638. Expert Interview: Does Your Body Language Turn Clients Off?

Cindy Ashton

Cindy Ashton is the CEO of Speaker Stardom Booking Agency, an elite-level presentation strategist, professional speaker, singer, and national TV host of Cindy Uncorked! With twenty years of experience, she is an authority on presentation skills, speaking voice, body language, content delivery, and leadership presence. Canadian-born, Cindy lives in the United States under a green card for a person of “extraordinary ability” and is considered to be in the top one percent in her field of training, speaking, and performing. She has received awards from former President Obama and Queen Elizabeth II for her lifetime of volunteerism, and has appeared in multiple media including Investment News and Inc. Magazine.

Does Your Body Language Turn Clients Off?

“We all have stress and stressors. How we handle the stress that is always present in our bodies impacts our body posture and our voice, though we are often unaware of its presence. To make sure you are in the zone, presenting your authentic self—whether in a sales conversation, networking, on stage or in any part of your business—there are several specific physical things you can do.”

Why Is This Important?

“Sometimes even the best coaching in public speaking and self-confidence is unwittingly counterproductive. Focusing only on posture and delivery—without addressing our internal stress or unconscious tension—can cause us to come across as aggressive and unengaging, even emotionally unavailable. Several simple and specific breathing techniques and yoga exercises, practiced consistently, can help you communicate from a deeper, more authentic place. One of them can even release a hormone—your own ‘love drug’—that will increase your magnetism without your listeners even realizing it.”

What Are the Key Lessons Learned Here?

Through years of living with constant pain, today’s expert guest has distilled techniques that work in changing your body language, voice quality and even your physical presence. They are changes that come from the inside out, and they’re based on something we do every minute of every day: breathing.