In Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (one of my favorite books!) one of the characters, Raven, has the words “Poor Impulse Control” tattooed on his forehead. Some days I wonder if we should start that practice with salespeople…
WHY? Well “Impulse control is an emotional intelligence skill that affects a salesperson’s ability to ask questions and listen to the answers.” ~ Colleen Stanley, Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success
Here are a few things that may look familiar as leading indicators for lack of impulse control:
• Bulldozing – talking over every conversation
• Ignoring what the prospect is saying
• Getting spiel out regardless of the customer’s reaction
• Jumping on an opportunity too soon – don’t listen to the whole scope
• Overzealous
• All about YOU (instead of all about them)
• Poor time management
• Loads of assumptions, without anything to back them up
• Get off the call too quickly
• Less confident or polished
• Deflation over bad news
Work with the people on your team to ask questions then LISTEN really listen to the answers!
Hey we’re in inside sales – the mute button is our friend!
Here are a few examples of questions that will get the prospect talking. Plus they are open enough that the salesperson who lacks impulse control will have to listen to the answers BEFORE they can jump in.
• Can you help me understand…
• Can you tell me more…
• In a perfect world how could your situation be better?
• Why?
• What’s driving this requirement?
Don’t expect an immediate change, instead work on having a little more silence OR asking one more question. Baby steps to show how having impulse control will lead to more sales success.
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