Blog 2: Body Language Linked to Successful Marketing

            A major factor in effective marketing is body language.  How a seller conducts themselves in front of potential buyers plays a large part in whether they win over the crowd in pitching their product or they fail to grasp their attention.  I recently viewed a TED Talk by Amy Cuddy, which actually sparked me to write this blog post as I found her information to be very helpful. 

Cuddy, a researcher and professor at Harvard Business School, speaks on the effect of something as simple as a body position that can greatly increase the confidence an individual has.  She calls these actions “nonverbal actions," which cannot only have an influence on audiences but also can impact us as an individual.  Simple actions such as being more relaxed in a seat or not curling yourself into a ball can lead to higher confidence levels among individuals.  Basically, what she means, is that in order for an individual to show confidence they must open up their body.  This opening up can be subtle or it can be exaggerated.  For example, she mentions going into a bathroom before a job interview and looking in the mirror and raising your hands above your head to give you a sense of pride.  If this method does not work stand with your hands on your hips and look in the mirror.  Since these stances are referenced with power and success they are used to spark a sense of confidence in the body.  Below I have incorporated images of individuals expressing the position of pride and success.

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PsyvGC3.qyE1.TPGbaw2dg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTI1MA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2013-03-08/c268a70e-e084-4f1a-9518-194b738fccc7_97279077.jpg

http://yahsuccessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/business_success_man_large_fotolia.jpg

Another interesting point Cuddy references are the hormonal balance of testosterone and cortisol (a stress hormone) to further explain her point.  She states that testosterone levels among ‘high power’ individuals are higher than that of low power individuals where cortisol levels are higher.

So you may ask, “What do I do if none of this works?”  Well as Amy Cuddy simply puts it, fake it.  If you feel as though you do not have the confidence or pride in yourself that you need to do something, you need to psych yourself into thinking that you can. Tell yourself that you know what you’re doing, that nobody deserves it more.  Tell yourself that you are the best and the only one for the job.  By doing this you create confidence in yourself and you will ultimately gain the actual confidence you need.  One may wonder, “Wouldn’t this ‘fakeness’ portray me as a bad individual or look bad to my evaluators.”  By faking it, you are creating a false positive in your mind to push yourself to do something.  You are faking confidence because that is what you need to do, to be the person you need to be at that point in time.  This should give you the boost you need to either get through a job interview or a presentation.  You’re not faking that you know the material; you’re merely faking yourself into being able to produce good work.  It is a mere false positive that can in the end; get you to where you want to be.

Overall Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk reveals a key aspect in successful marketing that I think we can all benefit from learning.  Good body language can make or break a deal and in business that can mean a potential high paying customer.  One of the processes in the consumer purchase decision process is evaluative criteria.  This means evaluating different products to purchase.  This could also mean evaluating the seller of the product.  If the seller does not have confidence and has difficulty selling the product well and engaging consumers, the product will most likely not be bought.  The link below is the 21 minute segment of Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk which I hope everyone can benefit from watching.

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are