First impressions matter.

In sales, a positive first impression can determine whether a customer decides to buy from you or a competitor. A negative one can cost you both money and the opportunity to establish a relationship with a new customer. The key to making a good impression and building rapport in sales is by applying the SEE factors — Smile, Eye Contact, and Enthusiasm. Non-verbal cues through facial expressions and body language can make the difference between success and failure — even before you say a single word.

First impressions are fast, but they last.

Countless studies, surveys, and experts vary in their claims on how long it takes to form an impression of someone — from 27 seconds to seven seconds to even as little as one-tenth of a second. Further research from an international team of psychologists shows that a first impression persists, even if a new experience contradicts it. People view the contradictory experience as a one-off occurrence tied to a specific context — a perception that’s difficult to change. The takeaway is that you won’t have a second chance to make a great first impression, so make every second — or millisecond — count.

Here are five tips for making a good impression and why they’re important:

1. Perfect your handshake.

A handshake is more than an initial greeting. It’s often the first connection with the customer and can set the tone for the rest of the sales conversation or meeting.

A good handshake should be:

• Comfortably firm, not limp or hand-crushing, to convey strength and confidence
• Upright. Flipping the other person’s hand over, exposing their wrist communicates that you are trying to overpower them.
• Just long enough. Shaking hands for longer than a three count can leave the other party feeling trapped.

2. Smile.

A smile is contagious. It communicates warmth and approachability, instantly putting the other person at ease and in a better mood. A genuine, inviting smile can improve your likeability and get the other person to respond more positively to you. When smiling, make eye contact to transmit openness, trustworthiness, and interest in what they have to say. People love doing business with those they like and trust. It's human nature.

3. Be confident.

Research shows that people who are confident appear more competent, credible, and trustworthy. They exude confidence through their expertise, attitude, presence, and demeanor. So, when meeting people, do your research and be prepared with relevant talking points and smart questions. Be calm and self-assured, not cocky or arrogant. Be articulate and speak deliberately and clearly. Stand in an open, relaxed posture with your chin up, back straight, and arms at your side. Finally, dress to impress because when you look sharp, you feel sharp. Being confident makes people comfortable around you and more receptive to what you have to say.

4. Be thoughtful.

Thoughtfulness is grounded in empathy, so tune into the other person, listen more, and say less. When someone speaks, show genuine interest and understanding by summarizing what you’ve heard and asking follow-up questions. Choose your words carefully and speak with honesty and sincerity. Read the room and modulate your tone and approach appropriately. Thoughtfulness creates an emotional connection that elevates the conversation and builds rapport and trust with the customer.

5. Be energetic.

Positive energy and enthusiasm are infectious. When you’re fired up, it shows you care and passionately believe in your product, service, and company. It engages and motivates the customer and gets them excited too. Just make sure you don’t get carried away. Nothing is more off-putting than over-the-top energy and enthusiasm that feels fake and insincere.

By following these five simple tips, you’re making a good first impression that’s a lasting good impression. You’ll connect with the customer, start building rapport, and improve your odds for success in any sales interaction.

While it’s important to know what you should do in meetings and negotiations, knowing what you shouldn’t do is often just as important – and it begins with bad body language.

The best sales managers know that while you may have a polished sales presentation, tasteful attire, and a product that practically sells itself, you can still miss out on closing a sale if your body language is out of sync with your words. While it’s true that first impressions make a lasting impact, cumulative body language is important. If you are in the habit of demonstrating any of the following body language in sales meetings, it could be enough to hurt your sales performance, turning a potential yes into definite no.

1. Crossing your arms. This communicates disinterest and a lack of confidence. Unless it’s done to make an obvious point, crossing your arms only serves to interrupt the flow of a productive dialogue.
2. A weak handshake. A limp handshake exudes zero enthusiasm and suggests a lack of confidence as well. Whether it’s cold and boney, or warm and fleshy, a weak handshake is just plain creepy and should be avoided.
3. An overly firm handshake. On the other hand, clamping onto a prospective client’s hand as if yours was granite and theirs was a water balloon is not a wise strategy. Winning the battle of the overly firm handshake will not generate a sale. Rather, it may actually hurt the other person’s hand and leave them with a negative impression of you.
4. Standing too close or touching too much. Many people are sensitive to others invading their personal space. Be aware that standing too close to someone or touching someone overly much can be seen as invasive. Pay attention to the other person’s body language, too, though; what is invasive to one person might seem merely friendly to another.
5. Not smiling. Smiling shows warmth and excitement and can serve to compel the prospective client to find you likeable. When you don’t smile, the opposite is true; your facial expressions may seem uninviting or unapproachable.
6. Avoiding eye contact. When you avoid meeting another person’s eyes, it conveys that you may have something to hide or you can’t be trusted. Your goal is to establish trust and make the sale, so focus on maintaining eye contact when possible to further your cause.
7. Don’t be a statue. While it’s bad to fidget, slouch, or cross your arms, standing perfectly straight and still can be creepy. It’s best to stand professionally, but naturally, so you look comfortable and the customer feels comfortable too. Try to mirror their posture.
8. Hiding your hands. In an attempt to look more professional, some people try to contain their hand gestures when talking. However, talking with your hands can actually help make your point and reduce filler words and perceived hesitancy. Also, showing the palms of your hands while speaking indicates openness and honesty.

There is no overstating the importance of presenting good body language in sales or any business interaction – it can make all the difference. Don’t send the wrong message with self-sabotaging nonverbal communication. Be prepared and well-rehearsed when you walk into a meeting. Be conscious, too, about what you do while you are speaking. You are, after all, providing visual accompaniment to your eloquent words. Once you ensure your words and actions match up, you’ll start to notice fewer closing doors and more closing sales.

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If you’ve caught yourself demonstrating some of these examples of bad body language in sales meetings, consider the correction of it one of your professional New Year resolutions.

It’s not always what you say that makes the biggest impression. Before you even open your mouth, nonverbal habits you’re not even aware of could jeopardize your ability to make a good impression, close a deal, get promoted, or earn a new customer. Professional body language is critical to any business exchange, and it’s just as important to be aware of the things you’re not saying as it is to be aware of what you are. In other words, through your posture, body language, habits, and tone, you may be speaking volumes without even uttering a word.

The following eight professional body language mistakes might be making you look bad even when you’re saying all the right things:

1. Slouch. Didn't your mother always tell you to sit up straight? Mom was on to something. Not only does slouching make you seem detached and uninterested, but it’s also high school behavior. You’ll feel and look better if you sit up.
2. Drum your fingers. This is one of those unconscious habits that is immediately obvious to everyone except the perpetrator. It says that you can’t wait for the meeting to end. Don’t be the finger drummer in the room.
3. Avoid making eye contact. If you’re hoping to forge a connection or further a relationship, you need to make eye contact. Not doing so implies that you have something to hide or that you are not open or trustworthy. People hear with their ears, but they remember with their eyes.
4. Make too much eye contact. On the other hand, maintaining prolonged or constant eye contact can be perceived as threatening, uncomfortable, or just plain creepy. No one likes to feel like they are under a microscope. Communication is a give-and-take experience, and if the conversation, presentation, or interaction is authentic, the appropriate amount of eye contact will take place in a natural way.
5. Check the time incessantly. Nothing takes the focus out of the moment like a glance at the clock or your wristwatch. This essentially says, “I am not engaged in what you are talking about. I am instead thinking about what I’ll be doing as soon as this meeting is over.” Resist the urge to check the time and focus on the conversation instead.
6. Check your phone or email. Rude as it may be, we’ve all done it at least once. Get caught, and you telegraph disinterest, lack of focus, and disengagement. Avoid the temptation to go down the smartphone rabbit hole during a meeting. While checking email is bad form, responding to an email is a more egregious infraction, to be sure.
7. Act invisible. Want to stand a ghost of a chance of getting ahead? Don’t attempt to fly under the radar. That just makes you look unsure of yourself. Stay engaged and establish a physical presence as well. Taking up space in the room shows power and confidence. Lean forward while seated. Widen your arms and place them on the table. When standing, widen your stance. Legs too close together can make you look unsure, hesitant, or wobbly. Widening your stance can help you look stable, grounded, and confident.
8. Fidget. Don’t bounce your knees, twirl your hair, click your pen, touch your face, or rub your hands together. While these habits might calm your nerves, they also paint you as uncertain, uncomfortable, and not credible.

Body language in meetings and exchanges can make a world of difference in your business conversations. Everything we do communicates something, so why not communicate as clearly as possible. Avoid these eight body language mistakes during your next meeting, and when you do have the opportunity to speak, your words will have the impact you’re hoping for.

Becoming fluent in body language empowers you to make a lasting impression on colleagues and supervisors

Your conversation begins when you enter the room—before you begin to speak. Your body expresses your moods and, depending on your awareness of how your body talks, you will communicate confidence or fear. Fortunately for you, it’s possible to learn to communicate confidence nonverbally.

Practice makes perfect. Strategies for controlling nonverbal communication are easy to learn and fun to practice. Don’t be afraid to feel silly when you try them. Have you heard the expression, “fake it ‘til you make it”? It means that when you’re trying something new you should pretend to be an expert. Expertise will come in time.

Harvard professor Amy Cuddy suggests that posing for two minutes will have a significant positive impact on your confidence. We have a few poses you can start practicing today:

Strong Man Pose

Flex your muscles if you’re hearing negative information. It will help you remain focused. Curl up both arms as if you’re showing of your biceps. Flex your legs and bend your knees slightly. This is a bit of a cartoon pose, and you should have fun with it. Try it out before a meeting or presentation.

Superman Pose

Stand straight and tall. Place your hands on your waist and put your chin in the air. Hold your head high. This pose is a powerful tool for situations where you might feel anxious or afraid. Try using it a few minutes before giving a speech or presentation.

Embody Your Success

Sit comfortably in your desk chair. Call up a memory of a past success and let that positive energy fill your chest with each breath. Send that warm glow up and down your spine, out across your shoulders, into your arms and hands and down into your legs and feet.  Feel the emotional power of your past successes come to life and ignite the positive power you carry inside.

Face Facts

Your face communicates your emotions, moods, and attitudes without you having to say a word. If your audience interprets your expression as sad, confused, or angry, you may lose them even before you start to speak.

You can improve your facial expressions with a little effort, awareness, and practice. It’s probably easier to schedule these efforts for important social, professional, or networking events. Tilt your head slightly to the side. Practice smiling and making eye contact with your audience  to show that you are actively interested.

So, go ahead, pick a power pose and give it a try. What does it feel like? Do you have any other cool tips to help improve body language? Share with us! Comment here, share your story on Twitter, and follow us @Cydcor. Share this article with your friends and start a conversation with your community!

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.