While some roles in an organisation require less emotional intelligence (EQ) than others, telemarketing is not one of them. Telemarketers, due to their high levels of engagement with leads or clients, are often the first to face a negative response from a lead or customer. Under these circumstances, one would think that companies would hire telemarketers with high IQ, or undergo EQ skills training. However, as many of us have likely experienced, this isn’t always the case.
In this article from American business magazine Inc, investor and entrepreneur Abhi Golhar discusses 10 ways you can improve your EQ. We’ll unpack 8 of these that are relevant to telemarketing, regardless of whether you are a telemarketer yourself or are looking to improve your company’s approach to telemarketing:
1) Utilise an assertive style of communicating
An assertive communication style is respectful towards others while still being aware of one’s own needs. It strikes a healthy balance between an aggressive and passive style, both styles which aren’t useful to telemarketers.
2) Respond instead of reacting to conflict
People often react negatively without thinking at the first sign of conflict. Individuals with high EQs know that when a conflict arises, you should be focused on resolving the problem, not on escalating it.
Telemarketers are no strangers to negative responses, which is exactly why they should always be calm and collected when dealing with an upset contact.
3) Use active listening skills
When engaging with someone, you need to actively listen to what’s being said, process it, and then respond respectfully. Nonverbal communication, such as the tone of a person’s voice, is also important. The meaning behind communication is not only in the words themselves but also in the way they’re communicated.
Whether you’re pitching a new product to a lead or customer, or want to help them resolve their issue, active listening is vital for telemarketers to achieve their goals.
4) Be motivated
Emotionally intelligent people understand how to motivate themselves by defining their goals and developing emotional resilience. This motivation can also have a positive effect on others they are engaging with.
Telemarketers need to understand how to maintain a positive mindset, regardless of how a call goes because they don’t want a negative reaction from one individual to affect their next interaction.
5) Practice ways to maintain a positive attitude
Emotionally intelligent people can guard themselves against negativity and stay optimistic. Just as negative emotions can spread, positivity is also infectious. Simple acts like meditating or eating something you enjoy can help you keep a positive view that will carry across in your interactions.
6) Practice self-awareness
How do you feel and how might that affect those around you? Emotionally intelligent people are aware that their emotional state can affect others, so they do their best to manage their emotions. This greater level of self-awareness also means they are more adept at picking up verbal and non-verbal communication from others, making them better communicators.
7) Take critique well
It’s easy to understand why people get defensive when people critique you, but individuals with high intelligence try to unpack the feedback they get from others before they respond. While some people may respond negatively just to vent their frustration, others provide negative feedback to help resolve an issue. Telemarketers will need to learn to identify the intention of a person’s feedback before they respond.
8) Empathise with others
Whether it’s in person, or via a voice channel, empathic telemarketers are able to put themselves in their customers’ shoes and connect with them. By embracing empathy you’ll be able to build a foundation based upon understanding, which will, in turn, help you connect with others.
Take your marketing to the next level with EQ
If you’d like to learn more about EQ and the vital role it plays in your approach to marketing, check out our ebook Connecting With Your Leads Using EQ: Understanding the Critical Role of Emotional Intelligence in Marketing.
If you are interested in enhancing your telemarketing approach using EQ, you could also partner with an experienced telemarketing agency.
GCL is a B2B telemarketing and lead generation agency that has operated for over 30 years. GCL understands that an empathic, EQ-driven approach is necessary for helping both our leads and our clients. This is why we don’t use scripts and connect with our leads in their own language. If you’re interested in finding out more about our services, contact us today.
