Whether showing a home to a potential buyer or showing your resume to an interviewer, you’re going to need to be persuasive. It’s all about highlighting how the product (the house or your experience) is the best choice for your audience (the customer or the interviewer). A master persuader knows that when dealing with people what you say is just as important as the way you say it.
Kevin Hogan lists several qualities of a master persuader in his book The Psychology of Persuasion. These aren’t inherent but teachable traits possible persuaders can be conscious of and improve their skills with practice and determination. Putting them into practice will produce positive results in business and personal relationships.
- Outcome-Based Thinking – By setting goals for communication you’re more likely to achieve them rather than just hoping for the best. Use your senses along the way to determine if you’re still on track for the desired outcome and adjust accordingly.
- Accept responsibility for communication – By keeping the audience’s response as the primary concern, recognize that you can direct the conversation even if you’re met with resistance.
- Communicate with more than words – Be aware of projected and received verbal and non verbal communication (like body language) at all times and use these cues to alter your approach.
- Speak their language – Think of it like The Beverly Hillbillies, while Mr. Drysdale and Mr. Clampet both spoke English there was still a large gap in communication that led to a series full of comedic misunderstandings. As a master persuader you have to be the common ground that can explain it to both the elite and the eccentric in their own vernacular.
- Practice precision thinking – Don’t be swayed by sweeping statements. Thinking beyond generalizations and getting down to specifics can sidestep potential potholes in the road of communication. If someone says, “Things are really bad.” Figure out what they are using as a comparison.
- Not a know it all – No one can know everything and those who project to typically don’t know much about anything. Admitting your ignorance of certain subjects can add credibility to areas of your expertise.
- Learn something new from everyone – Everyone has something to offer whether it’s gained from the process of communication or the content conveyed. Finding the value in each interaction not only shows the sincerity of your interest but also increases your information base.
- Don’t take or be taken advantage of – Keeping a win/win attitude at the forefront of communication is the key to ethical persuasion. By adhering to the needs of your audience without sacrificing your own, every communication you have will be a success regardless of the end result.
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By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Nexxt. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.
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