When someone says something in a monotone voice, has no change of expression, and stands perfectly still, do you feel that they are interested in what you’re saying? What about when someone appears rigid, on edge, and their voice is clipped? Do you begin to feel nervous, or maybe you can sense how guarded they are? These images are some of the most important non-verbal elements of sales.
In Sales in the Startup, Professor Sweet had us share a few stories of good and bad sales experiences we have had, and what factors impacted how we perceived those experiences. During this discussion, I was noticing how closely our perception of a sales situation is directly related to psychology. The same skills that allow us to analyze how a friend is feeling through their body language allow us to analyze how a buyer or seller is feeling about the exchange.
I began researching this correlation, and I found that reading body language is one of the most common “tips” on sales blogs and websites I visited. I have inserted a useful image from salesforce.com that explains the physical motions a buyer might be expressing, and what they could mean.
The image explains that a customer showing interest might look like they are in a phase of consideration through “thinking” motions, such as touching their face, looking over their glasses, and holding their nose. Once they are on board with the sale, they’ll take on a more direct appearance by opening their arms and hands, leaning towards you, and showing direct interaction. They might also demonstrate confidence by straightening their back and seeming happy in the interaction.
I found this to be especially interesting because these are the same expressions we see in interactions with friends or family, far outside of a sales situation. To learn more about analyzing how body language affects sales, please visit https://www.salesforce.com/blog/sales-tactics/ .
BoweryJE22