Good salesmanship is about subtle persuasion. So if you feel like you’re being sold to, you can bet your guard is going to go up.

Just think about the last time this has happened to you. Whether it was at a clothing store, a telemarketer or a buying experience for your job.

Any hint of pressure or what we consider “salesy” behavior would instantly put you off. This is why Peter Thiel suggests the best sales are hidden.

However, there are things that can be done to open up your prospect too. Subtle non-verbal cues that if executed properly will make people much more likely to engage and much more interested to hear your message.

Today I’ll be sharing a few with you. All of these cues are non-verbal and have to do with voice tonality.

Especially on the first call, when you’re cold calling someone, it’s essential to use the voice that you’d use when speaking to your best friend. First impressions matter, and if your voice tonality conveys warmth and affection the person on the other line will receive it as such.

By the way, nearly everyone cold calling right now is NOT good at this. Most people cold calling someone for the first time either portray an overconfidence / exuberance that is off-putting or sound so nervous that no one in their right mind would take them seriously.

Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm. If you sound excited about your product when you speak about it you’re more likely to keep your audience engaged. That’s one of the major reasons Tony Robbins is the most successful speaker in the world.

Now I’m not saying you have to emulate Tony Robbins or the Shazam guy, but you should be a blend between enthusiastic and professional when going over your product.

This is a different energy than the other three, and in my opinion the one you’ll want to use most. It’s a still yet powerful way of speaking. You sound and look like you’re just delivering the facts, plain as day. The message you’re conveying is that I’m an expert and possess the information that will help you achieve your goals.

Now, in addition to the voice tonality. It comes from having a sense of preparedness. That means knowing your product inside and out, all of the features, the benefits, the tech specs. It also means knowing your prospect and their challenges inside and out. That means researching before hand and doing a deep discovery.

Here’s an example of what I mean when mentioning control and authority, even if we may not agree with the message: