It seems society is loosening up. The Internet, music, movies, book titles, TV and texting have created an “openness revolution” not matched since the ’60s.

The recent explosion in popularity (and sales) of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy is leading me to believe the world of sales needs to loosen up as well.

It’s not that selling is particularly sexy or erotic, but it is definitely emotional. You, the salesperson, enter the sale full of emotion and do your best to transfer your emotion to the prospect – and even capture his or her emotion.

To understand the concept of “Fifty Shades of Sales” more fully, you have to be aware of the way sales are made. The sale is made emotionally, and justified logically.

You have made a significant emotional investment in the sale. Sometimes you score. Sometimes you don’t. Either way, there’s an overflow of emotional energy.

Customers are also extremely emotional

• Before they take ownership (need, desire).

• As you’re presenting (risk, doubt, caution).

• When they take ownership (pride, gratification).

• When something goes wrong (fear, anger).

After the emotional decision is made, THEN they logically hunt down, justify or decide on the affordability of the price.

Your challenge is to harness prospects’ emotion and create enough of a positive atmosphere and perceived value for them to purchase from you.

GREAT NEWS: Your shades of sales, are within your total control.

Here are the emotional elements and actions that will create a buying atmosphere:

• Asking emotional questions about the customer’s experience and wisdom.

• Your passionate, compelling presentation.

• Your personal, transferrable and consistent enthusiasm.

• Attitude that comes from your heart.

• Making certain that your value message goes beyond your price. When value exceeds price, a purchase occurs.

That’s a sales list of qualities you can sink your teeth into. They’re real, they create emotional engagement, and they can all be mastered over time.

TAKE NOTE: You determine your own emotion by the spoken and unspoken elements of who you are as a person.

Before you can enter the sales arena and best interact with customers and prospects, here are the elements you must possess to be the master of YOUR EMOTIONAL SELF:

• Your internal positive attitude.

• Your self-confidence.

• The way you present yourself to others.

• How you live your life.

• How you earn respect.

And the shade – the degree – of emotion you put into each of these elements will determine the outcome of your sales effort, and your relationship effort, much more than your price, your communication or your closing tactics.

BEWARE AND BE AWARE: Closing the sale, finding the pain and manipulation aren’t in the shades of grey spectrum; they’re black. Customers are smarter than that, and they see right through your phony words and process.

PRACTICE SAFE SALES: You got into sales to win and make income beyond the safety of a salary. You’ll have to take risks along the way, but do not risk ethical violation of practice or reputation threatening based on actions.

Your emotional success and your sales is totally up to you. When you combine and master the elements and strategies above, your outcomes will build your security.

That’s an emotion you can be at peace with, and bank on.