How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 330

Usually we are more inclined to favor our own ideas over the ideas of
others, right? Knowing that people do not typically resist their own ideas
can be key when trying to influence others. Always seek to get your
prospects to think your ideas are their own. An example of this strategy in
action is when companies have the customers fill out a sales agreement.
Cancellations are amazingly low when customers have filled out their
agreements on their own. It's a double whammy: Not only are your
prospects agreeing to what you want, but they are also putting it in
writing!
[12]Des Dearlove, "A Breath of Lemon-Scented Air," The London Times, April
3, 1997.
[13]Matt Crenson, "Scent of Cookies Brings Out Best in Shoppers," Las Vegas
Review Journal, October 14, 1996.
[14]Luke 10:30–37.
[15]J. Darley and D. Batson, "From Jerusalem to Jericho: A Study of Situational
and Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior," Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology 27 (1973): 100–119.
[16]S. Godin and M. Gladwell, Unleashing the Idea Virus (New York: Hyperion,
2001).

Maintaining Attention
It is common sense to realize you have to keep your audience's attention
in order to persuade them. If you lose them, you lose your chance for
them to understand and accept your proposal. We know from our own
personal experience that we tend to let our minds naturally drift when we
are listening to other people. We cannot focus on one item for too long
unless we are forced to do so. The experienced persuader can make a
person want to pay attention and stay focused. You may lose your
audience's attention from time to time but it is your job to bring them back
to full attention status. You can help your prospect lose track of time.
Some estimate that the average adult attention span is about eighteen
minutes. What's more, studies indicate that attention spans have been
decreasing steadily over the past decade. The blame seems to be put on
the media, on lack of circumstances that require concentration, and of
course on the MTV generation always wanting to be entertained or tuning
out. After our attention span has lapsed, we become bored and no longer
listen. You have to be creative to maintain the mental involvement that is
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