Safe Phone Sales

Smile – the person on the phone is watching

I was asked if there was any data to support the common advice for phone sales people to smile while they are talking. I have seen telesales people put mirrors on their desks, to check themselves as they speak. It seems the rule is you sound as happy (or sad) as you look – and another person on the phone can “hear” your emotions. Think of saying “Happy Birthday!” with a frown.

The best data I have is from Mehrabian and his "7%-38%-55% Rule" which states that, in situations where your communication contains ambiguity (when your words do not match your expressions, for instance, or, when the receiver does not see and hear you, as on the phone) a message is weighted and interpreted using words (7% of meaning)-Tone of voice(38%)- Gestures(55%).

In phone or web presentations, when gestures are eliminated from the equation, the significance of words increases to 13%. Tone of Voice picks up the reminder 87% of the message.

So the assumption is: if you are smiling when you speak, the audience will "hear" that gesture in your tone of voice. The research tells us that tone and gestures are more important than the words you use, when the audience cannot see your gestures or facial expressions, or your delivery is incongruent and you seem to saying one thing but tone and gestures are saying something else.

Mehrabian’s research is applicable to communicating emotions. Data communication may be different, and there is a debate whether Mehrabian's research applies to "non-emotional" communication.

I suggest that all communication is emotional. The audience is looking to the speaker when they evaluate whether to accept the data or not. If the presenter sounds skeptical, even the most solid data will be suspect. Likewise, if the speaker is congruent in their words, tone and gestures, even the most suspect data will more likely be accepted (global warming, anyone?)

It becomes more likely that the receiver will trust the predominant form of communication, which to Mehrabian's findings is non-verbal (38 + 55 %), rather than the literal meaning of the words (7 %).

Why would I believe you, and do what you are asking, if I infer that you are not being honest or forthright – if your Intent is suspect?