The importance of speech structure in professional sales

Whether dealing with a potential new client or finalising a sale with a repeat vendor, small details still remain an important part of an agent's overall appearance.

This is especially true for speech, as ambiguous phrasing, stammered words or uncertain pauses can be interpreted as having different meanings by different people.

For some, a long pause is seen as a polite part of conversation, giving the other person the time they need to produce a considered response - however, others may see and extended silence as a sign of disapproval or doubt.

While it is often cited that up to 80 per cent of communication occurs through body language alone, real estate training shows that a disconnect between the speech used by a professional and their demeanour can have an adverse effect on vendors' confidence.

For these reasons it is important for agents and salespeople to be aware of their audience's background and preferences, as well as how their own mental state can impact on their capacity for free-flowing dialogue.

Taking note of pauses, corrections and speed of patter is an intelligent place to start, as these can be interpreted by the listener as a reasoned conversation, a stumbling attempt at sales or an uninformed professional who is trying to making up for a lack of research with jargon, depending on the surrounding context.