Sales representatives take note: Nothing disarms another person’s objections more than a genuinely warm and inviting smile.
Scientists have discovered smiling is a powerful gesture, indeed. In fact, research has shown that presenting a genuine smile can be as potent to a person’s psyche as receiving a wad of cash! It’s key to closing a sale. To boost your smile power, begin with the mirror test. It may seem hard to believe, but when you think you are smiling, that may not be true from your prospect’s perspective. Indeed, you may even be frowning.
Don’t trust your feelings. Trust the image you see reflected in the looking glass. You need to focus mindfully on those facial muscles. Now form a smile. Freeze that expression and look into the mirror. What is the quality of your smile? Look at your image objectively. Are you actually frowning?
In fact, your looking-glass self may not match your internal self at all. Have someone take a series of photographs of you while you go about your normal activities of interacting with others. Try to ignore the camera. Now take a peek at those images. Does your internalized self-image match those photographs?
If not, practice will make perfect. Spend a few minutes a day focusing on the image you want to project to prospects. Keep at it until that mental image in your mind matches the one you are actually projecting to those around you.
It’s not about being fake. It’s about accurately projecting the authentic feelings and persona that represent your ‘best’ self. You will soon find that the fairy tale ‘mirror mirror on the wall’ may prove the best sales-training tool ever as it reveals the truth about how you are presenting yourself to the world.
Now that you’ve peered deeply into your smile power, aim to put that best face forward. Tune up that convincing smile to make those connections that will make you successful.