Being persuasive comes naturally to some people, but even if you aren’t already good at convincing people of things, you can learn to be. Learn the fine art of being persuasive in ten simple techniques you can use everyday.
Some people know just what to say and do to convince people to do things. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all be that way? Guess what? We can. All you need is to understand how to be persuasive and then use some simple techniques to do it. Join SpiritualBlossom to learn the power of being persuasive. Find out what it is and exactly why it matters. Find out what the opposite of it is and some simple body language you can use to be persuasive. Then, learn ten of the most deceptively simple persuasive techniques you can use. Maybe you’re not the most persuasive person there is, but you can learn to be. Read on to get started.
What is Persuasion?
Persuasion is the fine art of influencing someone to do something or believe something that you want them to. Persuasive people know how to appeal to others and make people agree with them. The goal of persuasion is to influence someone's behavior or attitude toward a product, belief, or participation in something. Emotions, words, and writings are used for persuasion. Persuasion is used to create some form of change. There are different ways to persuade people.
You can appeal to people's emotions and their sense of right and wrong to persuade them to do things. You can gradually expose people to ideas until they're used to them and they just naturally believe them. You can also convince someone that what you want them to do is the best course of action. Some people use shame and embarrassment to coerce people into doing what they want them to do. Other people will appeal to the sense of justice and what's right. One Zodiac Sign that believes in working for justice is Libra and you can read about them here: Libra Traits and Love Compatibility
The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that there were three things to keep in mind to be persuasive. First was the concept of ethos, also known as credibility. In this step you convince people of your credibility. You impress upon them your education, expertise, work experience and you make them believe that you know what's best. Second is logos or reason. You appeal to their sense of reason and logic and that what you want them to do is right. The third step is pathos or emotion. Appealing to people's feelings is a great way to persuade them to do things.
Why Persuasion Matters
It would be nice if we could just ask people to do things and they automatically would, but sometimes they don't. Persuasion is the ability to get people to do things, especially if you can make them feel good about it. On the job, you can always threaten your employees with firing them, but it's a better idea to make them feel good about completing tasks on the job instead. Persuasion is the ability to get things done, and hopefully done in such a way that everybody feels good about. If you can persuade people to do things instead of being pushy, you will have the ability to easily motivate them.
It helps to build relationships of trust instead of making people feel that you're using them to your advantage. To be fair, sometimes we have to get people to do things that they don't want to do, and it's not always possible to make people feel good about it. It's important to try. If you have a large project and you need everyone to work overtime on it, instead of telling them it’s mandatory, thank them in advance for working together as a team to succeed. The more you make your team want to help with the big project, the more good work they will do, and the more of them will help work overtime. One Zodiac sign that never seems to mind extra work is Virgo and you can read about them here: Virgo Traits and Love Compatibility
The Opposite of Persuasion
The opposite of persuasion is anything that dissuades people. Things said and done can repel people from what you would like them to do. Anytime people feel you are trying to get them to do something that does not benefit them in any way, but benefits you a lot, it will make them not want to do it. For example, if you are a car salesperson, and a client specifically gave you their budget, don’t try to push them to spend more. They know what they can afford, and they will feel repelled because they will suspect that you want more money for yourself.
Persuasion is designed to convince people that what you want them to do is the best course of action. If they see no benefits for themselves, or no reason this is for the greater good, they won’t want to. Nagging people can dissuade them as well. While people are deciding whether to do something, following up in a polite, but non aggressive way can encourage them. If you’re aggressive, they will think you want to manipulate them for your own benefit. It’s best to confidently state your case, and then let people to decide for themselves whether they want to do what you ask them to. It’s a bad idea to be aggressive when you try to persuade a Sagittarius and you can find out more about them here: Sagittarius Traits and Love Compatibility
Persuasive Body Language
There are a few things you can do with your body language to be more persuasive. Smiling at people, making eye contact as you engage them, and standing close enough to get their attention helps you be more persuasive.
Smile
Smiles convey happiness, approachability, and that you like people. These positive things create good energy for communicating in general, but especially when you want to be persuasive. If you’re not projecting positivity and a sense of wellbeing, people can be suspicious that your proposal won’t make them happy or benefit them in any way. Smiles also communicate confidence, and if people believe you are confident about what you are asking them to do, it helps persuade them.
Make Eye Contact
Making eye contact with people automatically communicates that they have your full attention. Most people will respond by looking you in the face and the eye as well. It is easier to hold their attention and gives you more time to get your message to them. You can also nod while you are speaking to them- and they may automatically nod in response, which gets them in the mindset to say yes to you. Making eye contact is also another way to communicate confidence, and the more confident people believe you are about your proposal, the more likely they are to do what you are trying to persuade them to. Learn about the power of saying yes here: The Magical Things That Happen When You Say Yes
Stand Close
Standing closer to people is a great way to get their attention and communicate to them that you are speaking directly to them. It shows them they have your attention, and this makes them more likely to pay attention to you. Some people feel that a conversation is more intimate and thus, more genuine if you are standing closer to them. You also don’t need to speak as loudly, which can be perceived as rude by some people. One thing to keep in mind is that some people don’t want anybody standing TOO close to them. If they move away from you slightly, take a step back to give them a little more space.
The Ten Best Ways to Be Persuasive
Besides your body language, there are ten simple techniques you can use anytime you want to be persuasive. From becoming informed about what you’re talking about to communicating self-respect as well as respect of others, persuasiveness isn’t just about what you want people to do. It’s how you communicate it, and how you interact with people. Read on to find ten simple ways to master the art of persuasiveness.
Be Informed
When you're trying to be persuasive, there are two things that you have got to be informed about. First, you need to be informed about your audience. Who are they, what do they want, and what motivates them? You also need to be educated about what you're trying to persuade them about. If you don't have all the details, get those before you start asking people to do things. Great leaders know what they are talking about. Read more leadership skills here: Essential Skills for Today’s Leaders
Build Connections
It helps if you have a connection with people when you're trying to be persuasive. You can even build connections with strangers. Establish a feeling of kinship with them by pointing out how similar you are and how what you're trying to persuade them to do has helped you. For example, if you are trying to raise funds for your local school, it will probably be easier to get funds from the parents. However, pointing out to non-parents that the more educated local kids are, the better it is for everyone because the kids in school become tomorrow's doctors, firefighters, and business people.
Listen
If you're not prepared to listen to what people have to say, they're probably not going to listen to you. It's important to talk to people and explain what you're trying to persuade them to do, but it's equally as important to listen to them when they respond. People will like you better and listen to you better if they feel like you're going to listen to them. That likability really counts when you’re trying to get people onboard with what you want them to do. Learn more ways to be a great listener here: How to Become Great at Listening
Accommodate Everybody
Accommodate everyone who you're trying to persuade of things. Try to arrange meetings at a good location where the maximum number of people can attend. Try to set things at times when the most people can show up. While you're at it, it's better if you go to the people instead of expecting them to come to you. Make exceptions for people who need it and accommodations for things like sensory impairments or disabilities. People will notice you making these accommodations and they will respect you for it. This will make them more likely to listen.
Meet Needs and Wants
If you want to sell gourmet chocolate for the holidays, convince your prospective customers that buying the chocolate from you will be a convenient way for them to get gifts. If you want the job as the community director, show the hiring committee how you go out of your way to meet needs and wants of the people who you serve. Emotional intelligence will help you know what people want and need and you can read more here: How High is Your Emotional Intellect?
Project Confidence
The more confident you are, the more people will believe in what you're trying to get them to do. If you seem like you're not too sure about something, people will step away from you. It's normal to be nervous sometimes when you're speaking to people, just don't let on. Share all the positives of what you're trying to persuade people to do, and all the reasons why it's their best option.
Be Respectful
If you behave respectfully toward people, they will respond and want to be respectful to you too. Self-respect is also important. Don't act desperate when you're trying to be persuasive. Communicate respect for what you're trying to persuade people to do also. If you want volunteers for park cleanup, express your respect for the natural spaces and how they serve the community. If people believe you respect them, they are more likely to cooperate. Learn about the power of belief here: What Happens When You Believe? Why it Matters
Be Honest and Fair
Dishonesty is probably the fastest way to dissuade people from doing what you want them to. If another fitness center has better prices, be honest about that. Just show your prospective clients what you believe your fitness center does better and why you're worth more money. You also have to be fair about the fact that not everyone can afford more money. Thank people and tell them that they can always call you iIf they would like to reconsider.
Adapt and Improve
People will tell you what they're interested in, what impresses them, and what they need. Change your approach based on what you've learned. If you want to sell seasonal sports tickets to people who aren't interested in sports, change your approach by asking them if they would like to buy season tickets for their loved ones who like sports. Most people buy gifts for people, and most people know someone who loves sports. Adapting will improve your chances of being more persuasive. Learn how to become adaptable here: Mastering the Fine Art of Being Flexible
Know When to Stop
There comes a time when somebody is going to tell you no, and there's nothing you can do about that. Know when to stop and respect people's choices. If what you're trying to persuade people to do is really worthwhile, someone will say yes. Keep talking to people until you find the ons who agree with you.
Persuasiveness is used in business, social situations, and relationships. Everyone can learn how to talk people into things that are important to them. Body language like good eye contact is one way to be persuasive, but listening, being accommodating, and being adaptable is too. You can’t always convince people, but if you use simple techniques, you can convince most people. Don’t take our word for it. Try and see for yourself!
Would you like to find more ways to be persuasive in a specific situation? Get a reading with one of our psychics to find out how today.
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Mysticsense and SpiritualBlossom, and she writes for PaganPages.Org emag and Green Egg Magazine.
