Key Concepts from the book Sales EQ by Jeb Blount
Recently I published a Quick Take on the book Sales EQ by Jeb Blount. Below is a table listing the key concepts that Blount introduces in the book.
Many of these concepts will be familiar to readers of other books on the subjects of personal development and effective communication. What makes Sales EQ such a compelling read is the way Blount introduces these potentially complex or intimidating concepts in a concise manner, all within the context of the unique relationship between a seller and his or her stakeholders.
| Concept | What it means | Why it matters |
| Emotional scripts | Patterns of communication between two people in familiar situations, reinforced by subconscious signals | Buyers and sellers will repeat previous experiences, even when the individuals have never met, unless the seller can disrupt the conversation by using language that forces conscious engagement instead of reflexive response |
| Cognitive dissonance | Discomfort felt when a person’s words and actions don’t align | Reversing the micro-commitments made throughout the buying process is emotionally uncomfortable |
| UHP | ultra-high-performance | Blount’s term for the successful group of sales professionals who apply the book’s techniques |
| Heuristics | Mental shortcuts that reduce the cognitive load in decision making | Buyers make irrational choices, and instead use logic in hindsight to justify their emotional decisions |
| Cognitive bias | Thought patterns that support people’s irrational choices | Understanding how patterns like hindsight bias, attribution bias, and egocentric bias work can help sellers avoid direct challenges and increase engagement with buyers |
| Sales Intelligence | Blount’s framework to describe what enables UHPs to outperform their peers | Helps sellers identify areas of personal development for themselves and their sales teams |
| Innate intelligence (IQ) | Raw cognitive capacity (“mental horsepower”), as determined by genetics, not trainable | Behavioral traits common in sellers with high IQ can also make forming relationships difficult |
| Acquired intelligence (AQ) | Knowledge acquired through training, study, and learning experiences | Whether applied to the seller’s own capabilities, the deal, or the industry, working hard to increase AQ provides a competitive advantage |
| Technological Intelligence (TQ) | The extent to which sellers use “adopt, adapt, adept” toward new technology in their roles | Remaining open to the role of technology in sales, and learning how to use it effectively will give sellers an advantage over their peers who label themselves as “not savvy” |
| Emotional intelligence (EQ) | Adapted from Goleman’s research; Blount’s definition includes empathy, self-awareness, self-control, and sales drive | Sellers will positively differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage when they invest in developing high EQ |
| Locus of control | Belief as to whether a person’s success or failure in life is his/her own hands (internal) or determined by outside factors (external) | Internal locus of control often enables people to achieve high EQ |
| Win probability | Likelihood that a seller will successfully close a deal | Headline metric that UHPs focus on, which motivates their behaviors when prospecting, qualifying, and developing opportunities |
| Dual process | Balancing relationship building with sales outcomes (i.e., winning deals) | Sales-specific EQ means making equal investments in these objectives |
| Murder boarding | Objectively evaluating win probability of opportunities in a seller’s pipeline by a peer or manager | By removing biases caused by overconfidence or desperation, a seller can focus on the right deals |
| Micro-commitments | Small steps forward in a deal, demonstrated by investing time, emotion, or action | A buyer’s small agreements throughout a deal create positive psychological patterns and reduce the effort to close in the final stage |
| Take-away | Seller makes a sincere offer to stop deal discussions based on a perceived lack of buyer engagement | Stops wasting effort when the buyer is truly unengaged; creates scarcity effect in a buyer who is bluffing or following subconscious scripts |
| Next step | Mutually agreed action or scheduled follow-up meeting | Absolutely essential for a seller to secure a commitment to a next step in each buyer interaction, otherwise the win probability plummets |
| Self-disclosure loop | The act of sharing personal information releases dopamine in the brain, causing pleasurable feelings and lowering inhibitions, which continues the cycle | By asking open questions, using active listening techniques, and becoming comfortable with silence, the seller can gain control over the conversation and learn about the true needs and intentions of the buyer |
| Dual process discovery | Questioning technique that builds empathy while revealing important details about the deal | UHPs develop their own repertoire of questions that move from broad open-ended, to probing, to clarifying questions, while maintaining positive intent and empathy |
| Bridging | Messaging technique that links the buyer’s stated (or implied) problem, to a personalized recommendation, to a planned result | Avoids “pitch slapping” and increases buyer’s affinity for the seller, which positively influences decision making |
Next up on leadertainment.com will be a downloadable summary of the major sections of the book Sales EQ by Jeb Blount. Looking for more great books? Check out the essential reading list.
image: amazon.com
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