In a word…yes.
We spend a fair amount of time working with salespeople to access their empathy and read the prospect in a qualifying situation. This ability is one of the keys to all successful selling. This article from Harvard Business Review provides a thorough breakdown of this topic. A first pull quote from the article:
In my work as a body language researcher and instructor, I’ve long theorized that one of the key differences between exceptional negotiators or salespeople and those who are merely average is the ability to read these microexpressions, gauge visceral reactions to ideas or proposals, then strategically steer them toward a preferred outcome.
And why does this matter in sales? To put it in gambling terms, exceptional salespeople can read the “tells” on a prospect’s face while qualifying them. This ability is one of the reasons we measure a salesperson’s empathetic aptitudes with our assessments.
Prospects almost instinctively raise their guard when dealing with a salesperson. This guarded behavior becomes even more potent during a face-to-face sales meeting. However, there are some tells that are difficult, if not impossible, to hide. An astute salesperson, with strong people-reading abilities, will be able to pick up on the subtle signals being broadcast by the prospect.
Back to the HBR article and this interesting compilation of somewhat subtle tells:
It seems easy to me to sit here and study the nuances of the faces to confirm the description listed below each one. However, is a sales situation, this microexpression may be briefly displayed. The salesperson has only a small fraction of time to deduce the prospect’s reaction.
From the article (emphasis mine):
As you can see, it’s quite easy to recognize the meaning behind the expression on a still photo. In a real-life situation, however, when the stakes are high and the microexpression lasts for as little as one 25th of a second, it’s a different game entirely.
Exactly. This is why strong salespeople possess the interpersonal skills and aptitudes to read these quick expressions. You can assess for this ability using our tools. How would this ability impact your sales team as you grow in the future?