Imagine if you could…
- Increase your annual salary by 15%…
- Win any argument (and turn disagreements into alliances)…
- Build mouth-wateringly profitable sales messages…
All this is possible through the power of persuasion. Sharpen your skills with the following hard-hitting tactics…
Act Like Your Market
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery and – as scientists recently discovered – it can lead to four times more sales.
A recent study conducted by the INSEAD business school split up two groups of sales people. The first group mimicked subtle gestures made by their prospects; the second group did not. At the end of the study, sales people who mimicked their prospects closed 67% into sales, while the control group closed only 12%.
Of course, the key is subtlety. If the prospect discovers your mimicry, they’re defenses raise faster than the hackles on a rapid dog.
Another powerful method of persuasion is to…
Frame People’s Thinking To Your Advantage
If your arguments remain ineffective, try another angle. By framing your argument in a different perspective – either through analogy or a new example – you may be able to convince your prospect.
Perhaps the most famous example of framing is price justification. Instead of saying “This product costs $99” (which undoubtedly raises price-conscious objections), you would frame the argument this way…
“Look at it this way: I’ve already proven this system worked for thousands of others, and while it’s easily worth $300 or more, you can try it out for 30 days for only $3 a day. That’s means this can be yours for less than the price of a cup of coffee.”
See how the price is framed? A high number is mentioned first ($300), then is broken down to a small daily amount ($3 per day) which – when compared to a cup of coffee – seems like a screaming deal.
All through the power of framing.
And if that doesn’t work…
Don’t… Give… Up!!!
High-stakes negotiations are often won by dogged determination. Often times, long negotiations take their toll on participants, who lose focus. The longer you can remain focused, the greater likliehood you’ll win the day.
What you should not do is consistently change your arguments.
Instead…
Focus On Your Top 3 Arguments (Or Less)
Almost counter-intuitive, isn’t it?
Well, the following story will convince you it’s true…
Ohio State University researchers wanted to test the effectiveness of multiple arguments. So they told their students there would be extra exams (an unfortunate occurrence). Then they broke the students into two groups: one group was asked to provide two reasons against the extra exams; the other group was to provide eight reasons.
The researchers discovered students with two reasons were more strongly opposed than the other group. So as you can see, it’s vital to pick your strongest points and don’t concede them!
Of course, you’ll want to do this graciously. And the best way to do this is…
Speak Like You’re On Their Side (Even If You Aren’t)
Let’s face it: some words are harsh. And using them makes you appear adversarial (and lower your persuasiveness).
That’s why I follow my mother’s advice.
Growing up, she always told me “An Irishman’s charm is so great… he can tell a man to go to hell, and he’ll look forward to the trip.”
In other words, even when you disagree, give your prospect the impression you’re in agreement. Instead of saying “I completely disagree…” try “I agree with you on this point, but what about…”. Or instead of “You forgot to mention” try “I think another thing we must address is…”
See how much softer – and effective – the second approach is?
And the best way to leverage this technique is to…
Leverage Authority and Logic (It’s Easier Than You Think)
With few exceptions, people respond to authority. And you can “borrow” authority in very subtle ways.
Consider the following:
“Five servings of vegetables a day are good for you.”
In this sentence, I’m the one giving the advice. And (let’s be honest here), who am I to offer health advice?
So let’s borrow some authority:
“According to the American Medical Association (AMA), five servings of vegetables are good for you.”
Much better, right?
Now let’s take this one step further and add a logical argument to the sentence:
“A recent study by the American Medical Association (AMA) has proven that five servings of vegetables a day is good for you.”
Notice the phrase “has proven that”? That’s the logical hinge, which adds power to the perceived benefit (i.e., vegetables are good for you).
So this sentence borrows authority and connects it logically to the benefit. Not only is it a much powerful sentence, it also makes me (the speaker) more credible by association.
Read through this post again. You’ll notice this tactic used throughout.
And now that you’ve learned these pillars of persuasion, apply them in your everyday life.
You’ll be glad you did.
About the Author: Adam Costa is a freelance copywriter. He is the author of Business in a Backpack, which explains how to build an information business while traveling the world.