Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important abilities to possess in today’s fast-paced world. We need the support and cooperation of other people to help us in reaching our goals. The saying “No man is an island” is an undeniable truth.
Here are some hot tips to effectively influence and persuade anyone you desire.
1) Enter their world.
You must understand the situation according to their point of view. Set aside your personal interests and concentrate on them.
Just pretend that if you are them, what would you do? What would be your opinion? Then take the appropriate action that would be beneficial to them.
Copy them. Observe how they act, how they speak, and how they think. If they rub their forehead while they think, act like them. If they speak at a clear and slow pace, try to do the same thing. This is called mirroring.
In due time, the people you’re mirroring will subconsciously feel more comfortable with you. It’s as if they see themselves in you.
However, you must proceed with caution. Do not let them be aware that you are copying them. They might interpret it as mockery and you’ll just get into trouble.
2) Be Friendly and Nice.
Smile to brighten up the day. Make a sincere compliment to raise their spirits. Little things like these count a lot.
Make them feel that whenever they need help or just someone to look up to, you’ll always be there to lend a hand. They would tend to be more receptive to people that they trust.
If you want to ask your boss a favor, do everything you can to please him. Over deliver and exceed his expectations. Soon, he will notice your efforts and will be more than glad to grant your request.
3) Provide them with compelling evidence.
Explain to them how your ideas or suggestions could be the most effective techniques to implement. Show them undeniable proof that you have the best product by way of testimonials, before and after scenarios, and detailed comparisons against your competitors. Just make sure that all your claims are true and verifiable. Always maintain a good reputation.
4) Meet their existing needs and desires.
People are self-centered. They are initially concerned with their own well-being before others. If you can prove that your proposal will provide more advantageous benefits to them than to your own, then they will probably accept it.
If you could focus more on their interests, desires, needs, and expectations, then you would satisfy their cravings for attention. Moreover, it would show that you really care about them. Mutual trust and respect would be established.
This is the most important thing to remember when persuading anyone. No matter how close you are to becoming like them or how overwhelming your evidence is, if it does not satisfy the “What’s In It For Me?” test, your persuasion efforts will not produce satisfactory results. Always bear in mind how they will benefit from your actions.