How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 25

26. Give people an incentive
Want to motivate people to go your way? Give them an
incentive. Many don’t realize the power that an incentive
can have, especially in business. Take this study for
example. Researchers advertised a new car wash with
incentive cards, one that gave a free wash after seven
visits and one that was free after ten, with three free
stamps on the card. Those who got the free stamps, despite
needing the same amount of paid washes, were much
more likely to come back.
27. Phrase things carefully and thoughtfully
Sometimes, a simple change in wording can make a
statement much more persuasive. Need an example?
Compare the old standard, “Operators are waiting, please
call now,” to “If operators are busy, please call again.”
One implies that the operators aren’t busy, while the other
implies a high demand for the product. It’s all about
phrasing, and it can make a big difference in the success
or failure of your persuasive abilities.
28. Know your aud