Do you have what it takes to close the sale? You’ve established a relationship with a prospect –

maybe through email or on the phone. You might have been in front of them to give a presentation. To move to the next level, your interactions require more than understanding the product or service you’re selling. They  require the right interpersonal skills. In his post for Hubspot​.com, Kevin Smith, of Richardson Sales Training, recently highlighted 6 skills you need in order to succeed.

Presence

Human beings don’t just communicate verbally. During face-​to-​face interactions, we pay attention to nonverbal cues. Your prospect is noticing, at some level, how you conduct yourself. They pay attention to details like whether you cross your arms during the conversation. They notice if you don’t make eye contact. When you speak confidently and sit or stand with your arms uncrossed, you put your prospect at ease. Practice this behavior with co-​workers and friends until it feels natural to you.

Relating

Prospects also want to feel they are being understood. You are there to sell a solution to a problem they’re having. In your mind, all prospects have the same problem that will be solved when they buy your product. In their minds, they are the only ones who have this problem. It’s impacting them in unique ways. Maybe they can’t reach their own sales goal because they’re having trouble tracking inventory. Or their customers are constantly complaining that they’re not getting fast enough answers to their questions.

You know your product will help them with these problems. But you shouldn’t start out by making that bold statement. You also should refrain from talking about another customer who solved the same problem by buying your product.

Instead, start the conversation by acknowledging the prospect’s problem. You might ask them if these problems are keeping them up at night or are ruining their golf game. This approach shows you know what it’s like to have a tough business problem. Tell the prospect you’re sorry they’re experiencing these problems. Expressing empathy in this way builds rapport.

Establishing presence and building rapport are just two of the critical skills Smith discusses in his post. Read his other suggestions and apply them to your sales practices. Being mindful of how you interact with prospects will help you close more sales.