I’m back from vacation and ready to share some interesting information about body language and the impact you can or cannot have… This week, I was on the train to Birmingham and came across this content (see the image below). I believe they checked the box for diversity and inclusion but did not consider body language at all!
Note: Context is vital for all body language reading
The following are the body language signals and their possible meanings in this marketing/ad content:
Hands on hips – A display of dominance and confidence – ready for action. Or it could be ‘things aren’t how I want them/I have issues’…
Back towards someone – When someone turns their back on you, it could mean that they don’t want to talk to you anymore. It can also mean that you are angry or upset.
Female – Genuine smiles and eye contact with the viewer create an emotional connection.
Arms folded – This does not always imply defensiveness, but most people believe it does, so I would avoid this pose.
Posed/Deliberate smile – A missed opportunity, as lab research and ecologically validated studies, show that genuine smiles get three times the engagement!
You’ve probably heard the expression “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and as humans, we definitely pay attention to images before words, so the images you use for your brand and business are important because they send a message to the consumer.
While there is no “wrong” body language, some cues can be linked to negative emotions or levels of discomfort, and you may be sending an emotional message that isn’t intended and won’t resonate with your audience.
Body Language for Business & Marketing
How often do you hold meetings with your team or external people for various different reasons? I did a little digging on this topic and here are my results;
The average is 8 meetings per week across all employee types and company sizes. 10 meetings per week for all employees above junior level. 12 meetings per week for executive management and higher. That’s a lot of meetings per month!
Last week, while waiting for one of my meetings to begin, I took the opportunity to do some people-watching in the cafe where my meeting was scheduled.
I overheard an evaluation of an employee’s performance at work on the table next to where I sat (along with people watching, I also eavesdrop, which helps with the context).
For context; The man is the manager, and the girl is an employee.
His words and tone were encouraging, and he gave excellent advice, BUT his body language was a major failure in this interaction.
Here’s why the manager’s body language let him down:
– His arm across his body is a barrier
– He is leaning away from her
– His body is turned away from her, and he looks like he wants to run (where the feet point is where the body wants to go – fact)
Employee body language is spot on, and here’s why:
– She is facing directly towards him
– She’s alert and focused on what he has to say
– Her body language is open and even her cup wasn’t being used as a barrier
The body language of a manager can convey a lot to team members and even influence their behaviour and performance. What message do you think this young lady got from her manager’s body language?
As managers and business leaders or someone that is holding at least 8 meetings a week, your body language matters a lot!
Other Stuff…
I’m working with Katie Hart MSc Neuro Marketer, and Justin Howard of Blue Billboard Ltd, and we are in the middle of a research experiment to understand the impact of targeted emotional advertising – watch this space for the results!
If our hypothesis is correct, this will have a massive impact on the marketing and advertising industry.
Next week I’ll be speaking on behalf of Venues of Excellence and Academic Venue Solutions Midlands Showcase. I’ll be demonstrating how body language plays a vital role in the hospitality sector and the massive uplifts in spend once the front of house teams optimise their body language and understand their visitors better than ever before.
See you in a few weeks with more body language for brands and businesses. Feel free to drop me a message if you have anything specific you’d like my help on.