8 Techniques That Help You Become More Persuasive

Have you ever bought a silly product that you didn't need? This is persuasion in practice. 

Note: This article is by Vanessa Van Edwards, who talks about techniques that enhance our ability to persuade.

In this guide, I will delve into the art of persuasion that is far from deception, and I will answer these common questions related to persuasion:

• What is persuasive communication?
• What makes an argument convincing?
• How important is persuasion to your career?
• What is the purpose of persuasive communication?

What is persuasion?

Persuasion is influencing the attitudes, beliefs, intentions, motives, and behaviors of others.

If you're curious about how to be persuasive at work, here's the practical definition of persuasion. It is the process of persuasion that aims to change the attitude or behavior of a person or group toward an event, idea, thing, or other people, using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, arguments or a combination thereof.

8 Techniques That Help You Become More Persuasive

Some behavioral techniques always work, whether you want to be more persuasive at work or in your personal life. Here are my favorite persuasive techniques you can immediately use:

1. The use of value proposition

One of the main concerns people have when it comes to using persuasion is feeling that they might be manipulating others. When I started studying persuasion, I asked myself: How do effective leaders communicate persuasively? How can they convince people without sacrificing their integrity?

The answer lies in the value proposition. A value proposition or position statement is a brief presentation of what you do, or why your product or service is valuable, in no more than 30 seconds.

Certified Fraud Detection Expert Donn LeVie Jr. explains the importance of value proposition as follows:

A decision maker has given your offer attention after asking, “What do you do?” And you have half a minute to explain your value and expertise. You should always have the value proposition ready with you. So, prepare in advance answers to the following questions:

• What does your service, product, or experience mean to me?
• Why should I buy this product or service, or hire you out of all the applicants?
• What makes your expertise, product, or service stand out from others?
• What problem can your service, product, or expertise solve?

The main goal of this is to better your work presentation to appear useful to others. Here is an example:

• Don't say, "I organize events for corporate meeting planners."
• Instead, say "Meeting planners and union executives hire me to make them shine like stars."

If you can, start with an initial statement showing social validation, for example:

• Don't say, "I write books."
• Instead, say "I am the author of the national bestseller X."

2. Raise the golden question

When explaining what you do, delivering your cover letter, or crafting your ideal value proposition, always try to raise the golden question, which is "How"?

• How does this work?
• How do you do this?
• How do I work with you?

Take the first persuasion sample as an example, "Meeting planners and union executives hire me to make them shine like stars." The next logical question must be, "How"?

This value proposition raises the golden question. As soon as someone asks for more details, know that you have attracted them. The first step to getting started is learning how to get someone to ask "How?" Let's look at a presentation that leads to asking the golden question. This example is taken from an interview with someone at a company:

• Hiring manager/decision maker: “So, tell me, why should we hire you?”
• Motivating introduction by the candidate: Decision makers, you should hire me for the benefits my experience in solving problems with the strategic goals of this organization will bring.
• Hiring Manager/Decision Maker: How do you do this?
• Candidate's Value Proposition: "My achievements in loss prevention include recovering over $200,000 in proceeds. This knowledge and skills will sustain your organization's business goals from day one. What is your highest priority project that I will work on in this regard?"

The candidate makes the value proposition, then connects it to the suggestion in their question to the hiring manager that they are the only reasonable candidate to take the job offer. Then, they should proceed to question the hiring manager with more questions that reveal their highly valued problem-solving experience, rather than just being another candidate looking for a job.

Let's look at using a value proposition intro for a fraud prevention firm looking for new clients. Here’s how it triggers the golden question:

• Potential client/decision-maker: "Tell me something about your company."
• Motivating introduction: "Big traders hire us to help them sleep at night.”
• Decision Maker: How exactly are you doing this?
• Their value proposition: "Our HD wireless micro camera security system is not only the preferred electronic surveillance device in the retail industry. It also gives you worry-free security with triple redundancy hard drives, 24/7/365 support, including fraud investigation assistance. May I ask you: "What's the most pressing fraud problem that keeps you up at night?"

Both people in the above two examples adopt an approach in which they present themselves and their companies by focusing on the ability to solve problems. The person in our second example is not just a peddler of electronic monitoring equipment. Rather, they know the weaknesses of the decision-makers, which is their concern about fraud, which they said, "keeps you up at night," and preventing loss of revenue. They make it clear through their questions that they want to help in solving problems.

Try this formula

To (target audience) + our (product or service category) + benefit (functional/symbolic/experiential benefit) + provides (functional/symbolic/experiential benefit) + because (the reason that will convince them).

Here's a practical example of this formula:

For loss prevention professionals in the apparel retail industry, the Wireless HD Mini Camera Security System is the most preferred electronic monitoring device because it provides a fail-safe and worry-free guarantee with 100% tuned uptime, triple redundancy backup servers, and 24/7/365 support for any security issues you may encounter.

3. Using persuasion with a difficult person

Are you working with a narcissistic peer or boss? This can make the workplace a hellish place, and these people often need a special kind of persuasion tactic because their selfishness overwhelms them.

• First: Always make sure to write down your goals, ideas, and plans. It is easy for a narcissistic co-worker to speak harshly to you. For this, when you want to discuss an important matter, email your notes, that way you get written proof, and you give everyone a chance to prepare before the meeting.
• Second: The best way to work with a narcissist is to use their power to your advantage. When you're giving a presentation to an important client, or trying to impress the sales team, take advantage of the narcissist's natural charisma. Together, you will be more influential.

4. Be bold

It is difficult to ask for what we want. For this, the biggest obstacle to being persuasive is our fear, and to reach our goals, we must first find our path. Additionally, to be persuasive, we must know what we are asking for, and to influence others to trust us, we must be first confident.

The easiest way to be more persuasive is to be more clear about what you want. Asking for what we want requires us to be direct. Yes, this opens up the possibility of being rejected. When we feel the fear of rejection, we are more likely to hold back, and this fear creeps into our questions and makes us less bold with our requests. Thus, our fear prevents us from being persuasive enough. For this, we tend to:

• Apologize
• Delay and procrastinate
• Become vague and unclear about our requests and next steps.

The problem is that our lack of clarity about what we want prevents others from understanding it well.

Practical step

The next time you need to ask for something, use clear and concise language, without any words that suggest mistrust such as: “maybe, probably, or most likely.” Simplify your sentences to be transparent with yourself and the other person about what needs to happen next. Before you enter a presentation, meeting, or negotiation, clarify the following:

• What do you want?
• How can you help?
• What your next step should be?

5. The use of persuasion in sales

Do you work in sales? Do you deal with clients? Real persuasion lies in how to build relationships, attract new clients, and pitch your ideas more effectively.

Start by giving your clients cool labels. One study looked at the best ways to fundraise and get people to donate. During the experiment, the researchers told a group of donors that they were among the most generous donors in the organization. This comment led these people to donate more than others. These people lived up to expectations.

When you tell someone that they are the best, they will want to be better, and when you tell a client that they are great, they will want to be greater. For this, use labels to spark joy, and motivate action with those around you.

6. Persuading someone to take action

Persuasion is about helping someone take an action. This action could be buying a product, becoming a client, or even agreeing with your opinion, and the best course of action is to keep the intended action in mind throughout your interaction with them.

You can manage to do that through several methods:

6.1. Physical action

If you have someone in your office, and your goal is to get them to sign something, or try a product, make the paper or product visible from the moment they walk into the office. Seeing the inevitable action helps people prepare mentally in a better way.

6.2. Digital Action

Do you have a website or a blog? Show people where you want them to look through images and eye guidance. This is a common technique done by advertisers, marketers, bloggers, and writers to show readers what's important on a page.

We can persuade people in a variety of ways through advertising and the Internet, so make sure you convince them to take the appropriate action.

7. Avoid the paradox of persuasion

The paralysis of persuasion is one of the major factors that detract from real persuasion, and it is a result of the paradox of choice. Most studies and books have proven that when we have several options, it is almost impossible for us to reach a decision. The same thing happens when we offer too many options, and end up discouraging those around us from choosing one.

In his book, The Paradox of Choice, Why More Is Less, author Barry Schwartz argues that when we think too much about our choices, we make the wrong choice and that less is always better.

We spend time thinking about the choices we didn't make, instead of feeling happy with the choice we made, and the more choices we make, the more we feel we made a mistake.

Always make informed decisions, and assist your clients and coworkers in avoiding choice paralysis.

Practical step

Limit your options and those of your clients, and see how high your level of persuasion will become.

8. The “when_feel_need” technique

What if you feel the need to be persuasive with someone you know very well? Like your children or your partner? I want to teach you a persuasion technique called the "when-I-feel-need" formula. It's a great way to get what you genuinely want.

It's a strategy you can use in any situation, from professional to social to emotional communication .

First, start your content with "when." For example, I might say, "When you don't clean the microwave in the break room...".

Then you must address your needs and feelings so that they understand your point of view by saying: “I feel.” To continue in our previous example, it would become: “I feel frustrated because I am the only one who takes care of the cleanliness of the office, and that I am treated like a maid.”

Finally, you finish by stating the benefits they will get, indicating the next step, and let's hope that's what you thought of in Step 1. For example: "Let's make the kitchen clean for all of us, and set up a cleaning schedule, so we won't be bothered by this again.”

Emotions are important, and in addition to being clear and direct in your intentions, you must get someone else to "join." An essential part of true persuasion is to touch the feelings.

• If you need more help on a project, share your frustration with others.
• If you are giving a presentation on a new business idea, share your passion

Embedding your feelings behind a request will help you be transparent and open.

Practical step

Try to use this formula “when-I-feel-need" in your forthcoming conversation to test its ability to make everyone at ease.

In conclusion

Being able to convey and share what you need is the core of persuasion. You may have a great idea, an astonishing product, or an excellent service, all you have to do is to share it.