Beyond Technical Skills: How Communication Drives $20,000 Days

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What truly separates average technicians from those consistently bringing in $20,000 days? Contrary to what many believe, it's not experience or technical knowledge—it's masterful communication.

The psychology of technical sales hinges on three critical components. Body language accounts for a staggering 55% of your impact, creating immediate impressions within seven seconds of meeting a customer. Your posture, facial expressions, and positioning silently broadcast your confidence and trustworthiness before you speak a single word. Even subtle microexpressions—fleeting facial movements that happen unconsciously—can make or break customer trust.

Next comes mirroring at 37%, a psychological technique that builds rapid connection without manipulation. By subtly matching a customer's speaking pace, tone, or repeating their key phrases ("I'm just trying to figure this all out" → "trying to figure this all out"), you create neural resonance that deepens trust. This tactical approach transforms skeptical homeowners into collaborative partners.

The final 7% comes down to precise word choice. Weak language patterns ("I think," "hopefully," "this might work") subtly undermine authority, while confident phrasing ("what I recommend is," "this is the best long-term solution") establishes expertise. The "feel, felt, found" framework effectively addresses concerns without creating pressure.

When these three elements work together—proper body language during entry, mirroring during problem assessment, and powerful language during solution presentation—service calls transform from confrontational to collaborative. The result isn't just higher close rates and revenue; it's better workdays for everyone involved.

Ready to elevate your communication skills? Choose one area to focus on for your next five service calls. Track the changes in customer response and watch your results transform. Share your success stories with colleagues and help elevate our entire industry—because in technical service, how you communicate matters more than the wrench in your hand.

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Episode Transcript

Corey Berrier (00:00):
Welcome back to the Successful Life Podcast.
I'm your host, Corey Berrier,and today we're going to dive
deep on something that separatesthe average tech from a high
performer.
It's not how many years you'vebeen in the trade, it's not even
how many tools are on the truck.

(00:21):
It's about how you communicate,and what that means is the way
you carry yourself, the way youconnect with people, and the
words you choose when it mattersmost.
So I've broken this episode upinto three parts.

(00:42):
Today we're going to cover bodylanguage, what your body says
before you open your mouth.
Second, mirroring how to usetactical empathy to build trust
fast.
And, lastly, words that win.
Specific phrases that closejobs and build connection.

(01:06):
That's the stuff that makes a$20,000 day possible.
So let's get started.
Body language is 55% ofcommunication, so we're going to
break down posture, presenceand positioning so you can walk

(01:28):
into a home and instantlyestablish credit.
So some things that we're goingto cover today are standing
tall without lookingintimidating.
Why eye contact builds trustand how much is too much eye
contact.

(01:49):
Open body language versusclosed body language.
Arms, hands, shoulders, how tocarry yourself in the driveway,
the doorway and during thewalkthrough.
Facial expressions the hiddensales tool you didn't know you
were using.
Here's a quick example Walkinginto a job with your arms

(02:13):
crossed, eyebrows raised and nosmile sends a message of
judgment and defensiveness.
You can fix that with openpalms, slight nods and soft eyes
.
So the next thing I want to talkto you about and you may or may

(02:36):
not have heard of this it'scalled microexpressions, and
microexpressions that's whatmakes the first impression.
So we're going to focus on thesmall cues that customers pick
up on the first seven seconds.
I would almost argue that it'sless than seven seconds these

(02:57):
days, because social media clipsare if you don't grab
somebody's attention in thefirst one to three seconds, what
happens?
You keep scrolling.
So what are microexpressions?
Well, that's what your facesays when you're not talking the
eyebrow flash and the subtlesmile combo for building quick

(03:18):
rapport how to physically matchthe mood without being a
freaking weirdo, and why yourhandshake, your stinky breath
and first step all count.
Hopefully you don't have stinkybreath, but if you do, this is

(03:42):
for you.
So you want to match theirenergy.
If they're calm and quiet, youshould be too.
If they're upbeat and energetic.
Reflect that energy.
Customers buy from people whofeel like them, and customers

(04:03):
read you before you ever speak.
Now let me go back for a second.
If someone's irate and they'reupset, they're pissed off.
You don't want to match thatenergy, right?
You want to keep a monotone,cool, calm, collective demeanor,

(04:24):
if you will.
And customers are reading yourbody like a book.
They're scanning for safety,for trust, for authority.
Because, listen, if you'renervous, nervous behavior looks
like to a homeowner pacing,looking down, fidgeting.
And when they feel that itmakes them nervous, you know.

(04:51):
If your shoulders are squaredand you've got a soft face, that
gives people a calm feeling,you look like a calm leader.
And if you're another thing,position yourself and position
your body during conversationthe way you're positioned.

(05:14):
Don't tower over people,because if you tower over people
it makes them feel intimidatedand when you lean forward a
little bit, it shows that you'reinterested in what they have to
say.
So here's a quick scenario whenyou're standing in a hallway
explaining pricing, turn yourbody slightly to avoid a

(05:39):
confrontational stance.
Keep your hands visible, makesoft eye contact.
You're not look, you're notselling, you're guiding that
customer to a decision.
And next I want to talk to youabout something that's going to

(05:59):
feel weird, it's going to feelgimmicky and it's going to feel
salesy, but it's not Mirroring.
You know what is mirroring andwhy does it work?
Well, mirroring is repeatingthe customer's behavior or
language to build subconscioustrust.
It's a psychological judo, ifyou will, and it works.

(06:21):
And you've got to be verysubtle about mirroring.
Now I know you're listening tothis podcast.
You can't see what I'm doing.
But if your customer is sittingback and they're relaxed just
imagine sitting back in a chairand they're relaxed you just
need to sit back in your chairand relax.

(06:43):
If their arms are crossedacross their chest, cross your
arms across your chest.
If their hands are in a steeple, put your hands in a steeple.
But you got to do this subtly.
You can't make knee-jerkdecisions here and knee-jerk
actions, because then it looksweird.
So this is going to takepractice.
So do it with your familymembers, do it with whoever.

(07:06):
That is not going to, you know.
Catch on to this right untilyou get very good at it.
So the psychology of mirroringis neural resonance and comfort,
meaning you make people feelcomfortable when you're
mirroring them because they look, they make them feel like they

(07:29):
are like you and you're likethem.
And there's a difference inverbal and nonverbal mirroring.
Right, there's two differenttypes of mirrors.
Right, I can mirror your bodylanguage, which is nonverbal,
but I can also mirror your toneof voice.
Also mirror your tone of voice.

(07:53):
And mirroring builds connectionwithout manipulation.
So if the customer speaksslowly and softly, so should you
.
If they sit down at the table,ask permission to sit too.

(08:16):
If they say I'm just trying tofigure this all out, you reply
with trying to figure this allout and then pause, let them
talk and let the connectiondeepen.
Let me rephrase that.
Let me say that again If thecustomer says to you I'm just
trying to figure this all out,you reply with trying to figure

(08:41):
this all out, pause, let themtalk, let the connection deepen,
let them talk, let theconnection deepen.
So tactical mirroring in salesconversations.
So how can you effectivelymirror without sounding like a

(09:04):
parent?
The best way to do this, andthe easiest way, is use the last
one to three words in theirsentence.
Notice what I just did a secondago I'm just trying to figure
this all out, trying to figurethis all out, and it opens the
door for more conversation.
Believe me, it also makes thatcustomer feel heard.

(09:27):
It makes them feel like you'relistening to what they're saying
, because you're repeating backthe words they used.
You want to match their pace,their tone and their language.
Mirror emotional states.
It seems like, mr Customer,this is overwhelming.
Mr Customer, this isoverwhelming.

(09:52):
And look, when you mirrorcorrectly, it creates
breakthroughs in trust.
So here's an example Technician, it sounds like you're really
trying to avoid another backupCustomer yeah, I just can't deal
with this again.
Technician, can't deal withthis again.

(10:13):
Customer exactly Last time, itcost me $2,000 in damage.
That's access, that'sconnection, that's trust, and
okay.
So let's talk about mirroring.
Difficult customers, difficultcustomers, are emotionally

(10:34):
charged.
I can't believe you're chargingme $2,500 for this stupid
little thing that took you 25minutes to fix.
Mirroring helps you disarm, notdominate.
So how?
So?
Why?
Mirroring calms reactivecustomers.
I can tell versus you seem,versus you are tone control, how

(10:59):
mirroring de-escalates pricingtension.
Second guess is and I need totalk to my spouse, so here's a
phrase you can use it seems likeyou're frustrated with how this
has gone before.
It seems like you're trying tomake the smartest long-term
decision here.

(11:19):
That's a label plus a mirror,which equals a win.
So the words that we use, thescience behind the words that we
use, tone, pacing and power.
Language.
Words are tools and the rightones build certainty.

(11:40):
The wrong ones raise doubt.
So how tone and word choiceshape perception, all right.
Pacing.
How fast or slow you shouldspeak, voice inflection that
signals leadership.
Now I'm going to use voiceinflection when I say that again

(12:02):
, voice inflection that signalsleadership.
You see how I went really highand then I went really low and
slow.
Words that calm versus wordsthat create pressure.
So here's what you don't want tosay.

(12:23):
Do you want to go ahead withthis?
Opposed to here's a good way tosay it.
Are you ready for us to takecare of this today?
Here's the what.
Not to say this might be yourbest option.
Do you see how this might?
I'm uncertain when I say thismight be the best option.

(12:43):
Opposed to, the right thing tosay would be this is the best
long-term solution for yoursituation.
Is the best long-term solutionfor your situation.

(13:04):
So I'm going to give you somethings that are commonly used
for technicians that absolutelykill trust, and I'm going to
give instead Examples of weaklanguage.
I think, probably, hopefully.
Here's how you can replace the.
I think, probably, hopefully,you can replace it with.
What I recommend is here's whatwe're seeing and what we know

(13:27):
works.
I'm confident this is the rightmove.
Also, by the way, filler words.
I just wanted to.
Maybe that leaks out authority.
It makes it D.

(13:52):
It basically gives you.
It makes you look weak is whatI'm trying to say.
So I'm going to give you someword patterns that win in sales.
So let's get into thepsychology of framing language

(14:19):
Now.
You've probably heard thisbefore and maybe you haven't,
but use the feel, felt, foundframework, which is
permission-based language andthat builds safety.
As an example, would it behelpful if I did X, y, z,
stacking value statements, usingsilence for power?
Here's an example.
What a lot of customers havetold us is they felt unsure at

(14:39):
first, but what they found isthis option solved the issue
permanently.
I'm going to say that again Now.
Notice I use felt and foundhere.
What a lot of customers havetold us is they felt unsure at
first, but what they found isthis option solved the issue

(15:02):
permanently.
So here's how you can combineall three tools in a walkthrough
during a service call, fromarrival to close of sale.
You pull up at a house.
Customer is super skeptical.
Imagine that.
I can't imagine having a superskeptical customer.

(15:25):
I'm joking.
So, super skeptical customer,you're tired, it's the end of
the day, it's Friday or Saturday.
The issue is complicated.
Here's what you want to do,here's what you want to remember
.
You want to write this down.
And if you can't write it downnow, go back and replay this and
write these things down Entryposition and greeting the first

(15:51):
mirroring moment Problempresentation using tactical
labeling, offering the solutionwith confident, value-driven
language, navigating objectionswithout pressure.
So here's your challenge forthe week.

(16:15):
Pick one area to focus on,whether it be body language or
mirroring, or word choice.
If it was up to me, I'm goingto go with body language, which
is 55%.
Next go with tonality is 37%,which is the mirroring portion,
and then 7% is the word that youuse.

(16:35):
But practice it on everyservice call for the next five
days, take notes on what changes, how customers respond, how you
feel, and watch how it shiftsyour close rates.
Bring those stories back, sharethem with the team, help your
other team members, because inthis business, it's not just the

(16:56):
wrench in your hand that getsthe job done, it's the way you
show up, it's the way youconnect and the words you use
when it counts.
Have a happy 4th of July.
I appreciate you listening tothis podcast today.
I would encourage you to shareit with a team member.
Share it on social media.

(17:18):
Give us a review.
If you scroll, if you go toApple Podcasts, scroll down
about halfway you'll see whereit says rate and review.
Hit the five stars.
Write a two-sentence review forme because it really helps and
I really appreciate it.
It really helps us to get theword out.
It helps to have bigger guestson and, at the end of the day,

(17:42):
it helps the podcast grow.
I don't need the podcast to growfor me, but I want to improve
the industry in every single waythat I possibly can, because
this stuff is important.
This stuff is so vitallyimportant and will change your
annual income.

(18:03):
I guarantee it.
I guarantee, if you go back andlisten to this and really
listen to the things that I'vesaid today, it will change the
outcomes of your calls.
It will make you more money andyou'll be more successful.
Your family will be happier.
You'll be happier.
It's not all about the money,but it's about easy.

(18:24):
It's about having a better dayat work, and if you have a
better day at work and you'remaking more money, everybody's
happy.
I don't think anybody wouldargue with that.
So we'll see you next Friday.
I appreciate you guys very muchand have a great day.