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10 Ways to Show Your Clients They're Important


Patti was featured in the FIC Perspective. It is the magazine of the Fraternal Insurance Counselor. Each issue is filled with sales ideas, motivational articles, Society news, and up-to-date information from NAFIC. Below is the full article followed by a link to the publication.
Sometimes we are unaware of how we look to others, or we don’t think what we are doing or not doing is noticed. But, our behavior is not invisible. What we do says volumes about us. What we don’t do can also lead to people thinking less than positive thoughts about us.  Following are people’s perceptions toward behaviors. These are perceptions that could result in a less-than-stellar view and that could result in your clients taking actions based on their perceptions, even so far as to select someone else as
their financial advisor.
YOUR POSTURE, SIT
UP STRAIGHT.

Remember when your
mom would chastise you when
you made a rude facial expression,
saying, “Don’t make a face like that
or your face will freeze like that?”
Have you noticed how your body
language suddenly changes when
you get out of your sweatpants into
a suit and hard-soled shoes? Our
bodies form in the way we hold
and move them the most. We now
spend the majority of our waking
hours bent down, curled over our
devices, more than seven hours a
day on average. We forget we are
very visible and all that slumping
over in our muscle memory makes
it harder to sit up straight! Have
someone snap a photo of you
hunched over your computer or
tape you talking on the phone.
Now imagine your clients seeing
you sit like that with him or her in
a meeting. (Another incentive for
not constantly checking your phone
is research that shows that looking
down at your phone can put a strain
on your neck equivalent to the
weight of 60 pounds.) 

GIVE YOUR FULL
ATTENTION TO YOUR
CLIENT, FROM THE
FEET UP.

Interacting face-to-face or on the
phone or via conference calls while
doing something else, like checking
your emails and texts, may seem
a good use of your time, but your
voice or body language might be
sending messages to those you work
with that you don’t really care. One
specific non-verbal behavior area to
focus on is your feet. Your feet are
most frequently controlled by the
limbic brain, so they reveal where
you really want to be. For example,
if you are in a meeting but really
want to be back at your desk getting
other work done, your feet may
point toward the door. You might
think that is a subtle cue that others
couldn’t possibly notice, but where
your feet point actually affects the
rest of your body’s alignment. To
be more present and train yourself
to be fully attentive, point your feet
and the rest of your body toward the
speaker. (There are gender-based
differences regarding how we like
to have close, high-self-disclosure
conversations but, generally, if
you’re giving attention to a speaker
at a meeting or your client when he
is speaking, point your feet toward
him or her.)

GET TO YOUR
APPOINTMENTS ON
TIME AND LEAVE
ENOUGH TIME
BETWEEN APPOINTMENTS SO
YOU CAN VISIT AND DEBRIEF.

Beginnings and endings are critical.
By spending time visiting with
people BEFORE the formal meeting
begins and not getting up and
leaving quickly or checking your
phone while there is still someone
with you (and you haven’t visited
and said good-bye), you are saying
non-verbally, “I am done with you
and now I have more important
things to do.” The time you spend
visiting and interacting face-to face
can be extremely valuable. It
helps you establish rapport and get
an emotional read of each person.
This helps you make connections
and alliances, and makes you look
better and helps you persuade
others to see your viewpoint. On
a very basic level, it puts credits in
the “relationship account” of each
person with whom you interact so
he or she knows you care.

TURN OFF THE
TECHNOLOGY.

Just a few years ago,
you looked like an
important, busy and hardworking
person if you brought your phone
with you everywhere and were
checking it constantly. But that
image has since changed. Now, you
just look like you’re rude, your time
and your needs are more important
than who you are with. Think
of your device as you would your
3-year-old child. When you meet
with a client, ask yourself, “Would I
have my 3-year-old with me during
this conversation?” If the answer
is no, put the device away or don’t
even bring it.
Challenge yourself to change your
tech impression in four important
ways:
a. Remember the person in
front of you is always more
important than anything on
your device. He or she is the
real, live person.
b. If you can, keep your technology
turned off and out of sight until
you need it. Don’t put it on the
desk or table between you and
the other person.
c. When you get to the meeting,
if you have a device that is
visible make it a ritual to pick
it up, set it on silent, and put
it out of your line of sight. I
would even recommend that
if you are meeting with one
to three people and you want
to let them know why you are
doing that and/or want them
to do the same, say out loud
something like, “I am putting
this away so I can focus on
you.” Or, “Let me turn this
off and put this away while
we talk.” Or, “I want to focus
on our conversation (or, this
important meeting).”
d. Don’t pull out the phone to
check your messages at the end
of the meeting if the people
with whom you are meeting
are still in the room. Say goodbye,
get out of their visual and
auditory field, and then check
your messages.

GIVE FACE-TO-FACE
TIME TO CREATE
TRUST.

Recent research by Gregory
Northcraft, a professor in executive
leadership at the University of
Illinois, shows when projects are
managed by way of detached, high tech
means rather than face-to-face,
people will have less confidence that
others will do what they say they’ll
do. He says if your communication
is mainly through email, those you
work with will trust you less. Face to-
face contact yields the most trust
and cooperation while e-mail nets
the least, with videoconference
interaction ranking somewhere in
between. Your clients need to be
face-to- face to read the thousands
of non-verbal cues that give them
a read of you and help them decide
the best way to interact with you.15 Volume 10 Issue 1 | 5
Unless you are dealing with a client
that has requested no face to face
meeting, work on getting more face
to face time.

BE VISIBLE;
SOCIALIZE, AND
LISTEN.

When you’re where your clients
might be, such as member events.
You need to say hello or good-bye
as you arrive or leave. You also need
to visit or socialize, speak up and
contribute in meetings, ask for time
to discuss projects face-to-face, go
to lunch with those working on the
project, and compliment others’
success or work effort. Ask people
questions about the projects, goals
and achievements. Be curious about
how they spend their free time and
what their loved ones are doing.
Again, face-to-face contact
builds trust.

CONSIDER THE
OTHER PERSON
BEFORE YOU FOCUS
ON YOURSELF.
EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT.

Some clients want you to think
about them and be social before
you make a request; others want to
be quick and get down to business
immediately. Notice each client’s
unique needs. If they are warm
and linger in their conversations
start interactions with warm social
conversations. Whether in a phone
call, an email, or a text, ask about
the recipient or make a statement
about them before you talk about
yourself or make a request. Just
one or two sentences are fine; this
creates rapport and puts credits in
the relationship account. Those
extra salutations and sentences
show, non-verbally, that the person
you are sending a message to
matters and that you have thought
about them as an individual. It
also helps others recognize you,
gives you a personality, and makes
you stand out. Remember – you
don’t want to be invisible!

RESPOND TO
EMAILS.

If you don’t respond
in any way to
an email, people will make
assumptions as to why they have
not heard from you. You may
delay a difficult question or email
from someone because you’re
afraid of a conflict or you don’t
know how to answer a question
the client has posed. But NOT
responding is an action. When you
don’t exhibit reasonable behavior,
people will guess why and those
assumptions tend to be negative.
If you put off answering or don’t
respond, you could get yourself in
big trouble. At least say, “I will get
back soon.” Or, “I read your email
and I will be responding soon.”
Otherwise, people think you are
unprofessional or just don’t care.
Though I will say that you should
not have to respond to requests
made at 2 am on a Sunday.

THINK ABOUT
OTHERS WHEN YOU
GET DRESSED FOR
WORK.

This may seem so very obvious but
News flash! You don’t dress just
for you. How you dress shows your
respect – or lack of respect – for
others. It is actually discourteous to
dress inappropriately for meetings.
Other studies show that 75% of
Americans think a well-dressed
man is more successful than his
causal coworkers and more than
one-fifth of men think they would
make more money if they dressed
better than they do and women
are seen as more competent
and intelligent if they dress
professionally.

DON’T FORGET THE
HAIR AND FACE.

Keep your hair neat.
For men both on your
head and on your face. Women
who wear makeup rank higher in
competence and trustworthiness,
according to a study funded by
Procter & Gamble, Massachusetts
General Hospital, Harvard Medical
School, Boston University, and the
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
 
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Can Your Body Language Win You The Job?

Can Your Body Language Win You The Job?


I made several body language recommendations for this article on interviewing for a job. My comments are below highlighted in yellow.


Can Your Body Language Win You The Job?
Elizabeth Garone
About the author
Elizabeth is a freelance writer in California and a former Career Q&A columnist for the Wall Street Journal.

Related
Samuel Amegavisa is getting nervous. In his last year of human biology studies at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, it’s time to start thinking about job interviews.
Everyone knows it’s important to dress smartly for an interview. Less obvious is the importance of how you carry yourself.
“My situation is quite simple. I have never been interviewed before,” wrote 23-year-old Amegavisa in an email to BBC Capital. He had a basic question — one most of us probably don’t think much about. “Is there any recommended sitting position before and during your interview?”
While everyone knows it’s important to dress smartly for an interview, less obvious — and less known— is the importance of how you carry yourself. What hidden cues do you give when you walk through the doorway, shake hands or sit?
Three body language experts share their insights on what moves to make, and avoid, in an interview.
Happy medium
The first contact between an interviewer and interviewee is almost always a handshake. First impressions often determine how the rest of the interview goes, so this can be one of the most important elements of getting it right, according to David Alssema, a body language expert and training facilitator with Paramount Training & Development in Perth, Australia.
“Rapport is built by similarities,” so shake hands the way the interviewer does, recommended Alssema in an email. “Matching the strength or greeting shows you want to be an equal. Overpowering a handshake can signal a dominant attitude towards the meeting.”
Zones of space
No matter our culture, we all have and are at least subconsciously aware of four zones of space around us. They are (from farthest to closest): Public, social, personal and intimate. It’s important to be keenly attuned to these during an interview, according to Nick Morgan, Boston-based speech coach and author of Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact. “The only significant things that happen between people happen in personal and intimate space,” he wrote in an email. “Since intimate space is off limits [in an interview], you want to get into the personal space of the interviewer,” if you want the person to be inclined to decide in your favour.
Make your move
While the handshake brings us into the personal space that we want — it’s why we do it, according to Morgan — typical seating arrangements in an interview tend to move us away. “That makes it easier for the interviewer to pass on us — but harder for us to make an impression,” he said. “So look for ways to tactfully move into the personal space of the interviewer.” For example, you might move your chair slightly or sit on the same side of a round table.
Once you’re seated, consider other ways to close the distance. Lean forward, for example, just not too much. “Try to do this tactfully and subtly, not rapidly or awkwardly,” cautioned Morgan. It’s worth the effort.
“We increase trust and connection with people when we close the distance between us, even by small amounts,” he said.
Please click the arrow above to see how to improve confidence with certain postures.
Open for business
It’s very important to keep your body language “open,” according to Morgan. You’re likely to be nervous and you might find yourself unconsciously clutching your hands in front of you or folding your arms. “These feel safe and comfortable, but also distancing and disconnecting for the other party,” he said. In addition, “[folding your arms] shows that you are disinterested, and it also prevents you from leaning,” said Alssema.
The eyes have it
“Eye contact is important, and any less or any more than a reasonable amount may indicate other attitudes,” said Alssema. What’s just right? That might be hard to tell in some situations, but Alssema suggests mirroring the amount of time the interviewer gives you eye contact. If there is a panel of interviewers, it’s important to provide the right mix of time for each person. “Respond to each person individually with eye contact when answering questions,” he said. “Glancing around is a signal for boredom, so avoid it if possible.”
People often make the mistake of equating good eye contact with never looking away — but this would be a mistake, too, according to Atlanta, Georgia-based Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.
“It is normal to look away from time to time as you speak, because you’re accessing information in your brain,” she wrote in an email. Just don’t let yourself drift off when the interviewer is speaking. “After giving an answer, remember to make eye contact and listen to the interviewer. Eye contact sends the message that you are serious and engaged,” Wood said.
Don’t forget to breathe — deeply
The moment people get nervous, the more quickly they start breathing. That can wreak havoc in an interview.
When you take quick shallow breaths, you reduce your ability to think clearly,” said Wood. “This may keep you from answering questions quickly and succinctly.”
Instead, try to breathe deeply from low down in your belly. “[It is] one key to feeling clearheaded, energised, and confident,” she said. “Practice breathing more slowly, using your diaphragm, belly, rib cage and lower back in the process.” Of course, this isn’t something you’ll want to do in your actual interview. “But try it whenever you get anxious and certainly before your interview,” she said. 
Career Coach is a twice-monthly column on BBC Capital in which we consider the career turning points and questions many professionals face. We welcome questions from readers at careercoach@bbc.com.
To comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Capital, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Body Language and Deception Read of Brian Williams Iraq War Story on David Letterman.

Body Language and Deception Read of Brian Williams’
Iraq War Story on David Letterman
Brian Williams Makes Mistakes in His Apology Statement
By Body Language Expert Patti Wood

What are the “tells” that Brian Williams’ lies in part of his Iraq War Story. I detail how to read his deception then I tell you what he did wrong in his apology statement.  There is also a link below to the article I did for the IBT Pulse on the story. If you want to look at the video, as I analyze it, here is the link to the video of Brian Williams’ Iraq War Story on David Letterman.


First Williams says, “Two of the helicopters were hit including the one I was in.” This is very odd phrasing. He is stating what happened to his chopper last. If you were describing say, a car accident you would not say, “Two of the cars were in the accident, including the car I was in.” Typically, if you experienced a terrifying accident you would recall it in your limbic brain and the focus in the first part of the sentence would be on you. You would lead with what happened to you. If you are lying you are more likely to lead with the truth and hide the lie at the end of the sentence. I will say that this is a war story and sometimes war storytellers remove themselves from the first place in the story and Brian is a journalist and he is trained to remove himself from the story. Yet having stated those exceptions to sharing an incident like this, it is still really odd.
Now notice his body language as he speaks, “Two of the helicopters were hit including the one I was in.” His body stays very still, his outside hand is in a guarded wall position on the outside of his leg, his left leg is folded over his right away from Letterman and his left arm is out around the back of the chair and his hand is loosely gripping the chair arm.  He is guarding himself a bit. Perhaps not unusual if you are going to tell a story of a scare event, but this guarding is juxtaposed with him having a very expanded upper chest. That is a braggart’s position. So he is showing a mixture of the braggart and guarded positions.
His body stays very still. With the caveats stated above, I know that some “warriors” want to remain distant and or cavalier about their story.  It still seems odd that he is describing being hit without his body coming downwards or going backwards as he remembers the sensation of being hit. His head does come down on the word “hit” but the head is under more conscious control and that means he could purposefully, as a broadcaster, easily emphasize that word with his head.
What I would have liked to have seen is more subconscious body movement. I know time has passed since the event, and he was not injured, but typically I should see a hint of that movement as he “recalls” the incident. Instead he is planted. This does not mean he is lying. It is merely curious and interesting.
The vocal emphasis on hit actually matches Brian Williams’ natural vocal emphasis as he tells a news story. He typically, in his baseline of normal news storytelling, hits the verb or power word.

Body Language and Deception Analysis of Brain Williams’
Apology Statement Letterman

Williams certainly wanted to get through the apology as quickly as possible. Perhaps, because this time, he was hit by real “ground fire’ criticism from the public and the media. Time is a nonverbal communicator. Rushing through the apology shows his desire to distance himself from his guilt and get on with things rather than sincere remorse.
"I said I was in the aircraft that was hit… I was instead…” Newscasters often use the words, “rather” and “instead” when they have made a word or phrasing blunder in their news story. This was more than a misspoken word. This was a lie. If an actor had lied we would think, bad boy. This is however a news correspondent whose words we rely on for the truth of what is going on in the world.
He then goes on to give the “excuse” that the story was, “a bungled attempt to thank one special veteran…” I watched him tell the story on Letterman 6 times, and it was not a story of thanks to one special veteran. A content analysis of it instead categorizes it as a comic, “I had a bad night in Vegas” variety story. He does mention that one soldier was hit in the ear when he told the story on Letterman and he touches his ear after he says that showing he distances himself from that soldier and his injury and did not feel the pain that soldier had in that moment. Yes, he is a journalist and he is trained to distance himself, but if someone was being projected as the hero of the story it was him. Watch as he tells it how Letterman leans forward and goes, “Wow.”
As he says, “I hope they know they have my greatest respect and also now my apology” watch how his head goes down and his eyes close and his voice goes unusually soft and faint as he says the word, “apology.” I would like to say this is normal shamed behavior. But, I will say, it shows embarrassment. I would have liked to have seen him look in the camera and say, “I messed up and I am truly sorry.” He should have said, “What I did was to claim pain and hardship that was not mine to claim.”  Instead his pride overrides what should have been true humbleness. Brian Williams rushes through the content with body language that does not show he is truly contrite.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Body Language and Deception Analysis of Brian Williams Apology Statement. Letterman.

Body Language and Deception Analysis of Brain Williams’
Apology Statement Letterman


Williams certainly wanted to get through the apology as quickly as possible. Perhaps, because this time, he was hit by real “ground fire’ criticism from the public and the media. Time is a nonverbal communicator. Rushing through the apology shows his desire to distance himself from his guilt and get on with things rather than sincere remorse.
"I said I was in the aircraft that was hit… I was instead…” Newscasters often use the words, “rather” and “instead” when they have made a word or phrasing blunder in their news story. This was more than a misspoken word. This was a lie. If an actor had lied we would think, bad boy. This is however a news correspondent whose words we rely on for the truth of what is going on in the world.
He then goes on to give the “excuse” that the story was, “a bungled attempt to thank one special veteran…” I watched him tell the story on Letterman 6 times, and it was not a story of thanks to one special veteran. A content analysis of it instead categorizes it as a comic, “I had a bad night in Vegas” variety story. He does mention that one soldier was hit in the ear when he told the story on Letterman and he touches his ear after he says that showing he distances himself from that soldier and his injury and did not feel the pain that soldier had in that moment. Yes, he is a journalist and he is trained to distance himself, but if someone was being projected as the hero of the story it was him. Watch as he tells it how Letterman leans forward and goes, “Wow.”
As he says, “I hope they know they have my greatest respect and also now my apology” watch how his head goes down and his eyes close and his voice goes unusually soft and faint as he says the word, “apology.” I would like to say this is normal shamed behavior. But, I will say, it shows embarrassment. I would have liked to have seen him look in the camera and say, “I messed up and I am truly sorry.” He should have said, “What I did was to claim pain and hardship that was not mine to claim.”  Instead his pride overrides what should have been true humbleness. Brian Williams rushes through the content with body language that does not show he is truly contrite.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Three Rules of Etiquette for Using Technology, Email and Cell Phone Etiquette

Three Rules of Etiquette for Using Technology,
 Email and Cell Phones


In my book SNAP I have a chapter on Tech Impressions. Here are two excerpts from the book and one from my workshop of First Impressions.

Cell Phones and Texting Etiquette
When it comes to cell phones and texting, you have to think about the impression you are making on those around you, in your physical presence, not just those with whom you are communicating.

Guideline #1:  In public places, keep your cell phone calls brief and at a low volume and your content censored at a G for general public rating.
Be polite because there is a strange nonverbal phenomenon that occurs when we are connected via phone or electronic device, we feel such an intimate connection to the person we are directly communicating with we give out nonverbal cues that we would normally reserve for one-on-one intimate space conversations. In addition we tune out to our true environmental sensors for our behavior.  We no longer see or hear or acknowledge the people in our physical space so we don’t follow the rules of etiquette for public communication.

A college professor reported receiving the following email from a student before the term began. Mind you, this was a student he had never met. The email read: “What textbooks do u require for class?” That was the extent of it. There was no salutation, no name and not even a reference to which class the student was taking. Worst of all, was the use of “textspeak” to an English Professor.

Guideline #2:  Your first email to someone should be formal as if you were writing a letter. Use the salutation “Dear.” You might write, “Dear Mr. Livingston:” or “Dear Alex Livingston:” (especially if you don’t know the person’s gender) and then skip a line and begin your message. When your message is complete, write “Sincerely, and then your name.” One you have established contact with a person through email, and then you may switch to a less formal tone. You should still use a greeting of some sort unless the email has turned into a back and forth conversation. Even then, I try to use the person’s name in the message. It creates a more personal touch.

Guideline #3:  Put away your phone. You are being rude if you don’t turn off technology or put it away before talking or you focus on technology when people are with you in person.  Jim carries his phone with him everywhere, it’s in his right hand where he can glance at it often and you see him walking down the halls on the phone. Your computer, pad or smart phones are just one place you should be working. Just a few years ago, employees looked important, busy and hardworking if they brought their phone with them everywhere and were checking it constantly. That image has changed. Now you just look like you’re rude, that your time and your needs are more important than the person or people you are with. Yes even you. Yes, I know you are an extremely busy person getting hundreds of texts and or emails you must respond to. Think of your device as your three year old child. Ask yourself when you are with a work contact, would I have my three year old with me during this conversation at work. If the answer is no, don’t bring the device or put it away. Challenge yourself to change your behavior in three important ways:
1.    Remember the person in front of you is always more important than anything on your device. They are the real live person.
2.    If you can don’t take your technology with you or keep it off and completely out of site. Don’t put it on the desk between you and the other person.
3.    A new cell phone ritual when you get to the meeting if you have a device that is visible make it a ritual to pick it up set it not to make a noise and put it out of your line of site. I would even recommend, if you are meeting with one to three people and you want to let them know why you are doing that and or want them to do the same then  you say out loud something like, “I am putting this away so I can focus on you.” Or “Let me turn this off and put this away while we talk.” Or “I want to focus on our conversation or this important meeting.”
4.    Don’t pull out the phone to check your messages at the end of the meeting if the people you are meeting with are still in the room. Say goodbye, get out of their visual and auditory field then check your messages.

I also have some napkin rules because I have people ask me what the rules are every time I am at a banquet or formal event. It makes people uncomfortable if they don’t know the rules.
Think of the napkin being unfolded by the host like the curtain going up in a theater. The meal begins when the host unfolds his or her napkin. This is your signal to do the same. Place your napkin on your lap, completely unfolded. Typically, you want to put your napkin on your lap soon after sitting down at the table (but follow your host's lead).
If there is not a host just a group of friends, think of the napkin being unfolded and put across your lap as the signal of the meal and conversation beginning. So the putting your napkin on your lap is like pushing the play button on a YouTube video it starts the meal and the full flow of conversation. Just like you leave your sheets on your bed while you’re sleeping the napkin remains on your lap throughout the entire meal and if you get up from the table during the meal, place your napkin on your chair.




Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.