A State as defined in NLP is ” your actual condition ( emotional, physical and mental), appropriate or otherwise, at any particular moment.”

One of the greatest challenges we face in sales is managing our internal ability to be in a powerful, receptive and energetic state when we are talking to or meeting with clients.

Peripheral Awareness is a process through which you can notice everything that is going on around you and inside you in a way that will relax you and relax your client.

Soft eyes is one of the techniques that you can practice that will enhance your ability to expand your attention and help in difficult circumstances. In most sales situations we are self focused or have tunnel awareness which closes down our ability to view the sales call more resourcefully.

1. First you will want to simply practice your peripheral vision by being aware of what is above you and beside you. You’ll want to do this by looking straight ahead without moving your eyes left or right or up. Once you master this you will be able to sense more about your clients without ever breaking eye contact.
2. Most of our day is spent using foveal vision which is that part of the eye which can focus on small things such as threading a needle or looking at a computer screen ( tunnel awareness).
3. Soft eyes combines foveal and peripheral vision by allowing us to see detail as well as what is happening in the wider perspective. We can still focus on the color of someone’s eyes and see our interaction as if we were observing it in a large picture. Using the soft eyes technique you become more relaxed and it becomes easier to have a meaningful connection.
4. Practice looking at someone and being aware of a point about three feet behind them and then look at their face. This will alternate between peripheral and foveal vision and start you down the right path. We do this naturally when we drive as we focus on the road and also are aware of the landscape and cars beside us in a defocused way.
5. Clients will naturally relax when you relax with the soft eyes method. As you practice it, one of the benefits will be that internal dialogue will become less negative. Soft eyes can inhibit stress, procrastination, and anxiety. Would that help you connect and close better?