By Chris Edwards

We’ve all heard about the importance of nonverbal communication, with some experts claiming that as much as 93% of communication is nonverbal in nature.

This idea of merging nonverbal communication with an excellent experience became real for me more than 20 years ago when I was selling shoes at Nordstrom to pay for college. The job required sharp attention to detail: thinking through how to approach a customer, thoughtfully suggesting shoes for them, and following through on their needs and wants. The experience went well beyond talking about a shoe—every interaction with the customer sent a message, positive or negative, to them.