The truth about personal impact

When communicating with other people face to face - and particularly when you're trying to persuade them - the key ingredients are credibility and believability. Your credibility will be determined by the verbal, vocal and visual elements of your message. If the words you say aren't confirmed by your tone of voice and how you look, you won't be believed.

People will evaluate you (an average of 11 decisions, within the first six seconds) based primarily on non- verbal information. We all tend to make snap judgements about other people, and often make mistakes - we stereotype.
Don't fall into this trap when you meet other people, however, be aware - they will be making decisions about you.

Low self-esteem and self-image affect body language. People tend to make movements and display posture which indicates a lack of confidence. If you don't feel confident in a particular situation, act or pretend to be confident. Walk into a room as if you own the place.

Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself - "Is what I'm saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?" If so - great! "Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?" If this is the case - STOP IT, change the program! By talking to yourself in a positive manner, you'll start to feel physically better and you'll look better. Words have an enormous power to create change in the chemistry of your body. Your heart rate, blood pressure, muscles, nerves and breathing will all react to the words you say to yourself and this will be evident to other people.

Put this to the test right away; for the next 7 days listen to what you say to yourself and if it's negative, change it to something more positive and you'll start to feel better, look better and have much more success.

3 reasons customers will buy from you

There are a whole range of reasons why customers buy a product or service. They usually buy to solve either real or perceived problems. They want to move away from pain and towards pleasure. They want to feel better after having made the decision to buy a product or service than they did before. Customers will buy from you if you meet these criteria.
However there are other reasons they will buy from you rather than your competitors.

1. If they think you're an expert and a specialist
2. If they think you're product or service is better
3. If someone tells them to

Let's look at each of these in turn -

1. Customers want to know that you understand them and their business. It therefore makes a great deal of sense to specialise. Work in a niche and become known for it. For example: If a customer is in the hospitality industry and they know that you specialise in the supply of hygiene products to that industry; then you're more likely to receive a call from them. They know that if they raise a particular problem with you then you'll understand.

2. It makes sense to say that, people will come to you if they think your product or service is better that your competitors; so you've got to make sure they get that message. And it's not all about selling - customers will form an impression of your product or service by the image you project. I'm sure you've heard the saying - "you never get a second chance to make a good first impression." If you want to draw customers to your business rather than to your competitors then everything about it must make a good first impression. You - your business name - business cards - your people - vehicles - stationary - web site - leaflets and brochures - everything and anything about your business. I recently passed a delivery truck from a local bakery. It was the oldest, dirtiest vehicle I've seen in a long time. I don't thing I'll buy any of their pies.

3. Customers will come to you if someone else tells them to. That someone will be one of your unpaid sales- force who will say wonderful things about you and your business to other people. They may be someone who has met you, has been impressed with you and what you have to say. Or they may be an existing customer or client who has experienced your superb customer service. They might just be someone who has heard about how good your products and service really are.

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow your business; make sure it works for you.