We Don't Sell, We Help Them Decide...Part 3

3. Use a second or third party quote.

Sometimes you may have to tell people bad news in order to get them to see things your way. If you don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, you could use a second or third party quote to tell the news for you. For example, you could tell a client, “I was talking with Joe Smith the other day and he said that ABC Company has trouble making deliveries on time.” Another example would be to say, “My father used to always tell me ___________,” and then tell them what you want to tell them. Who could argue with your father? The only caveat is that you cannot use this technique to say something that is not true. The goal is to deliver truthful news or make a point in a way that doesn’t reflect poorly on you or make you appear as though you’re selling.

4. Use pacing and leading to prove your point.

Pacing and leading involves the idea that if the brain can verify two things as true, it will accept the third fact as being true too. So if you tell someone, “My name is Mary Jones and I’m with Acme Corporation,” the listener’s mind can quickly verify those two facts as true. Then whatever you say next, such as, “We have the lowest prices on your office supply needs,” rings true to the listener as well. Again, you cannot use this technique to say something false. Whatever your third piece of information is, it must be a reasonable fact.

None of these persuasion techniques are magic or “smoke and mirrors.” They are designed to give you a slight edge in your dealings with others. And if you think a slight edge is meaningless, think again. After all, in the Olympics, the difference between those who win the gold and those who win the silver is often just a few hundredths of a second or a fraction of a point. A slight edge goes a long way. So arm yourself with these persuasion tools and make them a part of your everyday conversations with others. When you do, you’ll find that others are more apt to adopt your ideas, resulting in more winning solutions for everyone involved.