How convincing are you?

You can learn to be a persuasive person. While it is true that some people have more natural capacity than others, it is also true that most people can, by training, acquire the skills needed to succeed.

Let’s look at the one job where persuasiveness is a major element – salesmanship. Even if you are not selling a product or service, but are selling you ideas to other people, you must think of yourself as a salesperson.

Whether you are selling a product or selling your boss to accept your ideas or persuading others to change their minds about a political issue, the steps of persuasion are the same.

The first step is to get the other person’s attention – otherwise nothing you say will even be listened to. This is absolutely necessary before you can persuade anybody to do what you want done.

You can get attention by commenting about something you know will be of interest to the person to whom you are talking. It is not necessary to speak of trivial or extraneous matters to attract that person’s attention. A direct question or comment on the situation involved is a good first step.

For example, if you wish to persuade colleagues to serve on a committee to evaluate a new piece of equipment, a comment about the frequent breakdown of current equipment would surely get their attention.

The next step is to get them to be thoroughly interested in your proposition. You must arouse their desire to embrace the idea you are proposing. Once this is accomplished, acceptance is almost certain. To do this you must appeal to their emotions – the heart rather than the head.

First, you must explore what the other persons really want. What is important to them? what turns them on? To do this you must truly listen to what they say in answer to your questions. Listen carefully. Be prepared to pick up subtleties that can lead you to that person’s real interest. Then by adapting your comments to fit into their desires, you are on the way to winning your point.

Persuasive power, the ability to win others over to our way of thinking, our way of looking at things, is not a simple quality. It is in reality made up of many admirable qualities, which have more to do with the heart than the head. It is the emotional traits of human nature, which enables one to win out in many instances where logical qualities would be of no avail.

The best and most successful teachers are not always the most learned, but those who get hold of the hearts of their pupils, whose kindness, personal interest, and sympathy qualities which, apart from scholarship, make the best teachers. These same qualities give all of us the basic ingredients of being persuasive people.

The best salespeople are those who look out for their customers interests and only try to sell them what is to their advantage to buy. They will no work for off a large bill of goods upon them, which they know in their hearts they should not buy.

The ability to make others think as you do is a tremendous power and carries great responsibility. Remember that the people with whom you are dealing will be always on guard against any sort of deceit. They will be looking for evidences of insincerity. They have no intention of allowing themselves to be duped or lulled.

By Sincere! Remember that there is no substitute for sincerity in any field!

Stay persuasive stay inspired