potensi
- bagaimana mempelajari proses penjualan, proses pembelian dan proses keputusan.