Sell Anything Easily - Using Body Language

By Jeff Watters

Continued from: Sales Closing

When you learn to sell you're taught what words to say and how it should be said but did you know that up to 93% of all communication is through the unspoken word. Learning body language is a skill that will add thousands of dollars to your annual income. Salespeople have always known how powerful questioning can be but read on to find ways to enhance your presentations just by controlling your body language?

Imagine a client coming into your store. Their body language is usually more closed at first. Their arms are closer to their body, their facial expressions tight. They say little until they become comfortable with being in your store and with you. So how do you use your body language in the Opening Stage is critical to giving your potential client confidence? At this point you want to use open body language to relax your customer. A mistake many salespeople make when approaching a new customer is to rush in to quickly. This is an aggressive action on the part of the salesperson that signals a threat to our primal instincts. When someone enters your store use some discipline by greeting them from the social zone (see below), allowing them to become comfortable with their new surroundings.

Strengthen Your Presentations

We have discussed your verbal presentation in the previous tutorials now it is time to concentrate on your soon to be next best friend, body language. In sales we use the truest friends of the salesperson to communicate, those friends are "who, what, where, when, why, and how." Now let's concentrate on enhancing these words with body language to strengthen the presentation. Since most of your communication with your client will be through the unspoken word we will focus on opened and closed body language and mixed signals.

We all know that a friendly smile and a hand shake is a sign of respect (in western cultures) and is expected when you are in sales. Yet most salespeople do not know how to shake a persons hand. Let's start with that. You approach the client moving slightly to your left a half a step, extend you arm and grasp the other persons hand firmly then pump once or twice at most. The mistake most people make is not move to the left just before shaking hands. This makes them appear weak or you appear too strong.  Allowing the customer to think you are weak is a mistake but give them the impression you are over powering them will only add discomfort.

You can also turn your clients hand slightly to your right so they have the upper hand and pull them just ever so gently towards you while touching your other hand on their elbow. Shaking hands is the first place you establish yourself as a dependable person who is capable. Shaking hands is the first place where society allows you to break the touch barrier.  Don't blow it with a weak, unskilled handshake.

Don't Fidget

What about the hidden gestures that communicate distrust or truthfulness? You have to be aware of these so not to communicate them to your customer. These non-verbal clues are picked up by the client and can make or break your sale. One of these non-verbal clues is fidgeting! This sends a message to the client that you are not competent. In order to maintain a professional appearance you have to monitor your body language so you look relaxed and capable.

This introduction to body language will explain where you should position yourself during the transaction and how to use your body language to make your clients feel comfortable. Body language is not just where you stand, but how you position your body, using congruent facial expressions that compliment or altering the conversation to move the transaction forward.

Body Language = Mirroring, & Pacing

Let's begin with Pacing. Pacing is matching the tonal quality and speech pattern of your customer. If they speak quietly you do the same. If they speak rapidly you match their pace as best you can or speak slowly if that be the case. The difference may be the part of the country you happen to be in at the moment. People in the south speak more slowly, even more softly than people in large northern cities.  Carefully match the volume and speed of your clients words and getting in sync with each other will move the process along and establish rapport.

Since pacing refers to voice more than anything else you only need to concentrate on this one aspect. But it could also refer to other movements that are particular to your client. People have a certain style about them so pacing it makes it easier for the client to bond with you and therefore make your job easier. Here is the brief list:

Pacing

1. Voice volume
2. Speed of the conversation
3. Accent
4. Speech patterns
5. Highlighting or marking out

We all like people that are like us! Pacing is somewhat like mirroring but mirroring refers to positioning and mimicking the clients body language to build rapport. Pacing deals with the voice inflection, tonal quality and mannerism of how a person speaks. Become aware of how your clients voice is used and pace it in your own style. Use similar inflection and your client will trust you.

The distinction with pacing refers to voice while mirroring refers to copying the body movements of the client. Marking out is pausing on a key word for effect. Such as You'll love this _______. By marking out the word you'll and the word love differently you are making a point that is picked up by the clients subconscious. Working marked out words into your presentation will reap benefits of total recall when you close the deal.

How will you know when you and your client are synced?  Singing!  That's right, you will both be singing like song birds to one another.  No, not a true song but you and your client will match each others voice inflection, tones and attitudes vocally.  If you emphasize the ending of your sentences by raising your voice inflection, which you should do, the client will also match this and emphasize the ends of her/his sentences. Once singing takes place the sale is on the way to being made.

The Comfort Zones

In order to use body language you must have an understanding the proper distance to be in relation to the client. Beginning with applying the personal zone information we discussed in the Opening Stage, when you first meet a customer. The personal zone is 2’6” to 4’6”.” There are several zones that influence the way we think and act in public.

Starting from the smallest to the largest they are:

1. Intimate zone (touching to 2’6”)

2. Personal zone (2’6" to 4’6”)

3. Social zone (4’ to 10’)

4. Public zone (more than 10')

In sales we work closely with our customers. Usually in the first two zones. Although each zone affects our mood and actions, it is the first two that determine whether our customers are comfortable when talking to us in person. Once you understand there are distance zones you can to imagine the psychology taking place in the customers mind if a salesperson rushes in to greet them.

Try to imagine you are in your company’s showroom when a customer comes in to shop. You are twenty feet apart when they enter. You begin to approach the customer. Now how do you think their mood is affected when go from the public zone to the social zone ten feet away without being invited into their space? How about when you get five feet away? Do you think it may be normal for someone to feel threatened or defensive? Could it be instinct?

If you could imagine this the you can understand now why so many people have a built in defense, often saying, “just looking,” when asked if they need assistance. They are protecting their territory, right? One way around this is to greet people verbally from across a room. However, it isn’t protocol to do so in most selling situations. Overcoming fear is normal in the business world. Understanding why customers feel fear gives you an advantage to sell when others can’t. I personally do greet clients from a distance saying welcome to (insert name of the business) and leave them alone for a few seconds.

The Eyes don't Lie

The eyes tell it all as far as truthfulness is concerned. Left eye (looks to your right) movement reflects looking back to a time in the past. Right (your left) to the future. While looking up is more positive while down is negative. The expression "things are looking up" comes from how people feel when they look up, positive. Why do you look so down, you got it, because negative emotions tend to make us look at the ground. So your client's facial expressions are key to successful selling, just as your expressions will impress them. In general, think of facial expressions as up, down or mixed.

When someone is smiling they will usually raise their eyebrows, cheeks and mouth all at the same time. Frowning is just the opposite. Mixed signals can show neutrality at any given moment. Think about keeping the customer's mood up and you can guess which facial expression you need to use. Although this may not be rocket science it is social science that you need to learn then apply to every sales call or presentation.

*Note: Take notice of the eye movement of your clients when they answer questions. If they look to their left, your right, they are looking into their past for the information. To the right, your left, they are probably making excuses, not being truthful.

Let's begin learning how to recognize what people are saying when they are not speaking. Give this serious consideration and review it until you master it. Most communication is non-verbal. mastering body language is what it takes to become the best in your field. We begin with glimpses of what's going on in the mind is reflected in the body language of your prospect.

Self-Touching (Negative Response)

Self-touching, such as covering the mouth, is akin to a child’s action of covering a lie. Pulling a collar, like the heat is on in a police interrogations, may indicate untruthfulness or uneasiness. Self-touching, beyond scratching indicates deceit when it mismatches other body language or verbal clues. Such could include fantastic stories or excuses (often combined with negative eye movement), fidgeting, and change of voice inflection or stuttering. Although no one single action can indicate a lie, combining several actions begins to add up to untruthfulness. These actions tend to come in triplicate. Three negative actions in a short time indicates a lie.

When you client does this combine what is being said with the body language. The opposite may be true or it may be the client is using a ploy to manipulate you or the sales process. Be aware of mismatches when self touching. Self touching can be as simple as arms crossed, which indicates disinterest, while saying they are interested. This is called a disconnect. One action says no while the other says yes. When you notice this you have to correct it through positve body language. If you have rapport their body language will copy yours changing their mood.

One other thing to look for is where a person is standing with weight on one side of their body. One hip is lower in this position which is stating that they are unmovable at that moment. Watch for this position while negotiating, when you see it you may want to change your strategy or get the client moving off of that position.

Self-Touching (Deep Thought)

This type of self-touching indicates a person is deep in thought.When touching includes resting a hand to the face, be it chin where the thumb is on one side of the face (sometimes rubbing) and fingers to the other or the chin is resting on the hand. This indicates that the person is in deep thought and may be mulling over your proposal. While the rubbing of palms indicates the person is thinking about money.

Pointing/Stabbing

Pointing and stabbing with a finger both are power signals. Pointing shows an interest in a particular area, while stabbing physically shows anger.

Feet on Desk

Feet resting on the desk shows command of an area and is a clue that you are on their turf. It also shows the person in the command position is (usually) comfortable with you in their territory. This is a form of marking out, just like changing the speech pattern, but in a physical form.

Mirroring/Matching

Mirroring is the act of copying someone’s body language as a form of staying in unison. At first a salesperson will want to mimic the body language of a client. Then attempt to slightly change his or her body language to see if the client continues to keep in rapport by mimicking the salesperson’s body language.

If you client has crossed arms over the chest, you cross your arms over your chest. This is mirroring or matching. When you do this you are saying to your client you are alike. Of course crossing is a negative or blocking signal, so you want to move your client off of this position after a few seconds. There is a tactic I use when I see this by handing the client a sample or piece of literature. But only after matching for a second or two.

Matching Body Language

Generally open body language means openness to the present moment. Closed body language means the opposite. Salespeople are trained to watch for closed postures, such as folded arms and crossed legs. However, you also need to be aware of where body language is pointed. If someone is pointed away from you the interest level is little to none. If inclined towards you it shows sincere interest.

Also be aware of height. This is difficult for tall people but as much as possible try to stay on the same level with the other person. That is right, on the level is more than just a saying. If you client is sitting, you sit. Standing you do the same. Of course there are circumstance that prohibit the exact posture of the client but try to keep the same height when you can.

Mismatching

When rapport has been high you may choose to mismatch your subjects body language when there are minor points of disagreement. For example, folding your arms briefly whenever your subject is out of agreement. Then reestablishing positive body language when you are in agreement. This is a control without comment technique that can be used whenever needed to steer a conversation in a particular direction.

It is often used in household arguments between spouses. One is explaining while the other stands with their arms crossed, in anger. When used in selling it must be much more subtle. Only slight mismatching should be used otherwise rapport will be lost permanently.

Putting it all together

So what should be your initial body language when you first meet your customers? Open body language behavior with a big friendly smile, with your head slightly forward in almost a bowing nod, while making eye contact is the best you can do. Combine that with a friendly spoken word from a safe distance and your customer is likely to be at ease with you.

Now that you know what types of body language is available to you, you can choose to match or mismatch the unspoken language of your client.As an example, once rapport is high you can test credibility by mismatching. If the client copies you then you know you have control. Another example is to mismatch when the client gives you negative feedback to show the client without words that they are decimating the relationship you have established.

This is very powerful. The ability to mark your turf without the other person knowing about it can persuade people to your point of view. Since we all want to be loved and understood you will find people go out of their way to keep rapport with you. And you with them. So be aware of it and use it to control your circumstances and increase your profits. Use it to determine if someone is telling the truth or not, looking back to a moment (eye movement) or forward towards ownership of your products.

Beginning 12/05/2008 this book is available for sale at Sell Anything Easily dot come.

© Jeff Watters 2008 all rights reserved