School Fundraising: Applying Body Language

Nonverbal cues can sometimes speak our emotions more accurately than the words themselves. You may be able to think of a time you were extremely bogged down at work and someone asked a favor of you. As your mouth was saying, “Yes, of course,” your head was shaking in the “no” direction. Your partner may have taken advantage of the preferred words, but that doesn’t mean your head nod went unnoticed.

It is just as important for your child to be aware of body language, the same way you must be as a grown adult. Your child will most likely be interacting with many adults and could send the wrong message. On the positive side, actively being aware of our nonverbal cues can help the sale go much smoother.

It is a good idea to be aware of the nonverbal cues to avoid. If you see your child using these motions repetitively, you may want to address it and practice new habits.

Nonverbal gestures and language to avoid:

• Crossing arms while in conversation – this is typically a closed off stance that can show disinterest.
• Moving eyes away from speaker- wandering eyes can be distracting while rolling eyes can be offensive.
• Sitting with legs pointed away from speaker – this may be a sign of discomfort
• Resting hands on the face – closes off the face and could be interpreted as low confidence.
• Placing hands on hips – this can be an aggressive pose.

New habits to start:

• Keeping arms by side and using hand motions – this shows the customer you and engaged and interested.
• Maintaining eye contact – this shows you are focused and listening.
• Sit toward the speaker – this shows you are comfortable in the surroundings.
• Keep hands folded in lap or as tools to emphasize speech – still hands shows you are concentrating on the speaker’s words. Engaged hands show you are expressive and friendly.

If your child does have a habit of placing hands on the hips, help find a pose that is more natural and age appropriate. If standing, one option is holding hands behind the body. This shows your child is not afraid of the situation. Even that pose, though, can be a little more informal than most elders are used to. A good practice is when not using the hands to emphasize or express, keep them folded in the lap or to the side when standing.

We are now well under way to becoming better presenters, better fundraisers, and better communicators.

"School Fundraising for Mommies" is under development through MommiesLine.com. The book covers how mommies can help their children master the art of sales through their school fundraising experiences by developing planning, selling, and networking skills.

Also, to celebrate women philanthropists and learn more about “School Fundraising for Mommies” tune into the Mommiesline.com radio program on March 17, 2008. The program will be available online.