Can You Sell Me This Pen? Improve Your Selling Skills With The Psychology Of Nonverbal Expressiveness

Can You Sell Me This Pen? Improve Your Selling Skills with the Psychology of Nonverbal Expressiveness

You walk into a clothing store and two salespeople approach you.
The first stands stiffly upright, speaks in a flat monotone, and keeps his arms at his sides.
The second smiles naturally, uses hand gestures while showing different pieces, and varies her tone of voice as she talks about the new collection.

Which salesperson leaves a stronger impression? 

Research by Sandra Pauser and Udo Wagner suggests that customers tend to perceive expressive salespeople as more charismatic and persuasive. Even subtle differences in facial expressions, body language, and vocal delivery can shape how customers experience a sales interaction.

 

The Psychology Behind Expressive Selling

In their study, the researchers examined how nonverbal expressiveness influences customer reactions during sales presentations. Using facial recognition software, voice analysis tools, and detailed body-language coding systems, they tracked how salespeople communicated throughout a presentation.

The results were clear: expressiveness across the face, voice, and body was associated with higher levels of perceived charisma. The effect extended beyond the salesperson alone. Customers also developed more positive attitudes toward the product itself.

One interesting aspect of the study is that the researchers looked at charisma as something dynamic rather than fixed, analyzing how customers responded to changing expressions, gestures, and vocal cues throughout the presentation, in real time.

The psychology behind this is surprisingly powerful. Humans are highly sensitive to emotional signals from others. We automatically pick up cues from facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice, and these signals shape how we experience social interactions.

Don't Underestimate Your Sales Team's Power

Many retailers focus heavily on product quality, pricing, and store design, while overlooking one of the most influential parts of the customer experience: the salesperson.

In this study, perceived charisma was associated with: more positive product attitudes, stronger purchase intentions, and higher willingness to recommend products to others.

In other words, it is not only what salespeople say that matters, but also how they say it.

The Face of a Strong Sales Interaction

Facial expressions turned out to be more important than many organizations may realize. The research found that presenters rated most positively by customers smiled more often. However, overly exaggerated expressions can feel forced rather than authentic. Customers respond best to expressions that feel natural and sincere.

Head Orientation and Customer Engagement

Even small nonverbal behaviors influenced customer reactions. Salespeople who oriented their head directly toward customers and used natural head movements were often perceived as more engaged and charismatic.

These subtle signals help maintain attention and create a stronger sense of connection during conversations.

Gestures Help Reinforce the Message

Another important element involved so-called “illustrators” (gestures that visually support what a salesperson is saying).

For example: pointing toward product features, showing size or shape with the hands, or reinforcing benefits through movement.

Open and supportive gestures helped presentations feel more dynamic and persuasive than closed postures with limited movement.

Vocal Delivery Shapes Perception

Body language was not the only factor influencing customer impressions. Vocal expressiveness also played an important role. Salespeople who varied their: pitch, volume, and speaking pace, were generally perceived as more dynamic and charismatic than those who spoke in a flat or monotonous manner.

The Surprising Effect of Subtle Negative Emotions

One of the more unexpected findings was that mild negative expressions could sometimes have a positive effect.

Subtle signs of frustration or assertiveness (for example when discussing the weaknesses of a competing product) appeared to make customers take the presentation more seriously.

However, nuance is important here. The effect only worked when these expressions remained mild and controlled within an otherwise neutral or positive presentation. Strong displays of anger or negativity had the opposite effect and reduced positive impressions.

Different Products Require Different Energy

The impact of expressiveness also depended on the type of product being sold.

For hedonic products (products associated with pleasure, enjoyment, or self-expression, such as fashion, fitness, or luxury goods), expressive body language had a particularly strong influence.

For more utilitarian products, such as financial or administrative services, a more restrained and professional communication style appeared to work better than highly animated behavior.

What Businesses Can Learn

The research highlights how strongly nonverbal communication shapes the way customers evaluate both salespeople and products.

For retail and sales teams, practical takeaways include:

• using natural facial expressions,
• maintaining active customer orientation,
• incorporating supportive hand gestures,
• varying vocal delivery,
• and adapting communication style to the product and customer context.

At the same time, the findings emphasize the importance of authenticity. Expressiveness appears to work best when it feels natural, credible, and appropriate to the situation.