Little Gesture – Big Upside

I just re-read a great book on body language.  A lot of it is the basic stuff most of us as salespeople know, but I picked up an interesting nuance I think is worth sharing.
 
We know that a prospect who is sitting and listening with his arms crossed probably means he is not being receptive, but did you know that there is a bit of a chicken/egg technique we can use to open him up?  It goes like this.
 
Reach over and hand the other person something . . . could be a graphic or even a glass of water.
 
Evidently, much like the idea that merely the physical act of smiling into a mirror can change our brainwaves, simply getting the prospect to break his physical posture for a moment and open up to receive something can also help open up his mind a bit. 
 
I know . . . sounds like a stretch . . . but the research can prove it, and as a salesperson, I want to know any and every technique I can use to break down barriers and get a fair hearing of my value proposition.
 
Remember, over 50% of our perceptions of other people are generated by nonverbal cues. We should not take them lightly.