November 28, 2024
One of the most fundamental skills in sales is empathy. Understanding your prospect's needs and situation is essential for qualification, making a case, and closing. Developing this deep understanding requires you to keep your eyes and ears open, honing your nonverbal communication in sales. You need to grasp what is being said, the surrounding context, and also recognize what isn’t being voiced.
As Chris Voss noted in Never Split The Difference, “Negotiation is about uncovering more information to come up with a proposal that works for all parties involved.” Nonverbal cues like body language, facial expressions, posture, and gestures reveal more about a person’s true feelings than words alone—especially when someone is weighing solutions to their problems and needs certainty before making a commitment.
Studies have shown that over 90% of communication is conveyed through nonverbal signals, such as facial expressions, head movements, body posture, and eye contact. This insight underscores why nonverbal communication is essential in sales psychology and client engagement. The best part? Nonverbal communication skills are coachable! By being observant and validating your assumptions, you can quickly learn to decode the unsaid signals that can make or break a sale.
In traditional in-person sales, reading nonverbal communication was second nature for experienced salespeople. Body language, which provides clues to a person's openness, hostility, curiosity, or skepticism, was easy to observe. However, in the era of virtual meetings, mastering nonverbal communication in sales requires adapting these skills to a digital setting. The “feel” and “vibe” of in-person meetings are challenging to replicate over Zoom, yet there are still cues that can reveal your prospect’s engagement, interest, and intentions.
These cues require practice and a keen eye, but they’re not rocket science! Here are some tips on how you can refine your sales techniques, enhance client engagement, and tap into the power of nonverbal communication through virtual platforms.
On most video calls, you can only see a person’s head—and that alone can reveal a lot. A tilted head signals interest in what you’re saying, while a slight pullback can indicate discomfort. A raised head and broadened shoulders demonstrate confidence, whereas a downward-tilted head or one pulled beneath the shoulders suggests discomfort. In such cases, pause and ask if they have questions or need clarification.
A jutting chin signals defiance or frustration, indicating potential disagreement or resistance.
Example: During her presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton's chin thrust served as a visual signal of defiance.
Head movements are part of nonverbal cues in sales that add depth to the communication. For instance, nodding typically signals agreement, though even nod speed matters—a slow nod shows understanding, while a fast nod might suggest impatience, urging you to move along.
Fidgeting, such as toying with hair or pulling on an ear, often indicates boredom or disinterest. When this happens, draw them back into the conversation with questions or requests for feedback.
The mouth is another powerful source of nonverbal cues in sales. Pursed lips can suggest discomfort, anger, or reluctance to communicate, while a relaxed mouth signals openness. Smiling is also telling—a genuine smile changes the entire face, including forehead wrinkles and brighter eyes, whereas a fake smile may only involve the mouth, concealing anger or a lack of interest.
In sales, such nuances in body language can help gauge whether your message resonates, helping you tailor your approach to foster genuine client engagement.
Eye contact in video calls is especially significant for building trust and gauging intent. Wide eyes reflect interest and acceptance, while slitted eyes can suggest skepticism or doubt. Rapid blinking may signal stress or discomfort, while closed eyes indicate detachment.
Raised eyebrows, a classic expression of surprise or doubt, may appear frequently during product demos or proposals. Understanding these visual cues helps you respond appropriately and strengthen your communication skills.
All of this information about body language and nonverbal cues in sales is incredibly valuable, but focusing on reading these cues during calls can be challenging. When you’re balancing taking notes, presenting content, handling objections, and communicating with teammates, it’s easy to miss subtle signs. But help is available - you need to know where to look.
Difficult as it might be, there are some ways to capture nonverbal cues in sales calls too. Here’s how you can get it right:
Some sales teams have adopted the practice of inviting a manager to join calls with multiple stakeholders. The manager can monitor nonverbal cues, particularly from quieter stakeholders, to gauge their level of engagement. This approach not only enhances communication skills but also improves team feedback and performance.
However, since managers can’t attend every call, this approach might not be scalable across an entire sales organization.
Sales intelligence tools like Sybill can significantly enhance your sales techniques by capturing nonverbal cues and delivering actionable insights. Sybill provides an in-depth analysis of your prospect’s engagement throughout the call. By using behavioral AI models, Sybill identifies spikes in interest and changes in engagement, helping you focus on areas that matter most.
Sybill’s behavior AI allows supersellers to truly understand their prospects’ response to demos, pricing, and much more during critical moments in sales calls. Designed to read the room on Zoom, Sybill’s AI enables such in-depth prospect insight across various tools like Google Meets and Teams.
Click here to try Sybill for free.
Mastering nonverbal communication in sales is a powerful asset in today's virtual sales environment. By paying attention to body language, refining your presentation skills, and using tools like Sybill for sales intelligence, you can gain an edge over competitors and improve your client engagement significantly.
Start by observing more keenly, seeking support from teammates, or leveraging tools like Sybill that provide insights into nonverbal cues.
Ready to read the room?
One of the most fundamental skills in sales is empathy. Understanding your prospect's needs and situation is essential for qualification, making a case, and closing. Developing this deep understanding requires you to keep your eyes and ears open, honing your nonverbal communication in sales. You need to grasp what is being said, the surrounding context, and also recognize what isn’t being voiced.
As Chris Voss noted in Never Split The Difference, “Negotiation is about uncovering more information to come up with a proposal that works for all parties involved.” Nonverbal cues like body language, facial expressions, posture, and gestures reveal more about a person’s true feelings than words alone—especially when someone is weighing solutions to their problems and needs certainty before making a commitment.
Studies have shown that over 90% of communication is conveyed through nonverbal signals, such as facial expressions, head movements, body posture, and eye contact. This insight underscores why nonverbal communication is essential in sales psychology and client engagement. The best part? Nonverbal communication skills are coachable! By being observant and validating your assumptions, you can quickly learn to decode the unsaid signals that can make or break a sale.
In traditional in-person sales, reading nonverbal communication was second nature for experienced salespeople. Body language, which provides clues to a person's openness, hostility, curiosity, or skepticism, was easy to observe. However, in the era of virtual meetings, mastering nonverbal communication in sales requires adapting these skills to a digital setting. The “feel” and “vibe” of in-person meetings are challenging to replicate over Zoom, yet there are still cues that can reveal your prospect’s engagement, interest, and intentions.
These cues require practice and a keen eye, but they’re not rocket science! Here are some tips on how you can refine your sales techniques, enhance client engagement, and tap into the power of nonverbal communication through virtual platforms.
On most video calls, you can only see a person’s head—and that alone can reveal a lot. A tilted head signals interest in what you’re saying, while a slight pullback can indicate discomfort. A raised head and broadened shoulders demonstrate confidence, whereas a downward-tilted head or one pulled beneath the shoulders suggests discomfort. In such cases, pause and ask if they have questions or need clarification.
A jutting chin signals defiance or frustration, indicating potential disagreement or resistance.
Example: During her presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton's chin thrust served as a visual signal of defiance.
Head movements are part of nonverbal cues in sales that add depth to the communication. For instance, nodding typically signals agreement, though even nod speed matters—a slow nod shows understanding, while a fast nod might suggest impatience, urging you to move along.
Fidgeting, such as toying with hair or pulling on an ear, often indicates boredom or disinterest. When this happens, draw them back into the conversation with questions or requests for feedback.
The mouth is another powerful source of nonverbal cues in sales. Pursed lips can suggest discomfort, anger, or reluctance to communicate, while a relaxed mouth signals openness. Smiling is also telling—a genuine smile changes the entire face, including forehead wrinkles and brighter eyes, whereas a fake smile may only involve the mouth, concealing anger or a lack of interest.
In sales, such nuances in body language can help gauge whether your message resonates, helping you tailor your approach to foster genuine client engagement.
Eye contact in video calls is especially significant for building trust and gauging intent. Wide eyes reflect interest and acceptance, while slitted eyes can suggest skepticism or doubt. Rapid blinking may signal stress or discomfort, while closed eyes indicate detachment.
Raised eyebrows, a classic expression of surprise or doubt, may appear frequently during product demos or proposals. Understanding these visual cues helps you respond appropriately and strengthen your communication skills.
All of this information about body language and nonverbal cues in sales is incredibly valuable, but focusing on reading these cues during calls can be challenging. When you’re balancing taking notes, presenting content, handling objections, and communicating with teammates, it’s easy to miss subtle signs. But help is available - you need to know where to look.
Difficult as it might be, there are some ways to capture nonverbal cues in sales calls too. Here’s how you can get it right:
Some sales teams have adopted the practice of inviting a manager to join calls with multiple stakeholders. The manager can monitor nonverbal cues, particularly from quieter stakeholders, to gauge their level of engagement. This approach not only enhances communication skills but also improves team feedback and performance.
However, since managers can’t attend every call, this approach might not be scalable across an entire sales organization.
Sales intelligence tools like Sybill can significantly enhance your sales techniques by capturing nonverbal cues and delivering actionable insights. Sybill provides an in-depth analysis of your prospect’s engagement throughout the call. By using behavioral AI models, Sybill identifies spikes in interest and changes in engagement, helping you focus on areas that matter most.
Sybill’s behavior AI allows supersellers to truly understand their prospects’ response to demos, pricing, and much more during critical moments in sales calls. Designed to read the room on Zoom, Sybill’s AI enables such in-depth prospect insight across various tools like Google Meets and Teams.
Click here to try Sybill for free.
Mastering nonverbal communication in sales is a powerful asset in today's virtual sales environment. By paying attention to body language, refining your presentation skills, and using tools like Sybill for sales intelligence, you can gain an edge over competitors and improve your client engagement significantly.
Start by observing more keenly, seeking support from teammates, or leveraging tools like Sybill that provide insights into nonverbal cues.
Ready to read the room?
