How can I increase my persuasivness through touch?

Handshakes:
In business, touch is the quickest way to establish personal rapport. A study on handshakes found that people are twice as likely to remember you if you shake hands with them.

Touch Effect:
show support, sympathy, or gratitude adds the personal warmth to our communication.

Make the touch light and short, only long enough to establish a positive, nonverbal signal; limit contact to the HANDS, ARMS, SHOULDER BACK.

Compliance Effect:
Touch the shoulder if sitting, back of upper arm if standing when asking for a favour.
Research shows that a touch as short as one fortieth of a second will increase that other person's willingness to help.

Comminication Credibility:
Touch the listener on the forearm to add emphasis to key parts of what you're saying. Because touch is used most often when we believe strongly in what we're saying, touching can subconsciously enhance your credibility.


Start paying attention to the amount of touching that's acceptable in your organization's culture. Notice who the touchers are and the positive or negative responses they get. You may be amazed to discover how much touch plays a part in your daily work life.