How can you use proximity to create urgency and close more deals?

2 How to use proximity in face-to-face sales

In face-to-face sales, you can use proximity to enhance your verbal message and create a positive impression. Respect your prospect's personal space and observe their body language to gauge their comfort level. Adjust your proximity according to the stage of the sales process and the goal of the interaction. For instance, in the early stages when building rapport, you may want to keep a moderate distance and avoid being too pushy or intrusive. In later stages, when presenting a solution or closing a deal, you may want to reduce the distance to create urgency and exclusivity. Additionally, use proximity to create contrast and variety in your presentation. Move closer to show enthusiasm and excitement or move away to create suspense and curiosity. You can also use proximity to emphasize the benefits of your solution or the risks of not taking action.

3 How to use proximity in online sales

In online sales, you can use proximity to influence your prospect's perception and behavior. To do this effectively, adjust your camera angle and position to show more or less of your face and body, depending on the purpose and tone of your video call or presentation. Additionally, you can use your voice and gestures to convey proximity and emotion. Utilize a louder and faster voice to show urgency and excitement or a softer and slower voice to show empathy and sincerity. Furthermore, you can use visual aids and interactive tools such as images, videos, graphs, polls, quizzes, chat boxes, or screen sharing to create proximity and engagement with your prospect. This will involve them in the conversation and get their feedback.

4 How to avoid proximity pitfalls

Proximity can be a powerful tool for sales success, but it can also backfire if used incorrectly or inappropriately. To ensure success, it is important to respect your prospect's personal space and preferences, be consistent and congruent with your proximity and verbal and nonverbal communication, and be aware of your prospect's proximity cues and reactions. Additionally, you must match your proximity with your tone, mood, and intention to reinforce and complement your message. Failing to do so can make your prospect feel uncomfortable, annoyed, or disinterested; damage your credibility and trustworthiness; confuse or distract them; undermine your message and rapport; or make you miss important signals and opportunities.

5 How to practice and improve your proximity skills

Proximity is a skill that can be improved with practice and experience. To do so, observe how others use proximity in different sales scenarios and contexts. This will help you understand how to create urgency, rapport, and trust and close more deals. Experiment with different levels of proximity in your own interactions and ask for feedback from prospects, colleagues, or mentors. Additionally, record and review your own sales presentations and calls to identify strengths and weaknesses. This will help you analyze how you use proximity and how it impacts communication and persuasion.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?