We communicate all the time and often this takes place at a subconscious level. Even when we are not directly engaged in conversation we communicate by our actions and our body language – have you ever been in a shop where the sales assistant had their arms folded and was busy talking to a colleague about the weekend so you had to wait while they finished their conversation before you got any attention?

How did it make you feel?

Did it make you want to shop there again?

What did their actions demonstrate – that you were a welcome customer or just someone who was intruding in their conversation?

Do you think this demonstrated good customer service and the original meaning of the word sell?

Body language is non-verbal communication and is very important in the sales process. The two assistants who were discussing their weekend would have demonstrated negative body language, firstly by failing to acknowledge the customer and then by continuing to talk to each other. This would have given out strong signals saying they did not want to be interrupted. This is why it is important to greet your customers with an open and welcoming posture.

When we communicate with someone there are three things that have the most impact on the other person and how they perceive us – what we say, how we say it and our body language.

Most of what we communicate is non-verbal and picked up by the customer from how we stand, look and act, so it is important to be genuine when selling as the customer will pick up on all sorts of subconscious signals if our body language isn’t in keeping with what we say and how we say it.