Body Language

Behavioral scientists claim that up to 85% of our face to face communication is non-verbal. There are literally hundreds of clues as to how your message is being heard when you talk to a client.

Unfortunately, most salespeople are focused on what they want to say; and a lot of those clues go right by them. I watch realtors and stagers take prospects through a house. What are they looking at? The house! Here’s a news flash…the house doesn’t have any money!

The stager is looking to see what she will do with the room. Your brilliant idea to paint over the chartreuse wall or remove the large brass nude on the coffee table isn’t going to convince the homeowner to hire you. YOU are what you are selling, not your ideas.

I’ve watched a real estate agent take a couple through the house pointing out obvious features, while totally oblivious that they were spending most of their energy on signals that they thought he was a clown. Smirks, elbows and rolled eyes were flying, and he was clueless. There was no way they were going to buy a house from him.

I don’t understand why so many agents feel that they have to blabber constantly. The client can probably discern that the room has a high ceiling, two sinks, or a tile floor. The information you miss by having your back turned when the clients first enter a room is priceless. Watch for a frown, an exchanged glance, eyes that are immediately drawn to a fireplace or breakfast nook.

These are the clues that will tell you what to emphasize when you sum things up, or when making a note on the client’s listing sheet. “Remember, this is the one with the stone fireplace and the oversized breakfast nook.”

The most important feature in any sale is not the product, it’s the client. If you are paying attention to anything else, then you are less successful than you could be.