Is an indication either verbal or nonverbal that the prospect is preparing to make a buying decision?

When selling to customers, your non-verbal communication skills – such as active listening and interpreting non-verbal cues – are just as important as what you say. Developing these skills will help you understand what your customers want, so you can offer them the most suitable products and services.

Listening skills

Listening to your customer to discover their needs helps you suggest appropriate products or services to meet those needs.

Active listening is the process of confirming what you think your customer has said, and meant, by observing their verbal and non-verbal cues. To be a good active listener you should:

• focus your full attention on your customer
• briefly summarise your understanding of what your customer has said
• take notes if necessary
• use appropriate non-verbal cues such as nodding your head, inclining your body forward and maintaining eye contact
• note your customer's non-verbal cues – are they eager, reluctant, impatient?
• use appropriate, well-timed probing questions and summary confirmation questions.

Understanding non-verbal cues

Interpreting your customer's non-verbal signals and behaviours allows you to read their attitude and better understand their needs. Projecting the right non-verbal cues yourself can help your customer feel at ease. Here are some positive and negative examples of non-verbal cues:

Facial expressions

• bad – wrinkling the nose, furrowing the brow or rolling the eyes
• good – smiling, raised eyebrows, relaxed mouth

Eye contact

• bad – avoiding your customer or looking outside your sales space
• good – looking back to your customer's face and at your products

Smile

• bad – closed, firm or expressionless mouth
• good – smiling or relaxed mouth

Hands

• bad – hands folded to the chest or near the face
• good – hands moving freely, relaxed, touching the product

Gestures

• bad – closed arms, dismissive hand gestures
• good – open arms, nodding the head

Posture

• bad – slouching, shoulders turned away
• good – standing upright, inclining the body forward

Position

• bad – moving too close, facing away
• good – observing personal space accommodating cultural differences.

Also consider...

• Find out more about non-verbal communication.

Related Questions

• Q28:

  Lacey Abrams is the sales representative for the Brook Park Zoo. She sells events, such as wedding receptions, corporate dinners, and fundraisers that are held on zoo grounds. She has just finished negotiating all the details of Anne Mason's upcoming wedding reception and is preparing to close the sale. -Which of the following is a signal that Anne is ready to sign the contract to book the reception? A)She looks at her watch. B)She checks her phone for messages. C)She asks,"How much do I need to put down now to reserve the date?" D)She asks,"Why don't you offer pre-set desserts?" E)She says,"The country club offers a chocolate fountain at no extra cost."

• Q29:

  As a general rule,a salesperson should ask for the sale no more than three times.

• Q30:

  Ahmed ElShatif sells life and disability insurance to members of a large union in the Willamette Valley region. His company is the only approved insurance vendor for the union. Although he is not competing against other insurance agents, his prospects are not required to buy any insurance coverage at all. He spends an average of 20 minutes with each prospect, learning about their needs and explaining the various insurance products, and choosing the right combination for each prospect. -Which statement from a prospect is best categorized as a requirement clue? A)"I don't understand the purpose of disability insurance." B)"When is the first payment due?" C)"My entire family will need dental coverage." D)"Will this insurance cover hospitalization?" E)"I have coverage through my wife's job."

• Q31:

  The close is a good time to deal with controversial issues and problems.

• Q32:

  Most nonverbal closing clues are easy to detect and interpret.

• Q34:

  The ________ close offers the buyer something extra for acting immediately.

• Q35:

  Which is true of doing sales work in Latin America? A)You might receive a hug and pat on the back as part of the greeting process. B)Your interactions with decision makers will be direct and efficient. C)Lunch with the client tends to be brief and productive. D)Brazilian clients conduct business in Spanish or Portuguese interchangeably. E)Latin Americans tend to be very punctual for appointments.

• Q36:

  A closing clue can be described as a(n): A)indication that the customer is undecided about the buying decision B)indication you should speed up the sales presentation C)verbal or nonverbal form of feedback from the customer D)indication that the prospect fully understands the merits of your product E)request from the customer for more information

• Q37:

  When you are working on a large,complex sale you should try to achieve incremental commitment.

• Q38:

  Obtaining some form of commitment during each step of the sales process is called ________ commitment.

Is the process of identifying prospects who have a need for your product and should be contacted?

Which of the following is recommended when making telephone contact with a prospect?

Which method of closing a sale encourages a customer to make a decision between two items?

When a customer says no there is no chance that the decision can be changed?