Going from skilled ballet dancing to operating an AI startup might not look like probably the most intuitive profession trajectory…however once I share that physique language and nonverbal communication is what brings this all collectively, issues begin to make a bit extra sense.
After I retired from the Boston Ballet in 2016 because of an harm, I didn’t suppose physique language would ever play as a lot of an essential function in my life once more.
Boy, was I mistaken.
Gross sales + the pandemic = video
The pandemic introduced video firmly to the forefront of our lives.
For sellers specifically, video has turn out to be a ‘need-to-have’ channel of communication. This implies abilities for impactful communication over video are an important a part of our up to date gross sales competency toolkit.
Bonus: Study when to make use of video within the gross sales course of (with video examples!) 📚
In relation to promoting, all of us intuitively understand how essential physique language cues may be — each for shedding mild on what others could also be pondering or feeling, and likewise of their capability to assist us extra clearly talk our supposed message.
And whereas it could appear typically that nonverbals are muted on video, we have now discovered the alternative to be true. In actual fact, video is the one digital technique of communication that truly amplifies nonverbal communication.
As sellers, it’s as much as us to grab the instruments at our disposal. I’ll stroll you thru my high 3 physique language hacks for video — together with with 4 movies I recorded only for this — so you may present up on video with full presence, confidence and the flexibility to construct belief rapidly.
Physique language ideas for video
Physique Language Gross sales Hack #1: Don’t sleep in your arrange
It’s straightforward to go to sleep as quickly as somebody mentions one thing about fixing your lighting, framing or your background.
However as sellers, we all know how essential these first impressions are.
On video, our setup is our digital handshake. The alternatives we make by way of lighting, framing and background are essential to making sure we’re displaying up as we intend.
Our lighting ought to assist our audiences deal with our faces. Don’t be backlit!
Our framing ought to enable us to showcase our full vary of physique language from the decrease stomach up. That is your playground — it needs to be snug!
Whereas lighting and framing greatest practices are fairly streamlined, this doesn’t imply everybody ought to have the identical backgrounds — fairly the opposite.
Our backgrounds occupy insanely worthwhile actual property when you think about the time our consumers spend our video feeds. Use this to your benefit! Do you need to showcase your brand in a enjoyable and inventive approach? Possibly you will have a favourite colour, home plant or photograph that lights you up whenever you discuss it?
You may really feel the urge to maintain your area impartial — however oftentimes, the extra of our personal humanity we are able to showcase, the extra rapidly and seamlessly we are able to construct that human connection which turns into the inspiration for lasting relationships.
Take a look at this quick video on just a few easy, setup hacks you may make the most of in order that your video presence pops, proper from the beginning.
Associated: Find out how to Allow your Reps in Actual Time 📚
Physique Language Gross sales Hack #2: Use eye gaze and facial expressions to look pure on video
As people, we take a look at individuals’s faces and eyes for cues about how somebody is feeling and whether or not or not they are often trusted.
On video, our eye gaze and facial features habits usually fall into habits we have now shaped when screens. This could result in mismatching emotional cues. I’ll clarify.
Facial features
On video, we are inclined to undertake extra impartial and fewer diversified facial expressions than we do in particular person.
And satirically, analysis exhibits impartial (or poker face) expressions on video are literally extra negatively perceived than in particular person. (That is largely because of the truth that we have now fewer nonverbals to interpret, so the cues we do see carry extra weight.)
How does this have an effect on video calls?
If you’re on a video name, you’re serving the function of each lively speaker and lively listener. Preserve your face relaxed, reactive, and expressive.
How does this have an effect on video clips?
For those who’re recording an asynchronous video clip, you need it to chop by the noise and land as a refreshing human second in your prospect’s inbox.
Think twice about your intention and the emotion you need to convey, and telegraph it clearly.
(The operative phrase right here is ‘intention.’ As you’ll see within the subsequent part, this is usually a apply that takes time to really feel pure).
Eye gaze
There are two huge pitfalls for eye gaze in video — eye contact and blinking.
Eye contact
Everyone knows how counter-intuitive it may be to speak whereas wanting into the lens.
But making “direct” eye contact by the lens builds belief quicker, demonstrates respect and conjures up confidence. It’s awkward… however simply do it.
Blinking
One other problem of eye gaze on video is that we are inclined to blink much less continuously.
Looking at somebody is a fairly intense expertise, as I’ll reveal within the video under. So we need to preserve our eye gaze as pure as doable, even after we are wanting into the lens.
Professional tip: You actually solely should anchor your eye gaze into the lens when you’re the lively speaker. If you end up the listener, you need to guarantee your eye gaze is concentrated someplace constant, ideally on the display screen. (So in case your displays are arrange such that you’re wanting fully away, chances are you’ll need to transfer the display screen to the place your contributors are nearer to the lens.)
Recording an async video? The fantastic thing about recording asynchronous gross sales movies is that you simply actually solely should focus in your function as a speaker — so you may hone your physique language accordingly. Paying particular consideration to your eye gaze and facial features variation may be notably highly effective — and show you how to join together with your prospects in a extra pure approach.
Study extra: Free on-demand webinar about the best way to make customized movies to 2x your reply charges. (60 minutes)
Physique Language Gross sales Hack #3: Give your self time to regulate
In my workshops, one of many first issues I hear is that new physique language vocabulary can really feel ‘unnatural’ or ‘inauthentic.’
No surprise — you’re asking your self to alter the way in which you will have been transferring and expressing your self for presumably years!
Constructing new muscle reminiscence takes weeks, if not months. As a dancer, actual change developed over many months, and though progress was typically onerous to find out in a single day, the incremental renewal day after day was the place the magic got here into play.
Significantly after we are talking about issues that have an effect on our expressive options, like our eye gaze and our facial expressions as mentioned in Finest Follow #2, we have now to present ourselves the area to apply deliberately and constantly.
For years and years, sellers have practiced in entrance of a mirror. One of many stunning issues about video is which you can depend on video itself as a instrument to apply earlier than sending any recordings for instance, and even to apply your gross sales pitch itself.
Physique language and nonverbals are a core a part of who we’re. We have now ample alternative on video to make the most of an enhanced expressive toolkit, one which leverages a masterful setup, a approach of expressing uniqueness to every particular person, and outcomes that really underpin our success as skilled gross sales individuals.
The excellent news right here is that there are not any scarcity of alternatives to apply, to strive new issues, to assessment calls, get assist from a colleague, a mentor, or dare I say it? An AI-enabled coach. 😉
Take a look at this quick video with some concepts on how one can incorporate apply into your day-to-day, so it may be a seamless a part of your expertise, and never should really feel like going to the health club.
In spite of everything this speak of highly effective nonverbal communication hacks for promoting on video — chances are you’ll be questioning which areas it’s best to deal with to enhance. Effectively, seems…there’s an app for that.
As a member of the Gross sales Hacker neighborhood, Digital Sapiens is providing you a free Digital Presence Evaluation. It takes 6 minutes, and also you’ll get a rundown of how you’re perceived on video, the nonverbal cues you’re nailing, and which of them you may enhance. Get your evaluation right here.
For extra physique language hacks, try our Physique Language and Way forward for Work blogs at Digital Sapiens.
