The simple power of a smile

Your smile is a compelling signal that says you are friendly and approachable. It says “you can talk to me if you wish to.”

Most advisors know to smile when they meet a prospect, but being networking-ready means you carry a pleasant look — one that readily becomes a smile — all the time. These and other lessons were discussed by body language expert Christian Chua, who presented at the 2019 MDRT Annual Meeting.

It’s not that you should walk around foolishly grinning. But how does your face look when it is relaxed. Is it unfriendly? Grumpy? Does it say “don’t approach me”? Just project a faint smile that sends a subconscious positive message to people you encounter.

Furthermore, Chua explained how to use body language when meeting new business acquaintances. When people meet contacts in business, they tend to be more formal in their tone of voice, body language and choice of words. Chua said, “Try meeting the new business acquaintance with the predisposition that you already know that person and he or she is your old, good friend.”

If you are unsure how to put this into practice with your business contacts, try watching other people and notice how they greet each other. Look for ones where the first contact is warm and open.

Watch the enthusiasm and even joy people express at seeing the other person. Learn how they convey a positive feeling to the person they are meeting, with eyes wide open, a smile and an exuberant handshake.

Who wouldn’t want to be greeted that way?

For information about reading body language

• Read more in the 2019 Annual Meeting presentation “Body language for sales” [MDRT members only]
• To learn more about reading body language, read “Why you shouldn’t put your hands behind your back.”