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

As an admitted fan of Jeb Blount it was with great anticipation that I read through Jeb's eighth sales book - Sales EQ: How Ultra High Performers Leverage Sales-Specific Emotional Intelligence to Close the Complex Deal. And I was richly rewarded for my effort. I love this book. In Sales EQ Jeb Blount tackles a critical, yet probably the most neglected aspect of selling - emotion - and goes on to take important abstract concepts and convert them into usable knowledge and practical steps to help every professional take their game to a higher level. There is deep wisdom here and Sales EQ is a book that will make you feel both smarter and more fulfilled after having read it. Mastering Emotion Sales EQ delves into the emotional aspects of why people buy and why it is so vital that we as sales professionals understand and hone our sales EQ. This means mastering our own emotions as well and understanding and connecting with our customer's. Considerable time is invested in discussing the importance of thinking and feeling from your customer's perspective. For those who are fans of behavioral economics and cognitive anomalies like I am, there is much in this book for you. Even better, Jeb describes these in very accessible terms and lays everything out in his typical straightforward style. The Most Important Factor Product knowledge is no longer sufficient (if it ever was). Connection and human interaction can trump every aspect of the buying/selling dynamic. Jeb articulates four levels of sales intelligence - Innate Intelligence, Acquired Intelligence, Technological Intelligence & Emotional Intelligence - how to combine these four and and why Sales EQ is the most important of all. Studies from HR Chally & CEB both confirm that you - the salesperson - are the most important factor in determining the outcome of the sale. You are more important than brand, more important than product, more important than service and more important than price. Within the pages of Sales EQ is the both the explanation of why this is true and the actionable advice that will help each of us leverage it to the betterment of both our clients and ourselves. Progressively Practical Jeb's book gets progressively more practical as you read through it. We start with concepts and end with very tactical advice, actions and tips as we graduate to the end. In my opinion this is exactly the right flow and I would argue that Jeb navigates this flawlessly. Heuristics and behavioral economics can become complex yet there is not a single hint of complexity. Jeb's quality as a writer really shines here. Everything flows smoothly and naturally from concept to action. I am tempted to outline just how practical this becomes but a quick glance at the table of contents will illustrate just how constructive things become. If you came for actionable tips - you'll get it. The Final Frontier As technology and process reach parity in every industry, Sales EQ addresses the last mile - the most important mile - of the sales experience. Even if you have mastered everything else, this is where it ultimately lands. Emotional Intelligence is the final and most influential frontier for sales professionals. The information in Sales EQ will be just as valid fifty years from now as it is today - because it's timeless. For that reason I urge every sales professional to read this work and continually hone your own EQ to the betterment of you, your loved ones and your clients.

What I Loved: The book clearly explains why EQ matters more than just product knowledge or traditional sales tactics. Real-world examples and practical strategies make it easy to apply concepts to daily sales challenges. It dives deep into how to read clients, build trust, and respond to emotional cues — skills that many overlook. The sections on self-awareness and self-regulation are especially valuable for maintaining control in tough negotiations. Minor Points: Some chapters felt a bit repetitive, but the overall message stayed strong and engaging. It’s more suited for sales professionals dealing with complex B2B sales rather than simple transactional selling.

Jeb Blount's book, "Sales EQ," is a must-read for anyone in the sales profession. Blount masterfully explores the critical role emotional intelligence plays in sales success. He provides practical insights and strategies to enhance one's EQ, enabling sales professionals to better understand and connect with their clients. Blount's writing is engaging and backed by real-world examples, making the book both informative and enjoyable. "Sales EQ" equips salespeople with valuable tools to build stronger relationships, close deals, and thrive in the competitive world of sales. It's a game-changer for those looking to elevate their sales skills.

One of the best sales books I have read in a very long time. Jeb does a precise job of showing the blend of sales and emotional intelligence. All sales professionals can read this and become better at sales. All non sales people will learn how to cultivate a sales mentality, without becoming a sales person. I am going through a second reading to grab all the valuable nuggets.

This is a fantastic book from Jeb. I had so many takeaways from this book. Jeb is an amazing writer. A must read!

Loved it really fantastic approach to getting someone from average to high level. This truly is the most important thing to understand if you want to master sales. And it will become especially important with how technology increases.

No kidding. Im a sales vet. Done it all and seen it all. This book is just astonishing!!

SalesEQ is a deep-dive into how the brain works, and how that effects sales opportunities and pipelines. Of the four types of intelligence studied, the author focuses on EQ (emotional intelligence) as playing the most significant role in the sales process. His observation is that “buyers are starved for human interaction” so knowing that, a salesperson with high EQ can better manage the sales conversation, the emotions of both the buyer and themselves, and thereby increase the probability for closing the deal. Many suggestions are given in the book for improving your intrapersonal skills (managing your own disruptive emotions) and those interpersonal skills (responding to and managing the emotions of others.) to close the deal, which I found very valuable and applicable. One specific example Blount cites is that, one reason for a prospect to become disinterested, is the prospect’s amygdala, a part of the brain that ignores boring patterns – like memorized pitches and scripted presentations – and responds to a message that is new, different, or disruptive. Blount’s observation that many extremely intelligent people fail in the sales profession because they are unable to influence the emotions of others is spot on. With all the incoming, it’s more difficult today than ever to maintain focus “in the moment” with each prospect. SalesEQ shows you how to shut out distractions, and make a better-quality connection with each prospect. I highly recommend SalesEQ for any sales professional who has already been trained in sales process. It will help you take the next step, and stand out from the crowd.

Jeb Blount aborda um tema árido com maestria. Um dos melhores livros sobre habilidades de vendas que li nos últimos anos.

Me ha gustado menos que el de Objections del mismo autor. Siempre aprendes algo de Jeb Blount, sin embargo el otro lo vi más aplicable al marketing digital. ¿Lo recomiendo? Si te lo puedes permitir sí, pues como digo siempre se aprende algo. Ahora si no puedes comprar ambos, yo iría a por el de Objections José Argudo - autor del libro "Storytelling para textos de venta"

Love this book! Can recommend it.

Jeb Blount in his book Sales EQ has managed to distill a very big topic (Emotional Intelligence) into actionable steps that any salesperson can take to become more self-aware, empathetic and ultimately more effective as salespeople and sales leaders. I have bought 3 copies so far.... the first two have been pored over by the clients I gave them to.

One of the best books for sales and marketing guy. With real example closing deals smartly. If you love sales you will not going to take off your eyes from the books. I really enjoyed it. Go for it with out any doubt. Even page quality feel of the books will going to motivate you to read this book. Keep smiling.. keep reading...