Most sales pros take great pride in being able to listen to the unspoken and decode the meaning of gestures such as crossed arms, a tilt of the head, or clock watching. But as business and B2B buyers become more global, relying on body language can steer sales pros wrong. A head nod doesn’t always mean yes. An averted glance doesn’t always mean your buyer is disengaged.
While understanding the cultural nuances of body language could take a lifetime, there are nonverbal cues which provide reliable insight into every buyer’s mindset—if you know how to read them. The global language of nonverbal communication is rooted in microexpressions, spontaneous and involuntary facial movements which momentarily flash across buyers’ faces and are gone in as little as one 25th of a second.
You may be thinking, isn’t more of the B2B sales process moving online, making this aspect of selling less relevant? That’s true, but it’s also true that video interactions are on the rise, and that many of the most pivotal sales meetings still occur in a face-to-face setting.
That’s why understanding microexpressions in each face-to-face meeting is especially important when it comes to gauging your prospect’s mindset and determining your next move. Having fluency in microexpressions can help you spot the telltale signs of emotions such as contempt or surprise, thereby guiding your approach to answer your buyer’s unspoken needs.
The week’s trending sales content highlights steps to improve fluency in nonverbal communication. You’ll also discover ways to ensure your hard work isn’t just busy work, along with tips for achieving a more satisfying work-life balance.
Here’s What Sales Professionals Were Reading and Sharing This Week:
How to Get Better at Reading People from Different Cultures
For sales pros, an inability to read nonverbal cues can be a deal breaker. But language and behavioral norms are not universal across cultures. A smile, a handshake, a serious expression—these gestures may not mean the same thing to all buyers. In this post, Kasia Wezowski dives into microexpressions, those brief involuntary flashes of facial expression that can reveal how prospects really feel and if they are buying what you’re selling. Click through for tips on using YouTube and mirroring techniques to help improve sales calls with global B2B buyers.
5 Tips to Boost Your Sales and Still Have a (Happy) Life
Balancing a successful sales career and a meaningful life can be challenging, but some people have it down pat. In this post, Amy O'Connor highlights ways to keep things in check. Learn what O’Connor has to to say about boundaries, financial health, organizational skills, and what it means to be “grocery store worthy.”
55 of the Best Sales-related Quotes
We all have our favorite sayings about success and selling. And who doesn’t want more? In this post by Carol Roth, sales and business leaders share inspirational quotes which have shaped their approach to sales and life. The list includes great insights from business minds such as Seth Godin and Zig Ziglar and also nuggets from unexpected sources such as as Dr. Seuss and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Busy Doing What? 4 Steps to Implement If You're Working Hard and Not Seeing Sales Results
“More of the same equals more of the same,” Kurt Sima writes in this post focused on categorizing and prioritizing accounts and prospects. Sima recommends that sales pros assess opportunities based on revenue potential, access, and fit to ensure low-priority relationships aren’t a time drain. Another tip? Limit unqualified leads in your pipeline to no more than 10. Check out the post to see if there are steps you can take to improve the effectiveness of your sales process.
It’s An Ideal World After All; The Importance Of An Open Mind
It’s happened to all sales pros. You present what you think is a well-researched, irrefutable case as to why your prospect should absolutely say “yes” to your solution. But somehow the buyer doesn’t see things your way. Who’s right? Maybe you both are. This post by Brian Solis reminds us that, “Just because someone is right doesn’t mean the other person is wrong.” Click through to learn how cognitive biases can get in the way of meaningful connections with prospects, customers, and colleagues.
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Topics: Sales trends
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