Smile and Dial Recruiting

Salespeople often get told to “smile and dial” early in their careers.They’re given this advice because prospecting is the part of the sales process most people don’t enjoy.It’s also the part of the recruiting process hiring managers tend to avoid.Since it must be done, does it really help to smile while you’re making calls?More than you might imagine.Smiling has been proven to reduce stress, lower your heart rate, and help you feel more relaxed when you’re doing something that makes you nervous.Even if you’re faking a smile (which most people have to do when prospecting), researchers found you’ll still experience the smiling benefits.Mustering the motivation to make the dials is important, but the benefits don’t stop there.Smiling also helps your recruiting prospects feel less defensive, and it’s the foundation for building a quick rapport.But here’s the interesting part of smile research:Smiling can be “heard” by the person to which you’re directing your smile—even if they can’t see your face.So many of the in-person benefits of smiling are also experienced over the phone.The old saying is true–when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.Especially those you’re trying to recruit.