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🧍Sales Presence & Body LanguageIntermediate· 4 min read

Hand gestures and movement

Hidden hands hide intent. Open hands open the deal.

Combine fundamentals with timing and read.

The rule. Visible hands signal honesty. Hands in pockets, under the table, or behind the back trigger ancient "what are you hiding?" wiring.

Four high-trust gestures.

  1. Palms-up open — when you make an offer or ask a question.
  2. Steepling (fingertips touching) — when you state a fact you stand behind. Use sparingly; it reads as confident.
  3. Counting on fingers — for lists ("Three things make this work…"). Adds memorability.
  4. Mirroring — subtly match the buyer's gesture rhythm at 50–70% intensity.

Three gestures that kill trust.

  • Pointing at the buyer — aggressive.
  • Chopping motions — confrontational.
  • Self-touching (face, neck, hair) — anxiety tell. Buyers read it instantly.

On video. Keep gestures inside the frame, hands above keyboard. Off-camera hands look like you're typing notes about them.

Key takeaway. Gestures are punctuation for your words. Open and deliberate beats fast and frantic.

Mini drill

Pick one gesture per call to use deliberately (e.g., palms-up at the offer). Notice if the buyer's hands open in return.

Flashcards
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Practice out loud

Drill this lesson in Voice Gym

Say it out loud and get scored on confidence, tone, pacing, and delivery.

Drill out loud
Sources & further reading
  1. BookChris VossNever Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It (2016)

    FBI hostage negotiator's playbook — labeling, mirrors, calibrated questions.

    https://www.blackswanltd.com/never-split-the-difference
  2. BookAlbert MehrabianSilent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes (1971)

    Origin of the 7%-38%-55% rule (often misquoted) — words/tone/body weights.

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