Presentation of self

Appearance, the way you act, the image you project, plays a major role in whether you are accepted or rejected by the people to whom you communicate.

Remove fear and have them relax with you by –

• smiling
• handshake (if offered)
• greet properly (formal or informal)
• always state your name clearly

In your communications with potential clients it is possible to communicate in such a manner it could make a sale or loose it.

The following examples will demonstrate this:

Do not talk of COST or PRICE, rather talk of an INVESTMENT or say it is AVAILABLE at .

Rather say INITIAL INVESTMENT than DOWN PAYMENT. It is more positive.

Be positive and refer to an AGREEMENT and not a CONTRACT.

Let your client rather OWN your product than BUY it.

Assist your client to OKAY, APPROVE OR AUTHORIZE an agreement but not to SIGN it.

PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

1. Keep in mind what you are trying to communicate:

• Do you need information?
• Do you want to instigate action?
• Do you want to change an attitude?

Adjust your attitude to this. Beware of e.g. trying to impress others with your knowledge or "talking down" to people. This leads to negative response, poor communication.

2. Understand the receiver, speak his language, make sure he understands you. Keep his background in mind.

3. Speak audibly, not too fast or too slow.

4. Formulate your ideas beforehand and be clear. All to often we hear: "But that’s not what you said". Use the most simple, direct, easy-to-understand sentences.

5. Use the correct words: Keep meaning of words in mind, remember that some words might have an emotional value for the receiver.

6. Know how to listen:

• Be aware of not only the direct, but also any hidden messages.
• Do not interrupt. Typically one would think you know what is being said before the speaker has had his say. The speaker notes this and becomes frustrated.
• Try to reduce what is being said to the basic ideas or main messages.
• Identify problems.
• Be aware that the speaker might not be a good communicator. Make sure you know what he is trying to say. Questions e.g. "Do you mean", "What I’m hearing is…, is that correct?", "Before I answer, let’s make sure I understand you properly. You are saying ..." etc.
• Beware of being subjective. Do not ignore anything that is being said with which you do not agree.
• Decide on your response after you have heard him out, not while he is still talking.
• A speaker might be influenced by positive or negative remarks while he is talking. This might cause him to change his message.
• Show that you are listening. This motivates the speaker. It is quite easy to notice when a person is not really listening or impatient.
• Communicating is no competition. By allowing a speaker to have his say, he does not become frustrated and would be encouraged to listen to you in turn. The art of listening lies in not competing.

7. Use criticism wisely and do not attack the person you are speaking to.

8. Instructions must be very clear and motivated. If the listener knows exactly what is to be done and why, the response will be so much better.

9. Suppress emotions. Effective communication can only take place in a calm atmosphere. Strong emotions put people on the defensive or calls for aggression.

10. Practice what you preach.

11. Use your body, face and voice to project warmth and confidence. There is a difference between a mere "Good morning" and a "Good morning" that says "I mean this, it’s good to see you!"

LISTENING AND OBSERVATION

Listening is an essential skill in the sales business. Your success is not based on the need to talk a lot – that is a false illusion. The ability to absorb what you see – your observation skill can teach you a lot about your client by watching his expressions and reactions. You have got two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as to what you talk.

Observe your client, the clothes, face, eyes, etc. personal characteristics – let her feel she is taking the lead; should she be of a dominant type. Take full control and provide security; should she be the passive type. Provide detail; should she be analytical. Work on emotional involvement; should she be outgoing en expressive.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

There are various things other than words that communicate as strongly as words. Be aware of it and use it to your advantage. Use it when you are communicating to ensure your message is understood clearly. Be aware of it when you listen to others to help you to understand them better.

Use your face, your body and your voice to assist you in communicating. The formal speaking situation is one of the battlegrounds were too many people lose because of poor style. Have you ever noticed how some people interviewed on.

Use your face: People are constantly making judgements on other people based on appearances only, so beware of what your face is telling people. Make your face work together with your voice to bring across your message. If you are looking serious while telling people about some exciting holiday, obviously something would go wrong in getting the message across. Do they believe the seriousness or the excitement?

If a smile is not genuine or appropriate, it can do more harm than good. A genuine smile can tell an audience that you like them, enjoy the occasion, and feel confident. A forced smile tells your audience you do not really want to be there, are unsure of yourself or that you do not like them at all. At the same time smiling can be wrong while discussing serious or sad news and can tell your audience something you never intended.

You can use facial expressions to win the trust and hold the attention of your listeners. Frowning is the result of tension, deep thought or anger and people react negatively to it. It tells them that you are angry with them no matter what you’re saying. Do not confuse a frowning face with as serious face.

An expressionless face can also contradict the message you are trying to convey. Think of all the television commentators you’ve seen who talk without using their facial muscles, only their lips. They seem disinterested and are quite simply boring.

Use facial expressions in a natural and spontaneous way and you will find that people respond and listen better. It helps to keep their attention. Think of yourself trying to listen to somebody delivering a speech with a wooden face. You would either find him boring, find it difficult to believe what he says or think of him as tense and uncomfortable. And as part of the audience you in turn would become bored and even tense one his behalf.

Compare your own habits when speaking to a close friend or small child to when you communicate on a more formal basis. When you speak to someone you know well, you use your face – lift your eyebrows, open your eyes wide, use your mouth. When you find yourself in a formal situation, your facial muscles grow tense and lose expression. Being serious does not imply an expressionless face.

Gestures go hand in hand with facial expressions and the same rules apply to it. A tense speaker would fold his hands in front of him or clasp them behind his back. Learn to use your hands naturally – most people do when they are relaxed. Gesturing genuinely and appropriately projects warmth and confidence. When your voice, hands and face all talk together people perceive you are relaxed, honest and automatically they will listen better to what you have to say.

Beware of using gestures that would act as distractions. Have you ever seen somebody forcing himself to gesture and at the same time using it in all the wrong places? Or have you ever been fascinated by a person resembling a windmill? You either feel sorry for him or laugh at him and what he is trying to say is lost. Use gestures naturally and fittingly.

Use your voice for more than words. The tone in which you say something often says more than the meaning of the words. It can either contradict it or reinforce it. Think of the telephonist who will bid you Good morning as if it is the worst morning of her life.