When interacting with others we tend to make our first impressions within about 30 seconds. Given that networking, particularly in person, is a core component to building your business, it is important to focus on our nonverbal cues and behaviors, tone of voice, and words.
As a small business owner it is essential to be aware of what our nonverbal cues and behaviors as well as our tone of voice may be saying or not saying to others. If these are not congruent with our words, people will likely dismiss our words and believe the message our nonverbal communication and tone are sending instead. This could easily lead to a lower feeling of trust toward you and decrease your credibility in the eyes of your potential clients.
The more all three – your nonverbal cues and behaviors, tone of voice, and words are congruent, you will significantly increase your ability to build trust and credibility with your clients.
Here are a few tips:
Tone of Voice
- Your voice should be friendly and welcoming.
- Vocal variety is essential in any conversation.
- Never show frustration or anger in your voice.
Eye Contact
- Invite people/a person to engage with you by establishing eye contact.
- Make sure to reestablish eye contact throughout any conversation.
Facial Expressions
- Smile!
- Let your face reflect what you are saying – don’t try to force a phony expression – be natural.
Gestures
- Use gestures to stress or to demonstrate a point.
- Gestures are fine to show enthusiasm.
If you would like more information on this, a great book is Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words by Stephen Young.