Do I Approach Business with the Right Posture?

When I ask this question, I'm much more concerned about the mental aspect of posture than the physical aspect.  However, your physical posture (body language) is very important when someone meets you for the first time.  A 'first impression' is very important, and it must truly portray who you really are.  When you approach someone, you must walk with confidence.  To me, that means an upright walk that shows you are confident in what you do.  You must walk with a purpose in mind, not aimlessly.

The mental aspect of posture is much more important.  Again, it must portray the "real you."  You must believe:

• In yourself
• In what you promote (products)
• In the Company you represent
• The Business (Industry)

Posture is about confidence and self belief, not about how busy you are.

If you don't have strong beliefs, your doubt will show when you stutter when you speak, or when you try to justify everything you say.  You may stutter as you speak, because you are nervous or excited about the opportunity, but that will come out differently than stuttering because you have doubt.  When you truly speak with posture, you will speak with confidence that what you are saying is fact, and you know it without a doubt.  

Posture IS NOT acting like you are busy, by placing people on hold when you are speaking with them on the phone, or by planning to have someone call you when you are in the middle of a business presentation so you appear to be 'in demand.'

Consider a telemarketer that has called you in the past and it was obvious that they were reading a script.  If you tried to interrupt them while they were reading, they became confused, or  lost their place.  They may have ignored you and continued reading.  It was obvious that they were just reading a script they didn't understand.  But, if you asked that telemarketer a question and they were quick to respond with a valid statement, then continue, you would know that they have been doing this for a while and are confident in what they are doing (posture).

When you are brand new at a job or business, you will have to develop posture.  It comes with experience.  When you first begin, you posturing will be different, typically approaching someone with excitement about something.  If you are brand new, no one should expect you to have a strong posture.  It is better that you are totally honest with them and tell them that "I just started my own business and I am very excited about the potential ...".  If you are brand new as a phone support person, you should have enthusiasm about what you are doing, but if you are asked a question for which you don't know the answer, let them know, like "I am brand new at this and I haven't dealt with that before, but I will get you an answer, so please hold."  When you are straight with people, that builds are stronger relationship than if it is obvious to them that you are acting very different.

Portraying posture is very important when you have been involved in the same thing for a while.  If you are not "sold" on what you are doing, then you need to reevaluate why you don't have the confidence you should have and start working to fix that.  If 'fear' is the problem, the best thing to overcome fear is action.  Put yourself out in front of people enough times until you are comfortable doing it.