15 Ways To Influence & Persuade Anyone

Imagine you had the 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 mastering
the art of persuasion. Their methods are quite straightforward.
When you don't have the authority to command people, you have to use
subtle psychological means to persuade them. It takes careful planning
and quite a bit of theatrics. Find out below what it takes to make
people change their minds.


Before stating your case, it is important to understand the nature of
your audience, who they are and why they think the way they do. Doing
so gives you two important advantages:

1- You can empathize with them, establishing a human connection;
2- You can better construct your arguments to show why your view is more sound than theirs.

Then apply the principles below. Understand that these tips apply for professional and social settings.

1. Gain their trust

People will automatically be wary of anyone who's trying to change
their minds. This is why it's paramount to gain their trust by
convincing them that you are sincere and of sound mind. 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 you do.

2. Find common ground

Many people share similar ideas about what's fair and desirable. Show
your audience that your values and ideas enmesh with their own. Again,
you need to put yourself in their shoes, understand their concerns, and
be sympathetic to their feelings.

3. Structure it well

Any persuasive argument, be it a speech, an essay, or a sales pitch,
has a clear structure. Verbally, a successful structure is about
repetition and placement. When listing reasons why people should listen
to you, save your most powerful points for last, as they will linger in
the minds of your captive audience. Also, repeat your most important
arguments. Repetition establishes a pattern that remains in the memory.

4. 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 underplay the cons. Explain why the cons aren't so bad, or how the
benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Never lie about the cons because if
and when people find out about your deception, they'll resent you. And
they will never trust you again.

5. Appeal to self-interest

You are more likely to convince someone of an idea, if you show them
what they stand to gain from it, as this is a question that will always
be at the back of their minds. 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.

6. Feed their ego

Businesses call it "love-bombing"; others call it strategic flattery.
Regardless of the name, complimenting people works -- when done right.
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'll feel appreciated and more
open to your words.

7. Appeal to the authority

Everyone loves experts. Everyone listens to experts. If an expert says
something, it must be true. So use them in your talk. Find out how your
idea, or elements of it, have been approved or endorsed by specialists
in this area.

8. 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 elsewhere, or how others have
enjoyed them. You can also use a kind of reverse consensus: if what
most people are doing is undesirable, show them why and convince them
about your idea.

9. Time your request well

You need to develop a sixth sense for good timing. Avoid approaching people with requests during times of great stress, anxiety
or grief. Learn to gauge the general mood and how receptive people will
be to you. Look for periods of general confidence and high morale. Make
others feel safe and self-assured if necessary.

10. Be unique

It's a simple law of economics: the more scarce something is, the
higher its price. Make yourself or your ideas seem unique or rare, and
people will listen more. You can do this by either demonstrating that
you hold exclusive information or by suggesting that there's a competitor for what you have to offer.

11. Be confident

If this is a phrase you see far too often on this site, there's a good
reason for it. It can't be stressed enough, especially in business. 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 advocate, so you better have faith
in your cause.

12. Be interesting

When you talk in a monotone with lots of "ums," you will lose people
the second you start talking. You need to be unique and energized,
showing that you are excited about your idea. Appeal to their senses as
much as you can. If you're making a presentation, use lots of visual
and audio aids. An impressive spectacle can be as effective as eloquent
sentences.

13. 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. Use the "if-then" argument a lot (If you do this, then good things will happen).

14. Be diplomatic

You must treat your audience as you would like to be treated. Speak in
a proper tone; don't yell or talk down to them. More importantly, don't
make them feel foolish for thinking differently from you. You want to
reason with people, not argue with them. Even if you win the argument,
they will resent you inside. You'll gain their respect if you keep it
respectful.

15. Be modest

No one likes a holier-than-thou egomaniac. Although you believe your
idea is better, if you give off a sense of arrogance, people will stop
listening. Also, you shouldn't assume you will convince them right
away. 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 a 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. With time and practice, you'll be able
to influence people's decisions on any number of areas.



Resources:

www.englishbiz.co.uk

www.amanet.org

www.wittcom.com

http://home.datawest.net

www.basicquotations.com