When feeling insecure during a sales interaction, a powerful tactic is to consciously slow your pace, pause, and ask the prospect a question. This simple action prevents you from transferring your insecurity to the buyer through nervous body language or rushed speech. It provides a moment to regain composure and shifts the focus.

Research shows the key to a trustworthy smile isn't showing teeth but engaging upper cheek muscles, creating eye crinkles. This “real smile” is contagious, making others feel happier, whereas a fake smile evokes no emotional change. This is crucial for profile photos or first impressions.

Trust isn't just an emotion; it can be built methodically. First, use repeated exposure to move from being a stranger to a known entity. Second, before making a key point, establish a baseline of shared values to create an environment of agreement.

Remote work eliminates spontaneous "water cooler" moments crucial for building trust through non-verbal cues. To compensate, leaders should intentionally dedicate the first five minutes of virtual meetings to casual, personal conversation. This establishes a human connection before discussing work, rebuilding lost rapport.

Proper etiquette isn't just about politeness; it's a practical skill for managing stress and projecting calm confidence in high-stakes environments. This mindset helps you appear more trustworthy and approachable, preventing you from seeming desperate or transactional.

Your attire is a powerful non-verbal cue. Dressing appropriately for the customer's environment—whether a farm or a boardroom—is a sign of respect. It demonstrates you understand their world and that the relationship is about them, not your personal style, which is crucial for building initial trust.

During negotiations or high-stakes conversations, observe hand gestures. Confident individuals spread their fingers, occupying more territory and signaling comfort. Fearful or anxious people do the opposite: their fingers come together, and in extreme cases, their thumbs tuck in as a self-protective measure.

Your physical energy is a key non-verbal signal of competence and reliability. Potential hires, investors, and partners subconsciously assess your energy to gauge if you can deliver on promises. Low energy can communicate untrustworthiness, causing you to lose high-caliber opportunities.

An analysis of 495 "Shark Tank" pitches revealed a key differentiator for success: hand visibility. The best pitchers immediately used hand gestures, often a wave, upon entering. Hiding hands is a primitive cue for distrust, making it difficult for an audience to feel safe and trust you.