Full Circle Digital Magazine August 2013 | Page 44

B U S I N E S S • J O H N L L O Y D by John Lloyd Is it possible to capture and communicate anything of value about persuasion in a single sentence? It is and I’m about to prove it. I recently discovered a gem of a theory by a gentleman called Blair Warren. I learned this while doing research for a sales workshop. Warren created this masterful, yet simple idea that brilliantly encapsulated the masterful art of persuasion. He found that the best way to do this was to encapsulate them into a single sentence. Not a sentence that one delivers, but a sentence that one remembers. A sentence that can help guide your efforts from beginning to end in virtually every situation imaginable. Let’s look at this sentence – this “one-sentence persuasion course” – and see how it works. Here it is: People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies. Read that again: People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies. That single 27-word sentence contains five of the most important insights I’ve seen in studying influence and persuasion. 1. Encourage their dreams. 2. Justify their failures. 3. Allay their fears. 4. Confirm their suspicions. 5. Help them throw rocks at their enemies. The fundamentals behind persuasion require an essential understanding of human nature. These are tools for anyone who must connect with others, build strong trust and rapport, and more importantly, make these connections pay off. Put these five insights to use. I want you to think how you can incorporate some or all of the five insights in your marketing, sales and communication. How can you encourage your prospect’s dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies? Do you need a speaker who will educate and inspire at your next industry conference or a business growth consultant who will increase profits, multiply sales and magnify marketplace positioning? Contact John today at [email protected] brandstorm.co.za John Lloyd is the author of Smart Thinking for Crazy Times. Get your copy at FULL CIRCLE DIGITAL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013