Imagine
you had ability to convince people to do anything you wanted. Sounds impossible?
It’s actually not that difficult. Some people, like salesmen and cult leaders,
devote their lives to master the art of persuasion. When you don’t have the
authority to command people, you have to use subtle psychological means to
persuade them. Before starting your case, it is important to understand the
nature of your audience, who they are and why they think the way they do.
These are some tips to
persuade people:
· Gain their trust – People will automatically be
cautious of anyone who is trying to change their minds. Show them why you
should be heard. You must know what you’re talking about, and prove that there
is good reason why you think the way they do.
· Find common ground – show your audience that your
values and ideas are in harmony with their own. Again, you need to put your
self in their shoes, understand their concern, and be sympathetic to their
feelings.
· Structure it well – when listing reasons why people
should listen to you, save your most powerful points for last, as they will linger
in their minds of your captive audience. Also, repeat your most important
argument.
· Show both sides – weigh the pros and cons of your
ideas, as doing so will make you seem fair and reasonable to others. The trick
here is to emphasize the pros and make light of cons.
· Appeal to self-interest – for this to work, you’ll need to
know what your audience’s needs are. Grab their attention by telling them you
know what they want, then tell them how your idea will satisfy that.
·
Feed their ego – find things that your audience
takes pride in, such as their intelligence or their hobbies. When you
compliment people, it shows that you recognize their qualities. They will feel
appreciated and more open to your words.
· Appeal to the authority – everyone listen to experts. If an
expert says something, it must be true. So use them in your talk. Find out how
your idea has been approved by specialist in this area.
· Create consensus – most people are influenced by what
others are doing. You need to show that what you want is approved by a large
number of people. Use examples of how your ideas are successful else where, or
how others have enjoyed them.
· Time your request well – Learn to measure the general mood
and how receptive people will be to you. Avoid approaching people with requests
during times of great stress, anxiety, or grief.
·
Be unique – it’s a simple law of economics:
the scarcer something is, the higher its price. Make yourself or your ideas
seem unique or rare.
· Be confident – you have to believe in your ideas
before you can convince others of it. If you have any nagging doubts, it will
show. You are your own best supporter, so you better have faith in your cause.
· Be interesting – you need to be unique and
energized, showing that you are excited about your idea. Appeal to their senses
as much as you can.
· Be reasonable – people like to think they are
reasonable, so appeal to their sense of reason. Logic is highly valued in
business, and your presentation should have a logical format.
· Be diplomatic – you must treat your audience as
you want to be treated. Speak in a proper tone. Don’t yell or talk down to
them. More importantly, don’t make them feel foolish from thinking differently
from you.
· Be modest – speak politely and show that you
are a modest person. Although you believe your idea is better, if you give a
sense of arrogance, people will stop listening. Be realistic and accept that
you may be turned down.
Andrew
Young, US politician, and ambassador to the UN from 1977-79, said that, “Influence
is like savings account: the less you use it, the more you’ve got.” Learn how
to use your powers of persuasion well and at the appropriate moments.
