We have already spoken a little about body language, but do you understand how important your body language is when it comes to converting your interactions with clients into business? I read a survey some time ago that suggested that more than half of the buyers purchased a product from a particular salesperson because of the way that the salesperson walked. Less than ten percent suggested that their purchase resulted from the knowledge that the salesperson possessed of his product. The balance indicated that it was the voice quality of the salesperson that swung the sale in that salespersons’ direction. Use your imagination and see in your mind's eye just how that salesperson must have walked. Do you see as I do a picture of a proud upright and brisk walker or do you see slouched shoulders and dragging feet? Who would you buy from?
Make the decision from today to make sure that you approach your clients with a smile, the right posture, attitude and appropriate body language. Your body language and hand gestures must not appear threatening. It is thus better to use gentle soft hand gestures rather than wild flailing arms when talking to someone in case you erroneously convince them that they are in grave danger of being beaten up by your flailing propellers. Fear and greed affect everyone to some lesser or greater degree. Both are distracting. You need to make your clients and contacts feel comfortable and safe if you want them to concentrate on what you have to say. If they do not feel this way, then surely it makes sense that they would want to get away from the danger zone as fast as possible. What is worse is that if they really liked your product or service there may just go and acquire it from your competitor whose actions and surroundings did not pose such a danger.
Because voice quality is important to many clients, you will need to work on the tone and tempo of your delivery. You will need to speak at a pace that allows you to eloquently pronounce all your words while at the same time keeping your contact interested in what you're saying. If you speak too quickly your client may miss something that you said and as you speed along several points ahead, he will have heard nothing that you said since the point he missed as he tries to figure out what it was that you said. Speaking too slowly is also detrimental and it's certainly not much fun having to sneak quietly out of the meeting room having made no sale and after having bored your client into a very deep sleep.
It is important that you speak with controlled excitement and enthusiasm if you want to increase your chances of a successful transaction. This may take practice and would not be harmed by the odd role playing session with someone you know who pretends to be your potential contact.
There is an old rule that says that we should treat people as we would like to be treated ourselves. My adaptation of this rule is that we should treat people as if they are old friends that we have not seen in a while. Imagine a good friend returning from overseas, your face will light up excitedly and you will smile because you would be happy to see them again. You will immediately continue your relationship from where you left it off because you are able to immediately get into sync with one another. Take this thought with you when you meet new people and when some lunatic cuts you off in the traffic. It’s much less stressful.
One of my heroes, Leo Buscaglia, passionately taught people that the key to success was to love one another; he said that we have forgotten how to hug people. Now I am not suggesting you go and hug every contact you come across as you will spend the next couple of years fending off sexual harassment charges, but I am suggesting you get in touch with your feelings and that you show that you are genuinely interested in people. If you can do this your integrity will increase with your clients and you will become a super net worker.
If you want to appear honest and intelligent to your client you must maintain strong eye-contact with him or her. Strong eye-contact will also convey your sincere interest in your client’s well-being. This is a message that you need to convey to your client otherwise there is unlikely to be a future relationship in either a business or social context, especially if the client suspects that you are using them to serve your own ends.
If you have the ability to create a memorable presence then people will aspire to be where you are right now. They will want to associate with you and they will prefer to buy from you rather than someone who does not have that inspirational value. If you have it use it; it’s unlikely to last forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment