“Senyum sokmo” is a phrase commonly associated with the state of Terengganu. The phrase can roughly be translated as “always smiling”. And this is quite true; Terengganu locals do have this certain kind of joie de vivre – a cheery disposition to life – about them.
But we are not going to discuss them per se. It is their ever smiling nature that is the highlight of today’s discussion. This merry and jovial attitude is something we strongly encourage to others, especially those who deal with other people for a living – like those in customer service and sales.
Smiling is not just about the physical aspect of moving the tips of your lips upwards to create a pleasing look; it is more importantly about the pleasant aura that the smile exudes to other people. In simpler words, it’s not about what you portray on your face, but what others feel from your smile.
Many may trivialise the true power of smiling in communication. Some may say, “Yes, we know this already” or that, “This is not something new”. But most people understand the need only on the physical aspect of communication, when you’re interacting face-to-face.
The truth is, smiling is even more important on the subconscious level – smiling in your mind. It is very important to smile, even when you are communicating indirectly. The physical smile will translate into a ‘smiling mind’. Try smiling when you are making a call or typing an email. The recipients will feel like they are receiving a message from a soothing and congenial ‘voice’.
When the message is covered with a warm and friendly aura, the recipients are more likely to help you and maybe even to open up many opportunities for you and your organisation. This is the true power of “senyum sokmo”!
“Nothing beats smiling when you communicate. It will make your life easier, get your point across better, and help you get things done faster. Even if you need to deliver bad news, when you smile, everything will turn out ok. Even if you don’t feel like it, just smile.”
‘Aizat Roslan
Personal Assistant
“Smile makes a lot of difference. It brings a positive vibe to the person I’m meeting with and makes communication smoother, more positive. It is very rare that your smile wouldn’t be reciprocated. It is engaging and highly infectious. It costs you nothing to smile. So why not?”
Nurul Huda Shahriman Shah
Sales Executive
“As a trainer, smiling plays a very important part in making me look welcoming, loving and humble. This opens the ‘main door’ in participant engagement. A sincere smile has the ability to change the mood and make people feel better.”
Anuprakash
Learning Facilitator
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