At some point, maybe even today, we wanted to change someone’s mind.
Persuasion is a key skill for everyone, and it can help in business and in everyday life.
Research have highlighted that people that are effective at persuading others, do not tell people what to do, they encourage people to persuade themselves.
Telling someone what to do, will make them become defensive. However, if they arrive at the same conclusion themselves, they’re much more likely to buy what you’re selling, whether it’s your idea or product.
Find below some (not scientifically proven) strategies to become an effective persuader and get anyone to follow your lead.
Provide a range of choices.
Give people a range of options and they’re more likely to go along with your idea.Effective persuaders provide a limited set of options from which people can choose.
Ask questions.
Ask more questions and make fewer statements.
People are often reluctant to follow someone’s lead, but they’re more likely to follow the path they set out for themselves.Questions boost buy-in. Ask more of them.
Where’s the gap.
Human beings strive for internal consistency.
They want their beliefs and actions to align. Highlighting a gap means pointing out a disconnect between a person’s thoughts and actions.
Highlight a gap in thinking to boost buy-in.
Understanding is a starting point.
Applying “tactical empathy” is far more effective than telling people what to do. Effective persuaders make people feel like they’re looking out for them. Rather than “persuade,” start by understanding the other person.
Stop trying to convince people and encourage them to persuade themselves. It’s the most effective persuasion strategy there is.
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