Here’s why over-reliance on body language cues can be misleading

You might have probably read Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment (I’m a huge fan) which talks about the importance of having a firm handshake and a genuine smile, among other things,to make a lasting impression.Anyone from a sales/corporate background knows that the importance of positive body language cannot be undermined.

Now here’s the tricky part: How do you know that people don’t feel manipulated by  your ‘positive’ body language?Maybe they have read Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment too!Maybe kinesics is their hobby?(apparently, people are into all kinds of weird stuff nowadays 🙂 ).

So,a balance between projecting the substance of your deal/proposal and positive body language is crucial.The following formula sums it up perfectly

SUBSTANCE OF PRODUCT+POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE= BUSINESS SUCCESS

Suppose you are a negotiating with a seasoned campaigner,there is considerably lesser chance of only your charisma winning over him/her.In this case,the emphasis should be more on the features/benefits of the deal.

If you are marketing to children(for example),charisma is a huge factor and the product’s features/finer points do not play a major role in contributing to the purchasing decision.

The table below shows which attribute you should accentuate depending on your target audience :-

In either case,doing your homework is critical and sometimes you have to play it by ear.

What are your thoughts on this?Please leave your comments if you have different strategies.

Photo Credit: jaymantri.com