Don‘t Let Your Hands Hijack the Sale: Avoiding Body Language Blunders
You‘ve got your pitch down cold. You know your product inside and out. But when you get in front of a prospect, do you suddenly feel your palms start to sweat? Does your foot begin to tap uncontrollably? Or do you fall into the most notorious body language trap of all—hand wringing?
How you present yourself nonverbally can make or break a sale, regardless of how strong your offering is. In this guide, we‘ll share the 10 most cringeworthy body language mistakes salespeople make during meetings, and exactly how to fix them. With a spotlight on the dreaded hand wringing, you‘ll learn why we‘re tempted to clasp and wring, and proven strategies to keep your hands steady and sure. Let‘s dive in.
Why Mastering Body Language Gives You a Competitive Edge
First, a reality check. In any interaction, but especially high-stakes sales meetings, your body language is speaking volumes:
- 60-90% of our communication is nonverbal, according to pioneering research by Albert Mehrabian.
- It takes just 7 seconds to make a first impression, and much of that is based on body language, reports Business Insider.
- A UCLA study found hand and body movements are key to building trust and cooperation.
Clearly, how you communicate nonverbally is just as important as what you say—if not more so. Strong body language conveys confidence, trustworthiness, and authority. Weak or negative body language reveals nervousness, uncertainty, or even deception.
But here‘s the challenge. When you‘re focused on delivering your message, it‘s all too easy to let distracting mannerisms or defensive postures slip in. And in our virtual meeting world, you‘re on camera in close-up, making those little mistakes even more noticeable.
So what are the nonverbal signals you most need to watch? Let‘s count down the top 10 body language mistakes salespeople can‘t afford to make.
10 Body Language Mistakes to Ban From Your Sales Meetings
1. Lack of eye contact
The mistake: Avoiding eye contact, darting eyes, looking down
The fix: Aim for steady, natural eye contact, especially when listening
2. Defensive postures
The mistake: Crossed arms, hands hidden, tense shoulders
The fix: Relax arms at sides, show palms, roll shoulders back
3. Fidgeting
The mistake: Tapping feet, clicking pens, playing with hair
The fix: Plant feet on ground, hold a pen still, try a subtle stress ball
4. Low energy
The mistake: Slouching, slumping, looking sleepy
The fix: Sit or stand tall, lean slightly forward, stay active and engaged
5. Smirking or scowling
The mistake: Unpleasant facial expressions, especially during tough topics
The fix: Practice neutral or engaged expressions in the mirror
6. Distracted reaching
The mistake: Checking phone/watch, rustling papers, fiddling with items
The fix: Put devices away, lay out papers in advance, keep hands free
7. Space invading
The mistake: Standing too close, leaning in too much, touching too soon
The fix: Respect prospect‘s space, match their pace, let them initiate contact
8. Clothing adjustments
The mistake: Tugging shirt collar, adjusting tie, fiddling with buttons
The fix: Dress comfortably and check fit in advance to minimize adjustments
9. Hiding hands
The mistake: Keeping hands in pockets, under table, behind back
The fix: Rest hands on table or in lap where they can be seen
10. Hand wringing
The mistake: Clasping and unclasping hands, rubbing or twisting fingers
The fix: More on this ultimate blunder next!
Spotlight on Hand Wringing: The Ultimate Confidence Killer
Of all the body language missteps on our list, wringing hands may be the most damaging in a sales context. What exactly is hand wringing? This nervous gesture involves clasping, squeezing, or rubbing your hands together, usually in front of your body. You might interlock fingers, twist them back and forth, or even "wash" your hands in a circular motion.
We all recognize hand wringing as a sign of:
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Tension
- Uncertainty
So why do we fall into hand wringing when stressed? Evolutionary psychologists theorize that self-touching behaviors serve to soothe and calm ourselves. Rubbing hands stimulates nerve endings and provides tactile distraction from mental discomfort. It‘s a primal response to feeling threatened or insecure.
The problem is, hand wringing has the opposite effect on observers. In one study, participants rated images of people with anxious hand gestures as less trustworthy and less competent. Another found wringing hands while speaking undermined the speaker‘s persuasiveness.
Now imagine the impact in a sales meeting. When you wring your hands, you instantly signal to buyers that:
- You lack confidence in yourself or your offering
- You‘re feeling anxious or unsure
- You may be trying to deceive or evade
- You‘re not fully in control of the interaction
Not exactly the impression you want to convey as you‘re building rapport and trust! Hand wringing leaches your personal power and authority. And once you start, it‘s devilishly difficult to stop as your anxiety mounts. That‘s why it‘s crucial to nip this negative nonverbal in the bud.
How to Quit Wringing—And Start Winning
The key to banishing hand wringing is a combination of awareness, physical intervention, mental techniques, and lots of practice. Here‘s the four-step plan:
-
Notice your triggers
Start to observe when you‘re most likely to wring your hands. Is it at the beginning of a meeting? When you‘re in the hot seat? Answering tough questions? Identifying your triggers will help you anticipate hand wringing and head it off. -
Redirect your hands
Now make a conscious effort to keep your hands still or give them something else to do. Rest them on the table or your knees. Hold a pen. Clasp them loosely in front of you or behind your back in a more confident posture. It may feel awkward at first, but with repetition, your hands will learn to relax. -
Quiet your mind
Since hand wringing is often a symptom of nervousness, work on your mental state too. Before a big meeting, visualize yourself staying calm and still. In the moment, take a few deep breaths to ground yourself. Mentally detach from your hands and focus on being present with your prospect. A clear head leads to clearer body language. -
Practice, get feedback, repeat
The only way to truly replace a problematic gesture is to drill the new behavior until it‘s second nature. Enlist a colleague to role play sales meetings and give feedback. Video yourself to check your hand positioning. The more you rehearse staying calm and still, the more automatic it will become under pressure.
Harnessing Hand Power
Now that you‘ve learned how not to use your hands in a meeting, what should you do with them? Good news: Your hands can be potent persuasive tools when used strategically:
- Showing your palms conveys openness, honesty and transparency (just don‘t overdo it)
- Steepling fingers lightly in front of you projects power and confidence
- Gestures that mirror and reinforce your message create resonance and improve recall
A classic study found that TED Talks speakers who used the most hand gestures were the most popular. Another showed gestures make people almost twice as likely to buy a product. The key is matching your movements precisely to your words.
In virtual meetings, hand gestures can be extra impactful as they‘re often the most prominent part of you on screen. Just keep your movements within frame and err on the side of subtlety to avoid looking like a mime in a box!
Leveraging Body Language for the Win
We‘ve covered a lot of ground in this body language bootcamp. From the perils of wringing hands to the profit potential of purposeful gestures, one truth is clear: Nonverbal communication can make or break your sales success.
Need more convincing? One final stat: Salespeople with the highest nonverbal skills generated 12% more revenue than their average peers in a Gartner study. The bottom line is your body language directly impacts your bottom line.
But don‘t let that knowledge tie you in knots (or hand wringing). Start small. Choose one body language mistake from our list to focus on at your next meeting. Record yourself and check the game tape. Keep practicing until it becomes muscle memory. Then pick another skill to hone.
The more you develop your nonverbal savvy, the more you‘ll project the confidence and charisma that wins trust and closes deals. So keep those hands steady, summon your inner power posing superhero, and go crush your next meeting!
