In a world plagued with stressors from left to the right, a smile is gold. A smile can be used to communicate without saying a word, and the message it conveys is often positive—at least that is how it is for Americans and Canadians. If a person is smiling at you, it usually means that he is pleased to see you, he approves of you, or he likes you. You use a smile to welcome guests before you even say anything. That’s how this friendly body language is used in society for many years.
But what about in terms of business? What is the significance of this muscle movement on your face to communicate effectively?
Significance of smiling when doing business
There is a proverb that says a man must not open a shop if he can’t smile. Every customer can agree on this. A smile is a crucial part of running a business because it promotes friendliness towards your customers.
For business leaders, a smile can help one look more attractive for a leadership position. When introducing yourself, one excellent way to get your subordinates to trust you instantly is by giving them your most genuine smile. It is your invitation for them to be open and comfortable around you. Therefore, a smile can leave an excellent impression.
And when meeting potential clients or business partners, smiling is one great tool you can use to establish rapport and build trust—these are essential when you want to create strong and lasting business relationships.
The same concept applies to those at the forefront of the customer experience. Outstanding customer service begins with a smile. A genuine smile can go along way in retaining customers and keep them choosing you and not your competition. Smiling is a reflection of an organization, and it speaks volumes of how a company is to its employees. So when a customer service representative faces customers with a smile, there is a higher chance of a sale, not for the product itself, but because of your friendliness.
Even when talking on the phone, smiling is truly a powerful tool. When delivering service via phone, the person on the other line can’t see you, but they can tell if you are eager to speak with them because the sound of your voice is different when you are smiling as you talk.
Achieving a picture-perfect smile
Part of a beautiful smile is having a healthy set of teeth. Nobody wants to talk to someone with a stinky breathe. And whiter teeth help them smile confidently and face anyone, even outside the business. A popular way of having a picture-perfect smile is by having dental veneers. This is very common to celebrities, beauty queens, and business front liners nowadays. Another way you can do to maintain healthy teeth is by visiting the dentist regularly.
Fake it ‘til you make it
In business, there will be times that smiling will be difficult, especially when you are not the kind of person that smiles a lot. Fortunately, smiling can be learned. Yes, you can train yourself to smile often, make it an intentional effort until it becomes a habit, a part of you. Fake it ‘til you make it. Practice smiling even though you do not feel like doing it; after all, it does not cost anything to do so.
Here’s how you can practice being a ‘smiley’ person:
- Watch funny movies or short video clips.
- Spend more time around happy people.
- Surround yourself with sticky notes to remind you to smile each time you see it, for instance, on your work desk, your mirror, or in your car.
- Set an alarm to remind you to stretch your facial muscle and get smiling every hour.
Some of these may sound funny, but they are guaranteed to work.
Remember that smiling is contagious. It has the power to pass positive energy to those who will receive it, so working on it is definitely something worthwhile. Once you have mastered the art of smiling, use it to improve your communication style. This will positively help in generating more sales and successful business deals with other people.
The smile on your face attracts a happy feeling and fosters trustworthiness, leading to being productive and a better business leader.
Regardless of whether you are doing a business-to-business or business-to-customers, a smile is proven to be an effective technique for communicating with clients, employees, and business partners. A strategy as simple as smiling can go a long way towards business continuity and success.
