Secrets to Success Deborah Cole Micek and John-Paul Micek

Words with body language boost sales

FACT: People buy from people they like. And, people like people who are just like they are. It's as simple as that.

Target Training International, based out of Scottsdale, Ariz., performed a study that proved this basic premise. If more people truly understood the implications of this fact, the sales process throughout the entire world would undergo a dramatic turnaround. I've seen this over and over with our business-coaching clients.

Think about your own experiences. How many times have you found yourself buying something from a store, walking out with a smile, and thinking how lucky you were to get such a nice salesperson? Now, analyze why these particular events were good shopping experiences. Was it the words that the salesperson used? Did they smile? Did they look you right in the eye? Did they gesture in a friendly manner? Did they communicate with you instead of at you?

Using the right words is critical to whether the doorway to communication gets opened, or closed. But it doesn't stop there. We must also pay close attention to matching the voice cues, body language, and rate/tone of speech of the people with whom we communicate. Armed with this information, we now know how we must adapt our communication style in order to build rapport.

Adapting to your clients' preferred ways of communicating (commonly referred to as "matching and mirroring"), will open doors quicker than any other sales strategy.

IN workshops where we coach business owners on stealth-sales strategies, we see time and again how the exact same words will carry very different meanings when the tone of voice or body language is altered.

Just imagine how persuasive you can be using the right words in the right way when meeting with a pro-spective client one-on-one.

Adam Bayless, president of Global Asset Consulting in Los Angeles, says building rapport is one of "the most important skills that a professional salesperson should constantly improve upon."

This helps the sales professional and makes the entire sales experience enjoyable for the client.

Bayless describes this as the new ideal for sales professionals who are serious about helping their clients.

"By understanding and communicating with your prospects at a deeper level, you are able to create solutions your client needs, as they'll feel more at ease discussing their real motivation for buying your product or service. And, when this is done correctly, you'll never have to close another prospect. Your prospects will literally be asking you for your products and services, then raving about you to all their friends. And that's enjoyable for everyone!"