What a pity if you fail emotionally despite all the knowledge you have gained! Even the best education and high-end training do not count if you don’t rule your feelings. But your temperament is not karma. You can make it work for the sake of your and others well-being. The key to emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your feelings, the feelings of other people and to be able to manage them.
In his book “Emotional Intelligence” the author Daniel Goleman claims there are no wrong feelings, there are just wrong reactions. Emotions are a process, they are a function of the brain related to awareness, experience, and attitude.
In business, when searching for the best advertising partner or developing the most effective go-to-market strategy, you have to integrate these five components to blend speaking the same language with improving sales performance.
- Vulnerability – Be authentic, and do not hide your fears only because you are the leader. Behave as a human. Share with your team what bothers you. It is even better to find a solution together. Your concerns could be shared. You will create more trust and integrity by showing your human face.
Follow the same approach in advertising. Manifest humanity in your strategy. Tell the audience there’s nothing wrong with feeling angry. Crucial is how you use this anger. Show people, you understand their vulnerability because you are vulnerable too. In this way, your brand message will sound more personal, almost like a recommendation from a friend.
- Empathy – Try walking in your clients’ shoes. Show support, don’t judge them. Monitor how they progress. Your moves and words should follow this deep understanding. If you create a TV commercial, for example, consider the desires of your target group, what they need to hear. Pat tired mothers on the back, give a hi-five for a job well done, hug a sad child.
The ego usually dictates “Satisfy Your needs”, and that’s why it is not easy to be empathetic. It is caring to identify the wishes of others. In the advertising business, this is the finest way to lend a hand, to sell the product and to provide it to the ones who need it. The point is to understand the profile of your users to pack the offer as a present not just as a masked sales pitch.
- Awareness – Self-awareness is your way to work effectively with others. Observe your emotions every day. You can even write them down in the morning or the evening. Realizing your own emotions makes you attentive to the most important person in your life – you. Consider how you appear to others, think about your strengths and weaknesses.
This analysis can guide you in your work, too. During self-observation, one can be at peace even when one is angry. Because consciousness requires your presence here and now. Diving deep into yourself, you will see more clearly and understand better the drives of the others as well. It will become easier for you to evaluate consumer behaviour beyond graphics.
- Communicating effectively – You can make your sociability evolve. Above all, it is a result of self-confidence. And to be confident, you should be self-aware. If you are looking for an advertising agency to create a project for you, talk clearly and directly to the people. Get started with the idea of shaking hands. If you want to become one team, listen to the others, and they will hear your voice as well. The same applies the other way around. If you are qualified enough for a specific pitch, react and raise your hand. Find the person in charge, meet them, introduce yourself and demonstrate your willingness for an open conversation. The ability to communicate effectively is the essence of creativity. If you don’t grow up in this area, how could you illustrate or write appropriate slogans?
- Self-esteem and motivation – It’s not about bragging or arrogance. If you swagger, clients will avoid you. But if you manage to develop the above four qualities to a good level, self-esteem and motivation will be the last piece of the puzzle to fall into their place. Your inspiration is what inspires others. Spreading charisma is the key in advertising. Both the product and the marketing strategy creator are appealing in their peculiarities. Exciting yourself for a deed is halfway to reaching your target group. Your inspiration and faith seep into the advertising you create and will be appreciated by the people. Using your product, they will feel your emotional charge.
The level of emotional intelligence shows how you think and how you act. Low EQ might mean you let the anger control you. But remember, you should not try to suppress this feeling. Much better – you acknowledge it, “talk” to it, understand the reasons why and analyse your behaviour. And put it on a leash next time you are about to explode.
Good advertising is the one that encourages, convinces, and leads to the result desired. Creating such an ad is achievable only for the ones that succeed in using their knowledge through the emotions’ funnel well controlled.
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