Excessive blinking, a furrowed brow, crossed arms, and forced smiles are all examples of negative body language.
While a client might say everything is okay, if they display these traits, you can probably guess this isn't the absolute truth. That’s the power of body language, and in sales negotiation, it’s a critical misstep to undervalue this element of human psychology.
So, what do you need to know? How can your team not only understand body language but also put it to use in sales negotiations?
At RED BEAR, we teach a negotiation methodology rooted in the fundamentals of effective negotiation. For every dollar invested in our workshops, our clients receive, on average, $54 back. That’s the value of RED BEAR.
Part of what makes our training so effective is our comprehensive approach that covers every aspect of a negotiation, including body language and nonverbal communication.
So, let’s explore those concepts and better understand how they play into everyday sales situations.
Why Is Body Language Important in Sales?
Like it or not, our brains are hardwired to look for subconscious cues. These cues, often non-verbal in nature, help us make sense of the world around us. Body language is one of the most consequential of these nonverbal cues.
Body language can silently communicate emotions, intentions, and attitudes.
Skilled negotiators understand not only the ways to notice cues from the other party but also how to use their own body language to influence negotiation. Here at RED BEAR, we call this Personal Power, and it’s one of the Six Sources of Power covered in our Sales Negotiation Training workshops.
If non-verbal body language cues seem dense, try to think of them as ways to display strong traits—like confidence or resilience—without words.
For example, simply appearing confident and ready to handle the inherent challenges and tension of a negotiation can be enough to sway the room’s dynamics. These non-verbal cues help reinforce and strengthen existing human attributes and can be quite influential.
“Just appearing confident and ready to handle the inherent challenges and tension of a negotiation can be enough to sway the room’s dynamics.”
Take eye contact, which we’ll cover in our next section.
If your client tells you the deal is good but can’t maintain eye contact, you’ll automatically get the sense that something is wrong. On the other hand, if you can maintain eye contact with a client during the tense concession parts of a negotiation, you can display an air of confidence that could sway the deal in your direction.
For example, in some Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, prolonged eye contact can be perceived as confrontational, disrespectful, or even aggressive. That’s where Cross-Cultural Negotiation Training comes into play. It can help your team better understand these dynamics before negotiations even begin.
Key Nonverbal Cues to Observe
Most people talk a lot and listen less. In fact, research shows that your average listener only retains around half of what is said to them, even after directly hearing it. It can be said, then, that active listening can be an edge in negotiations.
Skilled negotiators understand the power of active listening. For example, the Test and Summarize behavior, one of the Five Negotiation Behaviors, is all about using active listening to understand the other party’s needs and summarizing in your own words. This not only displays a willingness to see the situation from their perspective but also helps build the relationship.
But listening is only half of the equation. You also need to show you’re listening, and that comes through non-verbal cues.
Here are a few non-verbal cues to watch for when negotiating, in both yourself and the other party:
Facial Expressions and Eye Contact: Genuine smiles, appropriate eye contact, and observing micro-expressions (eyebrow raises, lip tightening) are key to building rapport and gauging client reactions.
Gestures and Arm Movements: Use open gestures to convey confidence and engagement while being mindful of cultural differences, and avoid fidgeting or closed postures that signal discomfort.
Posture and Stance: Maintain a confident posture while mirroring the client subtly to build rapport.
Proxemics and Spatial Awareness: Respect the client's personal space and adapt your physical distance based on cultural norms and the context of the interaction.
Common Body Language Mistakes in Sales
Learning to read and convey the right body language is a skill. And, just like any other skill, practice is essential.
To help you better understand the problems negotiators face when approaching body language in sales negotiations, here are a few of the common mistakes you might encounter:
Misrepresenting Cues: While body language is somewhat universal, different circumstances and cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings. For example, a client could be just having a bad day, meaning that furrowed brow doesn’t actually represent their displeasure with an offer.
Overly Aggressive Body Language: Excessive gestures, invading personal space, or intense eye contact can create discomfort and hinder trust-building. It’s important to read the room and adjust your negotiation strategies accordingly.
Inconsistency: It can be confusing to see non-verbal cues not match verbal communication. Try to make sure what you’re saying matches with what your body language is conveying. This will ensure misunderstandings don’t derail negotiations.
At RED BEAR, our mission is to transform individuals into world-class negotiators.
Our workshops not only teach the fundamentals of negotiation but also put attendees into real-world exercises so they can see how things like body language cues affect the negotiation dynamic. This practical training is the key to staying confident in any negotiation environment.
Once negotiators can recognize these pitfalls, they can not only reach better deals but also build stronger relationships.
Reading Body Language in Virtual Sales Settings
Negotiations are no longer purely in-person events. From international deals to remote work environments, understanding how to read body language in a virtual setting is more important than ever. But, as you might guess, assessing body language in an online meeting is a bit more complicated.
Not only is there less visibility, but simple technical glitches can make negotiators blind to changes in nonverbal communication.
To make sure you’re watching for the right cues, here are some strategies for virtual success:
Focus on facial expressions and visible gestures.
Maintain good eye contact with the camera.
Pay attention to vocal cues and tone of voice.
Minimize distractions and ensure good lighting.
If you want to get some extra help with virtual sales, RED BEAR has you covered. Our Virtual Sales training is not only award-winning but also provides the tools your team needs to thrive in digital-first environments.
Practical Tips for Sales Reps
So, how can your sales team use body language to your advantage? Remember, it’s not just about reading your clients; it’s about projecting the right signals yourself.
Our first tip is to cultivate self-awareness.
Pay attention not only to what you are saying but also how your body language changes in different circumstances. How do you sit, stand, or gesture in different settings? These can be the keys to projecting confidence and openness. When you’re not self-aware, you can inadvertently signal emotions like anxiety or disinterest, which can send the wrong message.
As we touched on earlier, active listening is a critical skill in negotiations. But this goes beyond just hearing words.
Show your clients you're engaged by nodding, leaning slightly forward, and maintaining appropriate eye contact. These nonverbal cues demonstrate attentiveness and foster rapport.
You can also mirror the other party’s posture or gesture — just be sure to do so subtly. The last thing you want to do is appear as if you’re mocking their behavior.
In the end, your goal should be to project confidence. You should maintain good posture, sit or stand tall, use open gestures, and avoid fidgeting. If you can match this with your tone of voice, you can further reinforce a sense of self-assurance.
To get these strategies right, practice is essential.
RED BEAR's interactive training programs are designed to help you put these tips into practice. With 85% of the training focused on hands-on role-play exercises and expert coaching, you'll gain the confidence and competence to use body language effectively in any sales negotiation.
Get Ahead in Sales with RED BEAR
What you say is important, how you say things is important, and how your body language reacts is important. Skilled negotiators understand the practical value of nonverbal communication and leverage body language when they both observe the other party as well as when they speak.
In sales negotiations, the right approach to body language can make all the difference.
It can help your team build rapport, present clear messaging, and spotlight potential issues before they become major problems. Practice makes perfect, so be sure to not only understand the value of body language but put these skills to use.
That’s where RED BEAR comes in. We take workshop attendees through real-world scenarios where body language and nonverbal communication can be better understood. And 45% of the Fortune 500 rely on our training methodology.
Ready to master the art of negotiation and learn the skills your team needs to thrive? Whether it’s Sales Negotiation Training to cover the fundamentals or Cross-Cultural Negotiation Training to navigate complex international deal-making, get in touch today to learn more about your training options.
Fill out our contact form and we will be back to you in no later than one business day.
