During every step of the sales process, it is important to observe your buyer’s body language. As you lay out your proposal, be sure to watch for certain movements, positions, and other facets of body language. If you are able to understand the clues listed below, you will have the inside track on your prospect’s thinking:
- Body Posture: Do they lean towards you or away from you? Leaning closer is usually a good sign, unless they are hearing challenged and must do this to understand your message.
- Hands: If hands are in their lap, it may mean they are hiding something from you or their mother taught them that a “lady” never puts her hands on the table.
- Are their arms folded across their body? This can signal that your client is cold or are they closed to your message.
- Eyes: You’ve probably heard that eyes are the mirror to the soul. That may be true unless your customer is taking a medication that dilates their eyes or they are a trained liar. There are those individuals who can look you straight in the face while lying.
- Head: Nodding is a good sign, right? Yes, unless the customer is just a nice person who wants to encourage you to keep improving your sales skills and has absolutely no interest in your product or service. They just like you as a person and don’t want to hurt your feelings.
- Voice: If your prospect is a woman and her voice rises an octave or it becomes deeper and her pace slows, she may be excited with your presentation. However, this can also mean she is angry and losing her patience.
- Feet: Yes the feet can tell you if you have a chance to close the sale or your buyer is ready to walk out the door. Drop your pen on the floor and bend over to pick it up. See if their feet are facing you or the exit. If they are facing you, you have their attention. Feet facing the exit means you better finish up or retrace your steps. The prospect wants you to leave.
Body language is not easy to interpret. It takes study and practice. Once mastered, you will be able to modify your own body language as well as accurately interpret your customer’s hidden signals in order to close more sales.
Mary Redmond is a top-rated female professional speaker, author, consultant and business coach. She is a negotiation and body language expert that instills confidence, inspiration and expert knowledge that sets up her audiences for success!