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Watch Their Language (Body, I Mean!)
Robert Warlow
Small Business Success
Many people in
sales find the hardest part of the selling process is the negotiation stage.
You have sold your product well and the person is clearly keen to buy but
after having struck a deal, you look back and have a guilty feeling that you
gave away too much too quickly.
Wouldn't it
great to get inside their mind and know what they are thinking? This is
where having an understanding of body language can help give you the edge
when negotiating.
What is body
language? We all instinctively give gestures and facial expressions which
reveal our inner thoughts. It's hardwired into our brains and stretches back
to our earliest days in the cave when facial expressions and gestures were
all we had to communicate with. Like music tracks on a CD these
communication tools have been burned into our brains.
There are so
many gestures to look out for but let's study 4 which can be useful to spot
when negotiating and help you decide what your next step is.
Pulling collar with index figure
They are likely to be telling a lie or feeling
uncomfortable with what they are saying: 'There's no way I can afford
that price.'
Stand firm. They have shown they are interested in
your product, price is the issue. Restate the benefits.
Stroking their chin
They are thinking and evaluating what you have said.
Go for it! They are on the point of saying yes.
Thumb under the chin, index finger under the bottom
lip
You have not convinced him or he doesn't feel
comfortable with what you have said.
Go back and uncover which part of the product he is
unsure about.
Head tilted to one side
He's interested
He's on your side. Move in for the kill!
A powerful
piece of body language which you can have control over is the closeness
between you and the buyer. To conclude a negotiation there needs to be a
feeling of connection. If the buyer is well away from his desk or leaning
back, place some brochures on the table but sufficiently far away that he
has to come closer to you. You should then mirror his action and move closer
as well. The end result is that you will be in a better position to strike a
deal.
Trying to spot
the body language, listen to what is being said and deciding what your next
action is takes practice and patience.
ACTION POINT:
make a conscious effort to watch people's body language over the next 7
days, even if you are negotiating the small thing. Immediately afterwards,
make a note of what you saw.
© Robert
Warlow
Small Business
Success
http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz
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