Legal Marketing Blog

Lately, I’ve been trying harder to do a better job of looking people in the eye when I talk with them. It seems that they in turn are more attentive and appreciate the effort to focus on them.

Bruce Allen over on the Marketing Catalyst blog has a post this week about how “a simple thing like eye contact” makes all the difference in how it makes one feel. It really can make a person feel like they are the “most important person in the room at that moment.”

It may not be the easiest skill to pick up, if you are new at concentrating on making eye contact, but I agree with Bruce that “you will be amazed at how quickly you gain new friends and business allies."

Great point on eye contact. The opposite is also true. If someone won't look yo in the eye, they're not seen as trustworthy.

Likewise, staring someone down is potentially intimidating.

We coach clients to "have intent" when they look at someone. It may be an intention of "listening" or "question" or "understanding", but intent is the key.

Practice "intent" with eye contact, and people will definitely think that they're important to you. Prospects become clients, and clients become evangelists for you.

Good eye contact and a firm handshake -- a winning combination.

If you have questions about your handshake (Dead Fish? Belligerent Bone Crusher? Fingertips Only?), practice with a friend.

Good eye contact not only shows that you could be trustworthy, but it also shows that you are paying attention! Have you heard of the expression “all eyes on me” well if I am doing business with you, that’s what I’d like to see.