Why is it that two people can offer the same terms, product, or service; and one can walk away with the deal while the other is left empty handed? The answer is what negotiators call “posture.” The way you present yourself can have powerful effects on your perceived credibility, trustworthiness, and authority.
Remember back to the playground, when kids used to pick teams. Who was more likely to get picked: the kid who stood tall, with a confident smile, and an indifference to which team he was chosen for; or the kid who was turned away from the crowd, half hunched over, desperate to be on the “cool” team?
Posture in The Business World
Now that we’re grown up, posture is a much more complex concept than it was on the playground. Instead of being about how you stand or the look on your face, now it has to do with how you carry yourself socially, emotionally, and physically.
Whether or not you close a deal has a lot to do with the subtle messages you send out about yourself in a negotiation. Are you conveying a sense of authority in your field? Are you creating urgency? Are you creating an environment in which clients are competing for your services instead of you competing for client’s business?
Posture is what gives experience negotiators a huge advantage over inexperienced ones. It’s a quality that can be learned over time, but takes patience to master. What constitutes posture is often subtle, and requires your attention to notice.
The Mower Store
Imagine a lawn mower store with a sales force of two: one who’s older and more experienced, and another who’s green, but excited to learn. Two customers walk in the door and are approached by each of our salespersons simultaneously.
As if in a parallel universe, both customers ask the exact same questions about the same mower, and both salespersons give the exact same answers. The only difference is how they say it.
The younger salesperson is so excited to see a customer, you can hear it in his voice. His eyes are bright and his enthusiasm is giving away the fact that he hasn’t had a sale all week. He follows around the customer like a puppy dog and caters to his every move.
The more experienced salesperson holds herself high, with confidence. Her professionalism conveys the fact that she doesn’t need this sale; she’s had plenty already. She politely smiles, is hospitable, and makes an effort to find answers for the customer; but doesn’t over-accommodate.
At the same time, both customers raise the same objection about the mower and insult our sales team’s intelligence. The green salesperson apologetically gives his rebuttal, scrambling to recover; while our seasoned veteran gives the same answer, but does so with confidence and turns away as if she would rather give up the sale than be insulted.
Posture Vs. Attitude
Having posture is different than having “an attitude.” Posture conveys a sense of sureness in one’s self, and definiteness of purpose. It’s neither “soft” nor “hard”; it’s somewhere in between.
Don’t Apologize
A person with posture confidently states her position, without apology. Excessive apology conveys a sense of incompetence. When talking about an objection, or a weak position that you might hold; communicate “this is the way it is, take it or leave it.”
Be Passionate
Passion, when combined with confidence, is extremely powerful. Not only do you know what you’re doing, you’re excited to do it. Communicate a sense of: “This train is going places and it can’t stay here for long. I know where I’m going, hop on board!”
Ask Questions
As long as you’re the one asking questions, you control the conversation. People love to talk about themselves, so let them.
Don’t Engage in Mudslinging
A person with posture doesn’t lower themselves into the mud. An ignorant personal attack doesn’t warrant a response.
The internet is flooded with people who hide behind their computers and sling mud at each other. It’s easy to let you emotions take over and engage, but it’s much more powerful to ignore. Engaging with mudslingers lowers yourself to their level and strips you of credibility.
Build Posture
Posture is one of those hard-to-describe qualities that give some people what it takes to be successful. It can be developed through attention to detail and hard work. Pay attention to how you are posturing yourself and you’ll start to close more deals.
I would add one more item to your wonderful list, and that would be “Sincerity.”
If one does not convey, in a natural way, their “Sincerity” to help the customer, neither the rookie nor the experienced rep will succeed in selling the mower.
The passion is not about “me” the salesperson, and “…where I am going…” Rather, the passion is about “the customer” and sincerely helping them.
Makes no difference what you’re selling.
I disagree Will. People make purchasing decisions at an emotional level. Whether or not the product will help them is really irrelevant. With the right posture and by conveying the proper sense of authority, they will trust your recommendation whether or not it actually is good for their business.
A man in a relationship tends to attract more women than a single man because of the lack of need. The attitude of “I want to help you” can convey a emotional need for acceptance. Posture is not without a slight sense of indifference.
Forget about your own stance. People aren’t interested in your stance or how you perceive yourself.
A more successful approach would be to make the customer feel insightful or important. Make the customer feel confident enough to make the selling decision, and then model his confidence.
Kermit,
Are you saying posture is not important? Of course the customer doesn’t care how you see yourself. You have missed the entire premise.
Everyone hates a salesperson building insincere phony rapport. It shows desperation, and makes one look like the stereotypical used car salesman.
So Will, if that’s what you meant in speaking of sincerity, you are correct. And, yes, when you put your financial needs aside and address the needs of your prospect, you are building the proper posture.
The proper rapport for a salesperson is a professional rapport. That means you are seen as an authority, the type of authority an attorney is seen with. You are respected for your expertise within the market to which your product offers a solution.
If by “making the customer feel important”, you mean saying things like, “I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your business”, take a strong look at your numbers and then reread the article with the intention of learning.