Why non-verbal communication is important
Communication is something you do constantly. Even when you're not verbally communicating, you're still communicating non-verbally. This includes your body language, facial expressions, and eye contact. Non-verbal communication supports your verbal communication, but it can also tell a completely different story. In fact, people are more inclined to believe your non-verbal communication than your verbal communication. That's why it's crucial that your non-verbal and verbal communication are aligned. But how do you ensure that your non-verbal communication conveys what you intend? We provide you with some examples, tips, and exercises to improve your non-verbal communication.
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Before we can tell you how to effectively use your non-verbal communication, it's important that you understand the definition of non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is any form of message exchange between people or animals through non-linguistic signals. This means, for example, that sign language is not considered non-verbal communication, but body language and facial expressions are. Your appearance and clothing also play a role in this.
Non-verbal communication is very broad, encompassing everything you convey to your conversation partner. Sometimes you do this consciously (for example, wearing neat clothes to make a good impression or shaking your head 'no' when you disagree), but most of the time, non-verbal communication happens unconsciously. It may happen that something is visible on your face that you don't want to communicate. Perhaps you accidentally appear critical or skeptical, or you come across as insecure when you actually want to make a strong impression. At that moment, non-verbal communication becomes a problem. When your verbal and non-verbal communication don't align, you may appear unreliable. Moreover, in most cases, people believe the non-verbal signals. This can be detrimental, both professionally and personally.
Non-verbal communication encompasses much more than just facial expressions and body posture. To effectively use your non-verbal communication, you need to be aware of the various types of non-verbal communication. Therefore, we list the different types of non-verbal communication for you here.
As you can see, non-verbal communication encompasses more than just body posture. When you think about it, you'll discover that you see non-verbal communication constantly and everywhere around you. Both in your private life and in a professional environment, non-verbal communication is extremely important. You constantly witness examples of non-verbal communication around you.
Everyone knows plenty of examples of non-verbal communication. Can you visualize the critical look from your partner? Or that colleague who showed immense interest by nodding along during the presentation? Do you think about the automatic distance you keep from a stranger or the signals the friendly store employee gives off? Non-verbal communication is always visible, from the nod from your partner indicating they heard you, to the skeptical look from your manager. By paying attention, you'll see that people communicate much more than just with their words. Unconsciously, you often pick up on this quickly, making what someone says much less important than how someone says it.
Improving your non-verbal communication can be valuable both in private and professional situations. As a sales professional, you try to convince someone of your story, but this won't work if your non-verbal communication conveys something entirely different from what you're saying. Therefore, it's wise to practice aligning your non-verbal communication. To help you with this, we provide you with some tips and exercises to enhance your non-verbal communication.
To improve your non-verbal communication, you can also use exercises or even a game. If you're with a group of people who want to improve their non-verbal communication, try playing the game "Met Z'n Vieren" (With Four). In this game, no verbal communication is allowed. All communication happens non-verbally. The goal is to have four people standing at a time, while the rest of the group is seated. Each person can stand for a maximum of ten seconds. Afterward, four (no more and no less) new people must stand. Communicating who these people are must be done non-verbally.
In sales, non-verbal communication is crucial. Both picking up and interpreting signals from the other party and conveying the right signals play a role in the success of a sale. Practicing your non-verbal communication is therefore immensely important as a salesperson. As a seller, you always want to convey 'safe' and 'open' signals. Consider, for example, smiling and building trust by showing your palms. If you want more advice on using non-verbal communication or have other questions about sales techniques, feel free to contact one of our experts. This way, you can become the best salesperson you can be.
Non-verbal communication refers to the transmission of messages without the use of spoken words. It includes the expression of feelings, thoughts, and intentions through body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact.
Non-verbal communication means expressing messages, feelings, or thoughts without using words. It is a powerful way of communicating that often complements or even surpasses the verbal message.
Non-verbal communication plays an essential role in human interaction and impacts how messages are understood and interpreted. It is important because:
Non-verbal communication is constantly used in various situations and interactions. Some examples include:
By being aware of non-verbal signals and using them effectively, we can strengthen our communication and build better relationships.