One of the changes
some leaders believe
will stay with us
for at least a year
(or until the vaccine is ready)
is
the wearing of masks.
The purpose of masks
is to put a barrier
between yourself
and the other person.
This is exactly
what we DON’T want to do
as salespeople.
The majority of communication
is non-verbal
and the face is often
the key body part
for this communication.
We like to see expressions.
That puts us
at ease
with another person.
Prospects/customers
are more likely to
buy products/services
from salespeople
they feel comfortable with.
Medical staff
in some hospitals
have tried to offset
this impersonal touch
by pinning photos
of them smiling
to their uniforms.
Some retail stores
are branding their masks
or allowing employees
to display their personalities.
A delivery driver
for a comic book store
might wear a mask
with her favorite comic book character
on it, for example.
I suspect
some clever business builder
will craft masks
that are safe
yet
see-through.
Think about
how you would like
your salespeople
or yourself
to deal with the challenge
of wearing masks.
And acknowledge
this WILL be a challenge.
Consider offering training
to your salespeople,
teaching them
how to build trust
without using facial expressions
or shaking hands.