How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 394
them to take action, not necessarily to just agree with you. These
techniques should be used with a supportive audience:
Increase energy and enthusiasm with inspiration.
Prepare them for future attacks by inoculating them against other
arguments.
Get them to take action and to support your cause.
Let them know what needs to be done.
Use testimonials to intensify the commitment.
Use the Rule of Esteem and the Rule of Expectation.
Most audiences are a mix of all four of these types. Find out the dominant
audience type that will be present and tailor your remarks accordingly. Of
course, mix in some techniques from the other three areas since your
prospects will always be a blend of all four.
The Persuasion Pitfall
Understand your audience and what Rules of persuasion you are going to
use on them. There are times and situations where certain persuasive laws
or techniques are not appropriate. You cannot treat every person or every
audience the same way. If you take persuasion too far, you will run into
what I call the Persuasion Pitfall.
People are persuaded and influenced until they feel cheated, misled, or
taken advantage of, and then they never tell you about their feelings or do
business with you again.
In sales and marketing, we have a tendency push the envelope a little too
hard when trying to persuade others. This could be in a personal one-onone encounter with a friend or in a visit to the local furniture store.
Persuaders who do not possess the ability to read others or who do not
have the skills necessary to persuade typically fall victim to the
Persuasion Pitfall. They will take persuasion a little too far, using extreme
pressure or trying to sell you a product you don't need or want. Use
persuasion, influence, or power the wrong way and people lose all trust in
you, never to be persuaded by you again. When over-persuading, you do
or say something that sets off silent alarms in you prospects' minds. It
could be a feeling of uneasiness, or a bad feeling toward you, your store,
or your product.
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