Transcript Introduction to Class What will this class be like?

Chapter 4
Using Communication Principles
To Build Relationships
Two-Way Communication
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Breakdowns
Choice of words
No acronyms, phony words, slang
Abstract/concrete/emotional/neutral, vary inflection,
be aware of tone, tailor to customers
Voice characteristics
Loudness, inflection, articulation
Stories
Word pictures, analogies, helps to visualize points
Active Listening
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Listening – 2nd section of role play presentation
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Rate of speech – depends on you/audience
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Talk/listen; talk/listen; talk/listen
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Repeat, restate, summarize, focus
Tolerating Silences
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“Bite your tongue”
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While a customer is thinking, times of silence occur
Example: What day would you like me to call on you?
Just a minute, let me think about that.
(Silence)
Okay, let’s make it on Monday, the 22nd.
Reading Nonverbal Messages
From Customers
Body Language – five channels:
Body Angle, Face, Arms, Hands & Legs
Non-verbal Communication – three forms:
Body Language, Space & Appearance
Body Angle
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Positive
Back and forth motions
Movements directly toward a person
Changes in position – customer wants to place order
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Negative
Side to side motions – insecurity/doubt
Leaning back – boredom/apprehension/anger
Changes in position – disagreement
Face
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Eyes are the most important area of the face
Enlarged pupils indicate interest/excitement
Blink rate – 10-20 BPM average; 50+ BPM - stress
Eye position can indicate a customer’s thought process
– Looking away can mean actively considering information
– Looking left can mean an emotional consideration
– Looking right can mean considering facts/logic
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Significant cultural differences dictate the appropriate level of
eye contact between individuals –
Japan, Korea, Muslim countries, Brazil
Skin color (red) & skin tautness (jaw line) are facial cues
Arms
Arms
 Key factor of interpreting arm movement is
intensity
 More movement, they are conveying an opinion
 Broader and more vigorous movement indicates
the customer is more empathetic about the point
 Do NOT cross arms in Turkey – rude!
Hands
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Hand gestures are very expressive
Positive: open and relaxed, palms facing up
Negative: self-touching gestures
Involuntary gestures: fist tightening (good
indicator of true feelings)
Hand gestures – various cultural differences
Thumbs-up: offensive in the Middle East,
rude in Australia, sign of o.k. in France
Circled fingers in Japan – symbolizes money
Legs
Legs
 Customers with uncrossed legs in an open
position send a message of cooperation,
confidence, and friendly interest
 Legs crossed and away from the salesperson
is usually negative
Body Language Patterns
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No single gesture or position defines a specific
emotion or attitude
 Salespeople must consider a number signals via
a number of channels
 Smiles can be real/fake – muscles around the
eyes involved means the smile is real
 Hiding true feelings: verbal mistakes, changing
opinion, difference in verbal/non-verbal signals,
small shrugs, self-touching, stiff body posture
Responding to Customers’ Hidden
Emotions and Feelings
Comments a salesperson makes to encourage
forthright discussion:
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Perhaps there is some reason you cannot share the
information with me
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Are you worried about how I might react to what
you are telling me?
Sending Messages With
Nonverbal Communication
Using Body Language
Face
 Facial reactions are are often involuntary, especially under stress
 Nothing creates rapport like a smile
 Remember – good thoughts = good body language
 Most effective facial expression are natural ones
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Eye Contact
Appropriate eye contact varies from situation to situation
Direct eye contact indicates sincerity, credibility, and
trustworthiness
Hand Movements
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Have a dramatic impact - drives home a point
 Avoid pointing your finger & excessive gestures
 Shaking hands is the prospect’s choice
 Social handshakes are different for women
 International differences – Chinese bow, Mexicans
hug, Germans shake once only, Africans snap
fingers after shaking hands
Posture & Body Movements
Shuffling feet/slumping – lack of self-confidence
& discipline
 Overly rigid posture – shows rigidity
 Use the mirror
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Matching The Customer’s Communication
Style
 Better rapport is developed when matching verbal
and nonverbal behavior
 Try adapting to the a customer’s behavior
The Role Of Space and Physical
Contact In Communication
Distance During Interaction – Exhibit 4.6 – P. 110
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Intimate zone- reserved primarily for a person’s closest relationships
Personal zone- for closest friends and those who share special
interests
Social zone- business transactions and other impersonal relationships
Public zone- for speeches, teachers in classrooms, and passersby
Customers may react negatively when they believe salespeople are
invading their intimate or personal space
Begin customer interactions at the far end of the social zone and do
not move closer until an initial rapport has been established
Touching
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Touching
Two touching groups: contact and noncontact
Contact people usually see noncontact people as cold and
unfriendly
Noncontact people view contact people as overly friendly
and obtrusive
Limit touching to a hand shake
Professional Appearance
Two priorities in dressing for business:
 Getting customers to notice you in a
positive way
 Getting customers to trust you
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Business clothes project an image of the
salesperson
 Making a presentation to customers or at
your own company requires careful thought
The Return of the Business
Suit
Casual Dress Lesson - Read 5.1 – P. 137
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Many companies are returning to more professional dress code
Pay attention to clothing and don’t confuse the boundary between
work and play – casual Fridays are fine, but presentations require
more appropriate clothing
Hints For Men
The suit is the focal garment in business dress
Darker suits (authoritative), lighter suits (friendly), natural fibers
(favorable), solid white shirts (credibility)
Ties are important indicators of status, credibility, and personality
As for accessories, the fewer the better
Professional Dress
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Hints For Women
In the past: women dressed conservatively to match male
businesslike attire
Now: use flair and style, while still maintaining a
dignified, professional look
Blouses have more variety: generally, cotton and silk
Choose shoes and hose to compliment the outfit
Accessories such as ties, scarves, simple jewelry and plain
watches can jazz up the suit
Hairstyle should share characteristics of the attire
5 Principles – Dress for Success
P-111-112
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Consider geography
Temperature & local norms
 Consider your customers
Their appearance
Their expectations for your appearance
 Consider your corporate culture
Norms for your industry
5 Principles – Dress for Success
P. 111-112
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Consider your aspirations
Top levels of your firm – executives
One level above your position
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Consider your own personal style
Use Halo effect
Be reasonable
Communicating Via Technology
See Exhibit 5.5 – P. 139
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Accept the need to communicate through electronic media
Not as flexible or effective as face-to-face, but less costly
Learn the customer’s preferences and find out which tools the
customer uses and how she or he likes to communicate
Avoid “techno overkill”
Make the communication meaningful – smile as your speak
Customize your messages
Be very succinct when communicating – actively listen
Don’t deliver bad news via e-mail or telephone
Use short, clear sentences when communicating
Communicating Via Technology
Simple guidelines - Telephone
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Always begin with FULL name, company
and title (there are a million Jims and Sues)
 Verify that there is time to talk briefly
 State purpose/make your point
 Close and confirm details
 Show appreciation
 Eliminate endless, useless chatter
Communicating Via Technology
Simple guidelines – E-mail
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Face to face is much more effective, if possible –
90% of buyers prefer it
Make subject line correct/make first lines clear
Do NOT keep using old reply line
Use heading/bullets for long e-mails-short works
Answer e-mails within 24 hours
Learn to acknowledge e-mails quickly
Learn customers’ preferences
See 10 easy rules to follow – P. 116
Social-Networking
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Blogs, Linked-In, Twitter, Facebook……
– Have fun, but be careful!
– Any bad stories here??
Adjusting To Cultural Differences
See Page 117-118
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Recognize business practices are different around the world
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Difference in terms of a contract (price and delivery), verbal
and nonverbal information
Low context cultures- culture which relies more on the
verbal part of communication; sender’s values, position, and
background are conveyed by the content of the message
High context cultures- Culture which relies more on the
nonverbal part of communication; sender’s values, position,
and background are conveyed by the way the message is
expressed
Use Of Language
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Communication in international selling often takes place in English
Observe the following rules when using English in international
selling:
Use common English words that would have been learned in the
first two years of studying the language
Use words that do not have multiple meanings
Avoid slang expressions peculiar to American culture
Use rules of grammar more strictly than would be normal
Use action-specific verbs
Never use vulgar expressions, tell off-color jokes, or make religious
references
Time and Scheduling
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International salespeople need to understand the varying
perceptions of time in general and the time it takes for business
activities to occur in different countries
Example: Lunch is at 3:00 p.m. in Spain…In Greece, no one
makes phone calls between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Film and Lecture on:
“Body Language”
Not in text