Profitably influencing the sales process with your body language

In face-to-face communication, 55% is the body language, 38% is the tone and 7% is the content or words used. Let me show you the roles of these in the sales process;

CONTENT OR WORDS (7%): Your product knowledge (content) is the basis of initiating the sales process. You must be aware of what the prospect stands to benefit by using your product, since you’ll be selling benefits of the product and not the features. A lot of times, you will also need to educate your client about your product; more like a consultant would to his client; so you need to understand your product so you can communicate it succinctly. You don’t have to master your product 100% before you start selling, you can master it over time because in the sales process, product knowledge is like yeast in dough, you don’t need a lot of it but without it the dough won’t rise.

TONE (38%): Your tone gives emphasis and meaning to the content of your message. Someone could be told they’re stupid and either laugh or fight because of the word, the differentiating factor will be the tone of voice used to communicate. Also in communicating with a prospect a monotonous tone will distract your listener due to the short attention span of most people. However, a modulated tone (movement between high pitch and low pitch) will keep the mind of your listener engaged.

Hence, in your sales pitch you can note key words you want to buttress and parts of the pitch you want to modulate your voice. For example, there is a difference between, “Mrs. Mary, investing in this product will increase your profit by at least five hundred thousand dollars in just twelve months.” Compared to, “Mrs. Mary, investing in THIS PRODUCT will INCREASE your profit by at least FIVE HUN-DRED THOU-SAND DOLLARS in just TWELVE months.” You can also control your tone by changing the way you use your body, for example speaking and smiling will eradicate any irritableness in your tone of voice. Finally, prospects are more influenced by bold people and boldness is seen in the tone of your voice.

BODY LANGUAGE (55%): Since 55% of communication is from the body language, your major persuasion tool when communicating is not your content (words) or tone but your body language. This is simply so because of the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is 90% of the human mind, with only 10% for the conscious mind. This means that 90% of our daily activities and our life is controlled by the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is responsible for all our involuntary activities while the conscious mind is responsible for our voluntary activities. The subconscious mind is constantly absorbing information from the environment but is programmed by repetitive words, images and experiences.

THE FORMATION OF BODY LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION IN HUMANS:
The conscious mind is the path to the subconscious mind except in babies. When a child is born the conscious mind is not fully developed so the child has the subconscious mind open to the world. This is because the brain is yet to be fully developed and the conscious mind has no room for expression. The thing is the mind affects the brain, which in turn affects the body and its muscles. The subconscious mind beginning from childhood stores things that are unique, consistent and simultaneous. One of such things is the body language of others. We were then programmed to act with the same body language we saw in others around us even though we were all born with some instinctive body movements – instincts for eating, fighting, escaping and reproduction. Research has shown that there is a loop between the brain and the body. The brain aligns with the body and the body with the brain. Meaning, you don’t have to wait to feel motivated before you act motivated, rather you can move your body like you would if you were motivated and your brain will follow the leading of your body to make you feel motivated.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Iyore Ogbuigwe is a sales consultant