Of all the sales tips that we’ve talked about in class, the idea of “mirroring,” or strategic mimicry, is fascinating to me. All people are different in the way they make purchases – it’s up to the salesperson to pay attention to how a potential customer is talking and acting and adjust their actions to match.
But what is so important about mirroring a potential customer? When you get on the same “level” as someone else – whether that be hand gestures, speed of talking, or literal level of sitting or standing, it makes that person feel more comfortable around you. It shows that you are not in a position of dominance, but you are on an equal level, simply having a conversation.
I participated in many mission trips to NYC when I was in high school, and one part of those trips was doing homeless ministry. The leaders of the trips always told us that when we are engaging in conversations with people on the streets, the first thing we should do is get on their level. If that means sitting on the street, we’d sit on the street. We wanted to show with our body that we were not talking down at them, but we were talking with them.
The same goes for sales. Get on the level of your potential customer – whatever that level is – and you’ll find that they’ll be more comfortable around you and maybe even more willing to share information that they wouldn’t have otherwise.
BoweryJE22
This is a great example of trying to find middle ground with potential customers. The little things really do matter and even though it might seem small, being on the same level creates a level of comfort.
You have a great, first hand example with mirroring! Being on the same page with your actions, speech, hand gestures, and even how you are sitting or standing can be just as vital to the sale as one’s “selling technique”. I have heard many people say that they didn’t purchase something simply because the salesperson was “odd” or made them uncomfortable.