{"id":45648,"date":"2021-08-15T04:55:36","date_gmt":"2021-08-15T08:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=45648"},"modified":"2021-08-20T04:11:01","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T08:11:01","slug":"sales-body-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-body-language\/","title":{"rendered":"Body Language in Sales: How to Sell Nonverbally"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What role does <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/body-language-crucial-conversations\/\">body language<\/a> play in sales? How can focusing on your gestures, eye contact, stance, etc. help you close more deals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In sales, body language is a crucial element. At least half of the communication that happens during a sale is nonverbal, so instead of hoping that you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-good-impression-on-people\/\">making a good impression<\/a>, you should practice effective forms of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-nonverbal-communication\/\">nonverbal communication<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s how to increase sales using body language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Techniques for Using Body Language<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Body language accounts for at least half of the 90% of communication that\u2019s nonverbal, according to Belfort. As noted earlier, it works hand in hand with tone (the other half) in subconsciously increasing a prospect\u2019s certainty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective sales body language won\u2019t necessarily close the deal, but <em>ineffective<\/em> body language can ruin the <em>possibility<\/em> of a deal\u2014because it prevents you from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-build-rapport\/\">developing rapport<\/a> or increasing a prospect\u2019s certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This section discusses body language techniques, but first let\u2019s clarify the term. Body language encompasses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Appearance (clothing, hair, jewelry, grooming, cologne, and so on)&nbsp;<\/li><li>Facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures such as your handshake<\/li><li>The way you move, including stance and positioning<\/li><li>The way you use time and space<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As noted in the discussion of first impressions, people determine in seconds whether you\u2019re someone they want to do business with. Your body language\u2014the way you package and present yourself\u2014is a key influence. Think about someone who instantly \u201crubbed you the wrong way\u201d\u2014it\u2019s likely that something in the way they looked or moved unconsciously offended you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rest of this section discusses ways to make body language work <em>for<\/em> rather than against you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Appearance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing people notice about you is your appearance, beginning with dress and grooming; you want to come across as professional and therefore credible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belfort recommends that salespeople (both men and women) wear suits, minimize cologne or perfume, and carry a leather briefcase to convey confidence, care, and quality. For men, he advises that any beard or mustache be close-cropped (unless facial hair is part of the culture) so you don\u2019t come across as careless or sloppy; women should avoid extreme hairstyles or too much jewelry as these are distracting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Research: Why You Should Dress for Success<\/strong><br><br>Research shows that people who dress well are more confident, feel more powerful, and are more focused. In studies, people who dressed better made fewer mistakes, did better at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/abstract-thinking-ability\/\">abstract thinking<\/a>, and negotiated better deals than those who dressed casually. Defining professional dress is somewhat subjective and depends on circumstances. People prefer that others\u2019 clothing match their expectations\u2014for example, doctors should wear scrubs, plumbers should wear appropriate uniforms, and business people should wear suits. Most important from a selling perspective, people perceive those who dress professionally as leaders and seek support from them more often.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Eye Contact and Active Listening<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key aspect of body language is eye contact. Make eye contact to show interest, but not to the point of seeming aggressive or dominating. Belfort contends you should make eye contact 72% of the time\u2014if it\u2019s less, people won\u2019t trust you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Some communication experts recommend the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/news\/eye_contact_dont_make_these_mistakes#:~:text=Use%20the%2050%2F70%20rule,to%20display%20interest%20and%20confidence\">50\/70 rule<\/a>: Maintain eye contact 50% of the time while speaking and 70% while listening. Further, only maintain eye contact for four or five seconds at a time, then look to the side slowly, before making eye contact again\u2014if you do this too fast, you\u2019ll look shifty or nervous.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The point of eye contact is to project confidence and strong engagement, and to be and show that you\u2019re a good listener. Eye contact is an important element of active listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>The Two Parts of Active Listening<\/strong><br><br>Active listening is generally defined as: Giving your full attention to the speaker\u2014so that you concentrate on, understand, respond, and remember what the speaker saysShowing that you\u2019re listening through verbal cues and body language such as eye contact and nodding&nbsp;Belfort\u2019s sales system focuses primarily on the second part: creating the appearance of listening. He defines active listening as simply showing that you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-pay-attention\/\">paying attention<\/a> by using body language and tonality. However, in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/12-rules-for-life\/rule-9\">12 Rules for Life<\/a>, Jordan Peterson writes that <em>fully<\/em> engaging in active listening has many benefits, including learning how another person thinks, helping them think, learning from their experiences, and developing a trusting relationship.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stance and Positioning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next key aspects of body language are how you use space and movement. First, be aware of others\u2019 personal space and don\u2019t violate it. Different cultures have different standards for how closely you should approach or stand near someone, so know and respect the preferences of the culture or country you\u2019re operating in. Belfort says Westerners prefer a space buffer of two-and-a-half to three feet, while Asians are comfortable less than a foot from another person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: <a href=\"https:\/\/iimn.org\/publication\/finding-common-ground\/culture-at-work\/body-language-personal-space\/\">Other sources<\/a> claim that Americans like a 12- to 15-inch buffer, while Asians prefer <em>more<\/em> than that and Middle Eastern cultures less. A 2017<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/worldviews\/wp\/2017\/04\/24\/how-close-is-too-close-depends-on-where-you-live\/\"> Washington Post article<\/a> graphically depicts research also showing that Asians prefer <em>more<\/em> personal space than Americans do.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of spatial awareness, pay attention to your stance and positioning. Belfort contends that men and women prefer different stances, depending on whether they\u2019re dealing with someone of the same or opposite sex. Two people of the same sex are more comfortable and relaxed when standing or sitting at an angle rather than directly in front of each other. For men in particular, facing each other directly promotes a sense of competition and conflict; the same is somewhat true for women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, according to Belfort, a man selling to a woman <em>should<\/em> stand in front of her and keep his hands visible to her. Similarly, a woman seeking to influence a man should stand facing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Other writers agree that standing at an angle to someone comes across as more comfortable or <a href=\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/make-uncomfortable-talks-less-confrontational-by-standi-1698330075\">less confrontational <\/a>for many people; and also that <a href=\"https:\/\/rodrigosanalysis.wordpress.com\/2012\/07\/22\/the-body-points-where-you-want-to-go\/\">men prefer an angle<\/a> to a face-to-face stance unless they\u2019re trying to express dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belfort doesn\u2019t address posture\u2014however, Jordan Peterson argues in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/12-rules-for-life\/rule-1\"><em>12 Rules for Life<\/em><\/a> that your posture reflects your self-respect and affects others\u2019 respect for you. If you stand straight with your shoulders back, people will treat you as capable, and you\u2019ll act with greater confidence.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gestures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From a Western standpoint, a handshake is one of the most important gestures in creating an impression. There are different types of handshakes, ranging from too firm to too limp. Those at either end of the spectrum leave a poor impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Handshakes that are too hard or last too long come across as attempts to intimidate or dominate. Counterintuitively, Belfort notes that a limp handshake also can be a power play, conveying that the person doesn\u2019t care how they come across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says a handshake should be \u201cneutral,\u201d neither too hard nor too soft. You should meet the other person\u2019s hand straight on, not from above or below, and use the same amount of pressure as they do. This approach signals cooperation, indicating you\u2019re a good person to do business with\u2014according to Belfort, people want to do business with others who are like them or with whom they can relate. Shaking hands this way is part of an overall rapport building technique called matching, which is a means of relating to someone on their level. We\u2019ll discuss matching in the next section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Some etiquette writers recommend that you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/handshake-etiquette-p2-1216847#:~:text=The%20Handshake%20Should%20Last%20About%202%2D5%20Seconds&amp;text=If%20the%20other%20person%20continues,to%20maintain%20a%20positive%20interaction.\">limit a handshake to two-to-five seconds<\/a>. Former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/world\/2017\/6\/29\/15883096\/trump-handshakes-why\">President Trump\u2019s handshake<\/a> technique of gripping the other person\u2019s hand tightly and yanking them toward him was dissected in the media as a power play. Other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/politics\/psychology-donald-trump-handshake-how-beat-it-justin-trudeau-shinzo-abe-a7591136.html\">world leaders reportedly practiced<\/a> how to counter it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another common gesture is crossing your arms, which Belfort says may indicate that you\u2019re closed to new ideas. Some behavioral experts say it makes you seem anxious, defensive, or insecure. In any case, as the seller, you want to appear as relaxed and open to the client as possible, so it\u2019s usually better to avoid crossed arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related Techniques: Matching, Pacing, Leading<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Belfort recommends a technique called <em>matching<\/em> for building rapport and influence with body language. It works best as part of active listening, where you\u2019re closely observing the other person. The technique consists of using body language to <strong>match the prospect\u2019s body language, for instance her body position, blinking rate, and breathing.<\/strong> If you\u2019re talking on the phone rather than in person, you would match her tonality and rate of speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belfort says matching is different from mirroring, which is doing the exact same thing as the other person\u2014for example, scratching your head\u2014<em>while<\/em> they\u2019re doing it. Matching is a little more subtle: You copy their gestures casually and slowly with a lag of five to 10 seconds and vary them a little. (Shortform note: Studies of mirroring, also called the chameleon effect, show that it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/use-mirroring-to-connect-with-others-1474394329\">causes others to like and trust you more<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matching and mirroring are both two-way interactions. You can move from matching a person\u2019s behavior yourself to <em>pacing and leading<\/em> them to adopt (match) <em>your<\/em> position\u2014for example, to get someone to uncross their arms, fold yours similarly, then pace and lead them by slowly adopting an open, relaxed arm position. It works because people unconsciously copy others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll not only create rapport, but also begin moving their emotional state from negative to positive and from uncertainty to greater certainty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindwhirl.com\/marketing\/marketing-psychology\/how-to-persuade-anyone-using-pacing-and-leading\/\">Pacing and leading<\/a> are neuro-linguistic programming techniques advocated by some marketers. We\u2019ll discuss the general concept of neuro-linguistic programming in the final chapter.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Ways to Use Matching, Pacing, and Leading<\/strong><br><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/win-bigly\"><em>Win Bigly<\/em><\/a> author Scott Adams, who writes about persuasion, suggests several <a href=\"https:\/\/leversofpersuasion.medium.com\/pacing-and-leading-133766efb463\">matching, pacing, and leading scenarios<\/a>:<br><br><strong>Sales<\/strong>: Pace a potential customer verbally by showing you have similar interests and values; also discuss how they\u2019re like your other clients. Then explain why your product or service makes logical sense for people sharing these interests.<br><br><strong>Hiring situations<\/strong>: Build familiarity with a hiring manager by matching their behavior (posture, speaking, and email style). Then verbally paint a picture (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/future-pacing\/\">future pacing<\/a>) that helps them visualize you working for them\u2014for example, your contacts can get them better prices\u2014prompting them to think beyond the hiring decision.<br><br><strong>Negotiation<\/strong>: Besides matching the other party\u2019s body language, match their argument by agreeing with it: \u201cThat\u2019s a very reasonable approach&#8230;but I wonder if it covers all the bases\u2014for instance\u2026\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What role does body language play in sales? How can focusing on your gestures, eye contact, stance, etc. help you close more deals? In sales, body language is a crucial element. At least half of the communication that happens during a sale is nonverbal, so instead of hoping that you&#8217;re making a good impression, you should practice effective forms of nonverbal communication. Here&#8217;s how to increase sales using body language.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":45749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,103],"tags":[206],"class_list":["post-45648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","category-sales","tag-way-of-the-wolf","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Body Language in Sales: How to Sell Nonverbally - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How important is body language in sales? Well, at least half of the communication during a sale is nonverbal. Here&#039;s how to sell nonverbally.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-body-language\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Body Language in Sales: How to Sell Nonverbally\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How important is body language in sales? Well, at least half of the communication during a sale is nonverbal. 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