january 2007 - Professional Photographer Magazine

interpreted as too intense; too little says
you’re not interested in her needs.
The position of your head is a strong cue.
When you want to appear friendly or indicate
that you’re in a receptive mode and are listening,
tilt your head to the side a bit. You can shift
the tilt from one side to the other at key points
in the conversation. Tipping your forehead
toward your customer signifies that you are
truly interested.
Be aware of the position and movement
of your client’s arms and hands. The more
outgoing and open the person, the more he
tends to express himself with wide arm movement.
The quieter and more reserved he is,
the less he tends to use hand and arm
gestures. Try to strike a natural balance
between the two with your own movement.
The angle of the body is indicative.
Leaning forward indicates interest and
openness, while leaning backward signals
aloofness, boredom or rejection. Make sure
that you show interest in your stance, and
pay attention to what your client’s body
angle tells you.
Stand too close to the client and you’ll come
off as pushy or in-your-face. Stand too far
away and you’ll be viewed as distant or standoffish.
To get it right, observe how your customer
reacts to the distance between you. If you move
closer and she backs away, you’re probably
too far into her personal space. A nose-tonose
distance of about 18 inches is generally
within most people’s comfort zone.
You were given two ears and only one
mouth for a reason. If you listen twice as much
as you talk, you come across as a good communicator
who knows how to conduct a balanced
conversation. Talk too much and you come off
as over-aggressive, controlling, or worse, boring.
Mouth movements reveal all sorts of
clues. Your client may purse his lips or twist
them to the side when he’s thinking. When
you smile and talk at the same time it shows
excitement, enthusiasm and passion for
your business. When your client smiles it
says he’s actively engaged in the process and
you are on the right track.
The bottom line: people buy from people
they like, people they feel comfortable
with. If you can use body language to get
your message across, you’ll be well on
your way to establishing long-lasting
relationships with your clients, and that’s
what it’s all about. ■
January 2007 • Professional Photographer • 33