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All in favor, say “eye!”

Do your products have tangible features? If so, when you refer to a smooth surface, a piece of decorative hardware or a distinctive design, where does your eye contact go?

It should go, directly to the product features you’re referencing.

When your eye contact is directed toward the product’s feature or even a word or picture that describes that feature on a page, your customer is also drawn to your line of sight. This draws attention to or highlights only the feature you want to emphasize.

And then, when you deliver the benefit(s) of that feature (even for an intangible product or service) — and with the aid of a translation or conversion phrase like “what this means to you is...” or “where do you think your eye contact goes now?” — look directly to your customer’s right eye! Yeap, only their right eye! Why?

Because it’s impossible to look somebody in both eyes! Try it. You’ll end up bleary eyed, cross-eyed or simply perched on the bridge of their nose.

Therefore, to communicate the benefits in a persuasive, sincere and profitable manner, deliver them to one eye.

Remember, you’re always doing more than selling a product or service. Ideally, you’re also building a relationship.

Several years ago on a flight to Texas, I met a woman from Broken Arrow, Ok. She told me she was a sales trainer for a company specializing in finger nail designs for both men and women.

When I asked, “What’s unique about training manicurists?” she responded, “How many professions do you know of, where you literally get the opportunity to hold your client’s hand?!”

Whether you label it handholding, personalized attention, customer focus or goodwill, you should be translating not only the features of your product or service, but also your value and ability to serve a client for the long term.

Paradox power!

According to my friend, John Blumberg (a talented speaker and author) there’s power in a paradox.

Like “Less is more,” “Perfection is imperfect” or “The faster I go, the further behind I get.”

John believes a paradox calls you below the surface to an adventure of flip-flops and opposites. Over the years, he has collected hundreds of examples.

Each paradox, despite its simplicity, offers wisdom and practical insights to open our eyes to what’s happening below the surface in relationships, problem solving, strategic planning or how we see and experience life.

For example:

The only thing that stays the same is change.

Without the storm there would be no rainbow.

Silence speaks volumes.

The slow and steady win the race.

Blind faith.

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Taking time is giving time.

For more fun and powerful paradoxes, or a parable of hope (John’s new book, “Silent Alarm”) take a peek at www.keynoteconcepts.com.

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Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to www.jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.