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N ot a m e m b e r ? J o i n at a s so c iate d h a i rp rofe s sio n a ls .c o m 65 YOU'VE HEARD IT TIME AND AGAIN: Communication is vital to your career. But what about the forms of nonverbal communication between you and your client? Estimates vary, but according to the old "rule" of communication, you can expect that 7 percent of your communication is verbal, 38 percent is your tone of voice, and 55 percent is your body language. 1 That means 93 percent of your interactions with a client aren't what you say, but rather how you say it and how your body looks when you say it. It's the way you smile when guests walk in; it's the way they shift nervously during a consultation; it's the way they maintain eye contact with you when they're checking out at the end of a great service. If you ignore these cues, you might miss out on developing a lasting relationship with a client. You need to understand not only what a client's body language means but also how you can improve your body language as a hair professional. While not all nonverbal communication is conscious (like nail biting or leg shaking), some forms can be performed consciously so you can get the most of your interactions with clients—and so you can keep them returning. WHY IS NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION SO IMPACTFUL? No matter if you're an employee, a booth renter, or a private business owner, understanding body language can help you attract and keep clients. According to 2022 research on the health-care community, being aware of body language can help provide doctors with more access to their patients, resulting in better involvement, compliance, and results. 2 The same can be said for hair professionals. If you know how to read client body language, you can ne-tune your approach to the entire session. But your skills at reading body language and shifting your own body language go beyond crafting successful sessions. According to scientists at Stanford University, "Nonverbal cues can indicate a person's ability to learn and the strength of their creative skills." 3 In other words, being aware of your body language could help you learn more, be more creative as a professional, and better your career in the long term. Types of Nonverbal Communication Smiling and frowning are the most obvious forms of nonverbal communication to convey a person's emotional state. But there are many forms of nonverbal communication beyond that. Here are the most common types to be aware of: • Eye contact: This includes the way you look at people, how long you hold eye contact, if you don't make eye contact, and the presence of eye signals (such as eye rolling or side-eye). • Distance: Everyone has a personal bubble that varies in size depending on the social situation and the person they're interacting with.