One Of The Fastest Transferred Human Emotions
Human beings are wired to ‘read’ other humans. Our ability to discern a lot about someone within a short space of time has been the topic of much research, many books, discussions and debates. There is the “6 second rule” about how long it takes to form first impressions, The “7-35-55 communication ratio” and countless others. The human brain has to process a lot of information and loves to make shortcuts through pattern recognition. This is why you can drive a car down a familiar route and not ‘remember’ even doing it. It is also why there is a human tendency to stereotype people and people groups. This manner of thinking is also why mastering your emotional state is so important when you are in a people facing role.
When someone approaches you in a shop, or even if you see a person walking across a carpark towards your office it is natural to gauge their self assurance. We do this because it helps us understand how we will respond - too enthusiastic a shop floor sales assistant and we quickly put up our guard and inform them we are “just looking”. We do this also to determine how much we will trust another person. This is why confidence is such a necessary trait in sales and other public facing roles.
I often refer to confidence as one of the fastest transferred human emotions. We can see it in people before they even say a single word. It is important to note that confidence is different from arrogance. Arrogance is usually a sign of deep seated insecurity. If someone is swaggering around touting their stuff they are often seeking external validation. Confidence, by contrast, comes from an internal knowledge that you, as an individual, have value and bring something of value to the person you are serving. When we are confident we do not need others to validate and affirm our worth. This deep seated security in oneself, your product and service builds trust. Trust is the basis of all relationships. When we build trust people are more likely to buy, come back again, refer to others and be raving fans.
All this starts with knowing and seeing the value that you have as an individual. It comes from believing in yourself, your team, your product. When you know how your service and product helps others and you believe it is beneficial for them, you will naturally project this inner belief in your words and actions. This is where sales becomes a team effort. A rep can know they are doing all they can to serve a customer but if they have concerns around the quality, stock levels, the ability to deliver or install, the payment process, the follow up methodology, this will inevitably be projected. Take time as a team to understand any concerns your sales reps have and work together to remove any barriers that can impede or diminish confidence in your team.
When confidence runs high throughout your organisation it reflects in your people and your service. Aim high, add value and serve well.
