Body Language and Business Development – Smile All the Way to the Bank

We’ve heard that smiling is contagious. Well, we now know that it’s not only true – it’s also good for business. A smile not only creates an upbeat and positive environment and conveys to the potential Client your interest, enthusiasm, and empathy. It also makes you more trustworthy and likeable. Remember from a previous post, people often hire people they like and trust.

Not only that, using your ‘pearly whites’ could even have a positive effect on your cash flow. A study has showed that consumers were willing to pay two to three times more after seeing a smile. OK, as a disclaimer, some skeptics may say that since the study involved drinking an ‘unidentified beverage’ that the ‘mystery drink’ could have actually led to paying more – and maybe even smiling more. But since the drink was lemon-lime Kool-Aid, my money is on the smile. But I digress. What’s important is the smile and the positive impression it conveys.

Anyway, here are a few tips to help to convey the most positive impression. First establish your presence in the room. Then make eye contact and smile genuinely, since people can tell a ‘fake’ smile from a mile away – and frankly, if you are not in the mood to smile, then you probably shouldn’t be attempting to develop business in the first place. But from now on, if you find yourself having trouble smiling, just think how much more money you could be making and see if that helps.