Because people are highly visual, they are most affected by the predominant message that you convey, and this is usually communicated by the way you hold and use your body.
Follow these 6 tips to use body language to get what you want in any sale.
1) Walk the Talk
When you walk, imagine that your head is dangling from a string, holding your entire body erect. You should breathe deeply with your shoulders and your spine straight. Raise your chin and look straight ahead.Walk and move with strength and confidence. Pick up the pace. Don’t shuffle along. Move fast, as if you have places to go and people to see. Your overall body language should be one of a busy, active, confident and effective person.
2) Shake Hands Firmly and Fully
When you meet people, give a strong, full, firm handshake. This initial physical first impression can often make or break the sale for you.When people feel your hand, they measure your character. When your handshake is strong and firm, they assume that you have good character and by extension, represent a good product or service.
Some salespeople give weak, indifferent handshakes as if offering a cold fish. Others give a “half handshake,” offering their fingers instead of a full handshake. This suggests that you are dealing with a “half person.”
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3) Your First Impression
When you meet a prospect for the first time, offer your hand, look the prospect directly in the eye and say, “How do you do?” This initial verbal first impression is like the kickoff in a football game. If it is done properly, it can move you a long way down the field toward the goalposts of a successful sale. Learn more about the importance of a first impression from my blog article.4) Sit Erect, Facing Forward
When you sit in a sales situation, always face the prospect directly. Never lean against the back of the chair. This makes you look relaxed and uncaring about the purpose of your visit. Instead, sit with you back erect. Lean forward slightly. Stay alert, and be fully engaged, both physically and mentally, in the sales conversation. You should look like a runner at the mark, waiting for the starting gun.We are greatly influenced by the body language of the people to whom we speak. When you are sitting up straight, leaning forward, and aware of your surroundings, you cause the prospect to be more interested and aware as well. He or she will pay closer attention to you and be more involved in your sales message.
At an unconscious level, the prospect assumes that what you have to convey is important and valuable. That individual will therefore pay closer attention to you than if you were leaning back and relaxed during the sales conversation.
5) Get the Prospect to Open Up
If a prospect is sitting with his or her arms folded, this is usually not a good sign. Occasionally it is because the office is too cold, but in most cases it is nonverbal communication for being disinterested.When a person’s arms are folded, it usually means his mind is closed. Folded arms are an unconscious body language way of blocking out incoming information. When he unfolds his arms, he opens his mind.
Get the prospect to unfold his arms. It is fortunately quite simple. To open the client up to your message, begin by asking questions. If he does not relax and unfold his arms, hand him something physically, like a brochure or price list to read. Ask him to calculate a number or give you a business card. Use your ingenuity to get those arms unfolded so that he is more open and receptive to you and your message.
6) Use Positive Body Language
Crossed legs can be sending the same message. When a customer’s legs are crossed, it usually is nonverbal communication that means that they are holding back information. If their legs are crossed at the ankle, it means that they are not telling you everything that you need to know.Your prospect will tend to mimic your own body language. When you deliberately keep your arms unfolded and your hands open, with your feet flat on the floor, ankles uncrossed, you prospect will often engage in the same body language.
When you lean slightly forward, listen attentively to what the prospect is saying, nod, smile, and listen, the prospect will often engage in the same behaviors. He or she will soon begin speaking, asking questions, and listening more attentively as well.
you have an interesting blog. thanks for sharing. i enjoyed reading your posts.
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