Many people have an experiences to persuade someone. It could be to parents, partners, boss, or employees. And you have felt that how hard it is, and think “I wish I could persuade well” It also enables professionals to influence corporate decision, business activities involving sales, to gain support from others. But persuasion is not about trick talk. It’s based on sincerity and right techniques. How can we get persuasive skills? Let’s think about the most valuable skills in business and our life.
How people trust others?
Sincerity is the foundation. People are persuaded when someone, who they trust, say what they are saying. Once they are aware of your dishonesty or hidden something, the trust is lost immediately. Even though you didn’t mention anything by words, once they feel suspicious, they fade out. It might be human instinct. Attitude, atmosphere, actions reveal naturally and we may feel it as sign of danger. It takes time to establish trust, but it is only shot time to lose it.
Share how you came to believe in your thought. For example, how initial suspiciousness changed to positive, what was your concern at the beginning, how you deal with this. Transparency plays a major role. Share pros and cons for your case. This honesty builds credibility. Once sincerity is established, tailor the approach to opponent.
For people who are influenced by others, authority which have impact on society, can be effective. For example, “Zuckerberg uses this service.” “According to government website, …”. For logical persons, it is effective to provide structured reasons, clear outline, criteria to move forward. Also, trustworthy source is key. So called, fact base contents. Evidence by scientist and researcher is effective.
What is Persuasion skills?
Apart from personal mindsets, there are some techniques to persuade effectively. Repetition reinforces ideas and makes people memorable. Emphasizing cause and effect provides strong impact. Rhetorical questions are also powerful tool. It makes people think by themselves and conclude their thought. If you just push them and they felt to be persuaded temporarily but they didn’t put down themselves, their memory has been replaced. (such as “I didn’t think so, but he tricked me”)
Successful persuasion combined sincerity, fact-based contents and strategy. However, people are not AI. People are not robots. The decision-making is not so rational. Therefore, most business professionals know how to connect with people emotionally.
Again, your counterpart is NOT robots. They are humans with warm and friendliness. Cold shoulder, high-handed atmosphere make them rejected emotionally. Time to make personal connection will certainly pay off especially when they face to difficulty. You don’t have to share your private mattes. Important point is empathy and interest for them. Ask question about them. Showing empathy and interest will contribute to continuous conversation. Conversation must be customized depending on opponent. Take time to build trust.
Summary
Believe in yourself, share root of your thoughts, then use those techniques. These all resonate with people. Balance of sincerity and skills surely enhance your persuasive skills in business and life. These days, some executive management members and investors tend to judge anything based on financial data without seeing reality, without talking with onsite head. But remember, too high profit, fast-paced growth, or quick result is the sign to collapse in near future. Persuasion skills are useful to provide true innovation by humans.
