It’s no secret that the ability to persuade is a key to success in any field. But what exactly is persuasion? It’s more than just using a few slick words to get what you want. In reality, persuasion is an art form that requires a deep understanding of human psychology and the ability to read people like a book. Mastering the art of persuasion takes time and practice, but with these 6 techniques, you’re on your way to becoming a persuasion pro.
Define Your Goal.
Before you can start persuading someone, you need to know what your goal is. What do you want the person to do or believe?
Once you have your goal in mind, it’s time to start thinking about the techniques you’ll use to achieve it. There are six main techniques that you can use:
- Appeal to emotions
- Use reasoning and logic
- Make a credible claim
- Use social proof
- Use scarcity
- Use authority
Use Logic.
Using logic is one of the most effective techniques. If you can make a logical argument, your customer is more likely to be convinced.
But logic can be tricky—you need to make sure your premises are sound and that your argument is watertight. So how do you do that?
Well, first of all, you need to make sure you understand your customer’s needs. Once you know what they’re looking for, you can start constructing your argument.
Make sure your facts are straight and clear, and concise language. And be prepared to back up your argument with evidence if necessary.
Emotional Appeal.
When it comes to persuasion, hitting someone over the head with facts and figures isn’t always the most effective strategy. In fact, using emotions is often a more successful approach.
When you appeal to someone’s emotions, you’re touching on something that’s a lot more personal. You’re triggering a feeling or an instinct, and that can be a lot more persuasive than trying to rationalize things.
There are a few different ways to use emotions in your persuasion strategy. You can play on people’s fears, tap into their greed, or appeal to their sense of loyalty or patriotism. Whatever route you choose, make sure your arguments are based on logic and facts—you don’t want your emotions to override your common sense!
Credibility.
To be a persuasive salesperson, you first need to establish credibility. And to do that, you need to be believable.
How do you do that? There are a few things you can do:
- Be knowledgeable about your product. Study the specs, know the benefits, and be able to answer any questions your customer might have.
- Be authentic. Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
- Build relationships. Talk to your customers, get to know them, and form connections with them.
- Be responsive. When your customer reaches out, answer them as quickly as possible. The quicker you can address their concerns, the more likely they are to trust you.
Scarcity.
When it comes to persuasion, one of the most powerful techniques is creating a sense of scarcity. In other words, making people think that they’ll miss out if they don’t act fast.
This is something you can use to your advantage when you’re closing a sale. You can make it seem like the product is in short supply, or that there are only a few left at this price. And it works because people don’t want to miss out on a good deal.
But be careful—you don’t want to overuse this technique, or else people will start to see through your ploy. Use it sparingly and you’ll be more successful.
Now that you understand the six techniques of persuasion, it’s time to put using words into practice.
Start by choosing your words carefully. Think about the message you want to send and the emotions you want to evoke. Use language that is positive and believable.
Next, be sure to present your argument in a clear and logical way. Make your points one at a time and support them with evidence.
Be confident and convincing, and stay focused on your goal. With a little practice, you’ll be able to persuade anyone of anything.
