Over the past 6 months, we’ve been hard at work developing a great new feature within HindSite, the HindSite Sales Manager. The Sales Manager is a free add-on to our field service software that makes it easy for field service businesses to track and improve their sales processes.
As a result, we've been thinking a lot recently about field service sales. In most field service businesses, a sales rep goes out to a property to talk to the prospect and prices an estimate.
The body language you provide on that site visit may mean more than the words you say - and even the number you quote - to the customer. Here are five body language tips to help you win the sale:
Don’t cross your arms.
When my dad was angry, he had a tell. If he crossed his arms, it was likely that he wasn’t happy with what I was doing.
Turns out my dad isn’t the only one. Typically, if someone crosses their arms at worst it means they’re angry and at best it’s viewed as a defensive position. So if a customer is questioning you about a detail of the project you’re going to perform and you suddenly cross your arms, odds are, they aren’t going to believe you.
Instead of crossing your arms, keep your arms open and away from your body. This is a much more inviting stance and will make it more likely that the prospect drilling you with questions will be satisfied with your answers.
Make eye contact.
As a natural introvert, it’s hard for me to make eye contact. I remember when I interviewed for the job at HindSite, I had to keep reminding myself to make eye contact - and even then I didn’t do it enough. It’s just not a comfortable thing for me to do, but I’ve trained myself to do it more often.
Why is it important? Because a lack of eye contact can make you look either unprofessional, uncaring or, worst of all, like you’re not listening.
If making eye contact really gives you the willies, don’t look directly into someone’s eyes. Instead, focus on the area of their forehead right between their eyes. They won’t notice the difference - to them you’re looking at them directly - and doing so might alleviate some of the uncomfortableness you feel when staring into someone’s eyes.
Practice good posture.
Emma Watson is known as one of the child stars of the Harry Potter movie franchise. But she’s also known for her terrible posture. Look at pictures of her on the red carpet - you’ll see her slouched forward in a look that’s - in a word - weak.
If you’re a sales rep, you don’t want to look weak. Don’t let your posture sabotage your sales pitch. Stand up tall, with your shoulders back. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll project a much better image to your prospect.
Don’t make sudden movements.
I knew a kid in college who would be walking normally and then suddenly start running, apparently for no reason that I could discern. There wasn’t a pack of wolves chasing him, or anything. It was creepy, scary and made me think he was a tad bit insane.
The last thing you want is a potential buyer thinking you’re insane. So don’t make any sudden movements, like a loud clap to punctuate your sentence. Startling potential customers is not a good way to sell them on your service.
Stop fidgeting.
If you watch baseball, you’ve seen the strange routines some batters practice before they’ll take a pitch. They’ll touch their bat to the plate, spit on their gloves, dig their cleats in the dirt for 10 seconds, wiggle their butt, move their elbow up and down, and a lot more. Everyone who has those strange quirks looks either menacing, or nervous.
Guess what? If you’re out in the yard talking to a couple about the chemicals you’re going to apply to their yard and you’re pacing back and forth, scratching your face or rubbing your hands together, they may think you’re the one that’s on chemicals.
So don’t fidget. Stand still, with an open posture, and listen to what your customer wants.
As a natural fidgeter myself, I know controlling your body movements isn’t easy. But if you’re trying to land a sale, it’s vital that your body exhibits confidence. So slow down, relax, smile and sell.
Now that you’ve controlled your body language, it’s time to improve other parts of your sales and marketing by downloading our free eBook, 15 Sales and Marketing Tips Guaranteed to Grow Your Green Industry Business.
