Six Tools To Help Fill Your Toolbox of Persuasion

Do you consider yourself a smooth talker? Can you convince stubborn people that a certain way you think about a certain thing is right while their original view is wrong?

Some people are great at this. (Most of them are called lawyers…okay, sorry, forgive the joke).

Obviously, this is a tool of the trade that business owners should be at least minimally adept at. This is especially true when it comes to marketing effort and ad strategies.

It all comes down to your ability to persuade and influence others. Both of these tools can be implemented in almost any type of situation for your benefit.

Read ahead and check out some of the most valuable tools to use when it comes to influencing the decisions of others.

We trust that you will use your new powers for good, not evil.

Mirror, Mirror:  Make sure you are the fairest of them all…but not in a vain snooty way. Just make sure your brand seems attractive to the widest audience possible. As an example, think of it this way: No matter how terrible of a day you are having, don’t let it show when you are meeting within someone. In fact, go one step further and do what you can to mirror their moods.

This even entails body language, mannerisms, and posture; if they’re sitting back, relaxed, you sit back as well. If they seem edgy and are hunched over the table, you be edgy right along with them

This tends to set people at ease, therefore making it much easier to speak with you. And if they are feeling comfortable in your presence, that opens the door for all of the influential tactics we’ve taught you throughout this book.

Get Framed:  Framing refers to the way in which you approach and/or deliver a subject. For those of you that are great public speakers you’re likely already familiar with this topic. A good example is how some presidents will refer to inheritance taxes as “death taxes” (these being the presidents that oppose inheritance taxes).

By simply placing the word “death” in front of taxes, the tax is given a hugely negative aspect and is viewed differently by those in attendance. If such language is used regularly enough, it can eventually lead to popular opinions becoming swayed. The trick here is to use words that are charged with emotion without becoming overly emotional yourself.

The Art of Reciprocation: In highly competitive industries, reciprocity is one of the most cherished tools to have at your disposal. While you want to be careful about performing favors for your competitors, you also want to come off as seeming genuine and helpful.

For example, in the business world, this is especially true of your clients—let them know that if they come to you for their needs, you’ll be doing more than simply fulfilling a task. Show them that you will be giving them high quality in return for their decision to work with you.

To really get a glimpse of what this looks like, consider your neighbors. No matter how stuck up you are, if they ask to borrow something like a lawn mower or car, it’s in your best interest to let them. (Well, maybe think long and hard about the car).

You never know when you might need something from them in the future and it sure would be inconvenient to have that one time you told them “no” hanging over your head.

Baaaa! (or How People Are Like Sheep): Because the vast majority of people tend to fall in line with trends the current popular thing, it would do you some good to stay up to date on what the latest follow-able things are. This allows you to connect with a larger audience.

On another note, if you can manage to become a leader within your industry, specialty, hobby or whatever else you desire to be a leader in, this sheep mentality can pay dividends. Just make sure you’re being the shepherd and not just another sheep when trying to use this to your advantage.

And for the love of God, please keep your wool clean and smooth!

Become Better with Them There Words: If you’re not a great public speaker, you need to become one. Take a class, red some books—do whatever you can to become a more confident speaker. If you plan on becoming a leader in any arena, you have to be a good speaker. Nothing will bury you faster than breaking up an otherwise great speech with “ummm” or “like.” You know irritated you get when listening to teenagers talk?

Yeah, don’t talk like that.

It’s Okay to be a Little Pushy…But Not ALL the Time

So picture this scenario.

You and a friend are headed out to grab drinks. You haven’t really even discussed where you’re going yet but you know where you’d like to go. Since you’re driving, you start off in the direction of the place you want to go. Then, several minutes later when you and your friend finally start discussing where you’d like to go, you can point out that you’re already headed towards Whatever Place, so you may as well go by there.

Sure…this is sneaky and maybe even a bit underhanded. But it is also a great way to influence the situation without having to speak.

But when you do need to pull something similar off verbally, it can easily be done. You need to get people to start “acting” before anyone makes a decision. Using verbal cues such as “Imagine this,” or “Picture yourself,” can force you to instill certain images or scenarios in the minds of your audience, helping you to get a foot in the door.

Now that you’re loaded with the skills that will help you become influential, you need to know when to dig into your new influential toolbox. While we certainly can’t boss you around and suggest when to play anyone certain card, you’ll find that these types of things will come to you like a second nature after a while.

If you plan to be persuasive and influential, restraint also plays a role. You never want to seem pushy or desperate and from time to time, you simply have to accept a defeat and move on.

So there you have it. Go forth and conquer the marketing world with these strategies. In terms of weapons to have in your arsenal in the marketing world, these tend to be the most powerful. Study up and stay abreast of current trends and topics to keep these weapons fully sharpened and ready for attack.

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