Events:
Past Event Summaries

May IABC/Triangle Program:
Turn Up the Volume on Body Language
For Better Communication
by Tracy Needham

"Sales is a relationship game — we buy things from people we like and trust. Body language is important to that because the message you send must be consistent with what you're saying," said Tim Moore of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group at the May IABC Triangle meeting. If not, your words will lose impact and credibility.

Studies show that you have three to five seconds to make a good first impression. Only seven percent of that impression is influenced by what you say. The tone of your voice comprises 38 percent. And 55 percent of the first impression you make is based on your body language. For example, how you walk into a room sends a powerful message. Standing up straight, making eye contact, smiling — these little things can make a big difference in how people perceive you.

"Body language is listening with your eyes," Moore said. It's not just helpful in communicating your own and assessing others' messages, it can also help you establish a better connection with your conversation partner. "Active listening is a skill that will reward you many times over," he said. You can become an active listener simply by leaning in toward the person, smiling, nodding and making eye contact about 80 percent of the time. Overall, you should aim to listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent during a conversation.

Other tips Moore offers:

• Smile, smile, smile. You look friendlier and it actually gives your voice a lift.
• Beware the body language of closure — crossing your arms in front of you, looking away, shaking your head. All these imply that you're not open to what the speaker is saying.
• Always put your name tag on the side you shake hands with to make it much easier for others to read.
• Be wary of people who rub the side of their nose while they speak — a classic sign of lying.
• Watch for a listener who creates a steeple with their fingers. It's a good sign that means they are thinking about and processing your words and are likely to ask you questions for further clarification.

People we tend to think of as master communicators — Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King, Jr. — were all experts at using their bodies to add power to their words. The good news is that body language is a learned behavior, so all of us can learn to use body language to enrich our communications.

Moore is offering a workshop about using body language as a sales tool in Cary on July 18. More information is available at www.dancingelephants.net.

Tracy Needham is a marketing copywriter and consultant specializing in financial services and other service-based businesses. You can reach her at (919) 829-1539 or tracy@tracyneedham.com.