The "Hidden Persuaders" in Sales
The "Hidden Persuaders" in Sales
The ability to persuade and influence others to see our point of view, or to take some action, is a vital skill and can help us in all areas of our life. Indeed the ability to persuade is a common characteristic of all successful people. It also helps us to sell and negotiate more effectively in business.
Influencing is no accident today.
There has been a great deal of research done on the psychology of persuasion over the last 10 to 15 years by the advertising industry in particular. They now use these findings to influence us buy ideas, products and services, through radio, television, print media and the Internet.
So what makes some sales people and negotiators so persuasive?
I've discovered that some sales people use these same principles to be persuasive. As you may be aware I have written three books on negotiating, one on selling and one on sales management, and since 1991 I have made an on-going study of what it is that top business people, sales people, negotiators and managers do and say that make them so persuasive. I now now teach these techniques in our workshops.
In many cases the people I've studied have been unconsciously competent. That is, they do certain things which work for them, and they don't even realise that they are doing these things. Nor do they understand why the things they do work for them. The problem with being unconsciously competent, is a lack of consistency. The reason we conducted this study (using Neuro Linguistic Programming and behavioural Modeling Technology) was so we could help our clients and the people whom I do train in workshops to move from being.
In our workshop on "The Psychology Of Persuasion" in just a few hours I teach sales people how to move from being unconsciously competent to being consciously competent.
The results are amazing
They then produce the outcomes they desire on a more consistent basis. This is because they now understand what it is that they are doing to produce the outcomes that want, and more importantly why it works for them. You are probably unconsciously competent too in many of the things you do.
Tremendous power and dramatically better outcomes come with a shift to conscious competence.
I've identified ten powerful techniques that persuasive sales people use to influence others. I'd like to share some of these here with you now.
Space and time, prevents a detailed explanation of each here, but lets make a start shall we.
1. Persuasive sales people understand and use the "Law of Psychological Reciprocity"
This is a powerful "natural" law of human communication and basically it says, "What you put out, you get back"! While the concept is basic, it can be used in very sophisticated ways to influence others, if you know what you are doing.
2. Persuasive sales people understand and use the Law of Rapport
It's often said that with high rapport almost anything is possible, and without rapport, influencing others is almost impossible. Again at first this may see a very basic concept. Many people think that getting into rapport with someone is getting that person to like you. It can be, but rapport is much more than this. You can actually have someone in rapport with you even if they don't like you, even if they are angry with you.
The sophisticated application of rapport can exert a powerful influence and persuade others to do what we want them to do.
3. Persuasive sales people understand The Law of Context
This is a very sophisticated method of influencing others. In a nutshell, this law says, "The CONTEXT in which a request is made, is often more important and can influence the outcome much more, than the CONTENT of the request itself."
In others words, HOW we ask, and seek to influence others is often more important than WHAT we ask.
4. Persuasive sales people understand The Law of Contrast
This is a variation of the Law of Context. Again it has some powerful applications in selling, negotiating and managing people. For example, in my workshops I explain how to use a system of "Top Down Selling" and "The Power of Three" to influence buyers and those we negotiate with to select the option, which we most want them to choose. It's a sophisticated technique, but simple to use when you know how. However as I always stress in my workshops...
With great power, comes great responsibility
I heard this line again just last week when was watching the DVD movie of "Spiderman" with my 11 year old son. (Of course I was there doing research!!).
The power to influence and persuade others is an awesome power when it is fully developed. I do help people to develop this power, however how it is used is up to every individual to decide. It can be used with integrity to create win/win outcomes and strong long-term relationships.
Or it can be used to take advantage of people. Using it in this manner however is a very short-term view.
Today's most successful people take a long-term view and develop on-going relationships with integrity and genuine caring, where customers and people with whom they do business, are happy to do business with them over and over again.
Anyway until we speak again...
Have a great week this week. Make it a great week!
Wayne Berry CSP*
The Hidden Persuaders in Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Wayne Berry's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Have you ever wondered why some people are more persuasive than others?
The ability to persuade and influence others to see our point of view, or to take some action, is a vital skill and can help us in all areas of our life. Indeed the ability to persuade is a common characteristic of all successful people. It also helps us to sell and negotiate more effectively in business.
Influencing is no accident today.
There has been a great deal of research done on the psychology of persuasion over the last 10 to 15 years by the advertising industry in particular. They now use these findings to influence us buy ideas, products and services, through radio, television, print media and the Internet.
So what makes some sales people and negotiators so persuasive?
I've discovered that some sales people use these same principles to be persuasive. As you may be aware I have written three books on negotiating, one on selling and one on sales management, and since 1991 I have made an on-going study of what it is that top business people, sales people, negotiators and managers do and say that make them so persuasive. I now now teach these techniques in our workshops.
In many cases the people I've studied have been unconsciously competent. That is, they do certain things which work for them, and they don't even realise that they are doing these things. Nor do they understand why the things they do work for them. The problem with being unconsciously competent, is a lack of consistency. The reason we conducted this study (using Neuro Linguistic Programming and behavioural Modeling Technology) was so we could help our clients and the people whom I do train in workshops to move from being.
In our workshop on "The Psychology Of Persuasion" in just a few hours I teach sales people how to move from being unconsciously competent to being consciously competent.
The results are amazing
They then produce the outcomes they desire on a more consistent basis. This is because they now understand what it is that they are doing to produce the outcomes that want, and more importantly why it works for them. You are probably unconsciously competent too in many of the things you do.
Tremendous power and dramatically better outcomes come with a shift to conscious competence.
I've identified ten powerful techniques that persuasive sales people use to influence others. I'd like to share some of these here with you now.
Space and time, prevents a detailed explanation of each here, but lets make a start shall we.
1. Persuasive sales people understand and use the "Law of Psychological Reciprocity"
This is a powerful "natural" law of human communication and basically it says, "What you put out, you get back"! While the concept is basic, it can be used in very sophisticated ways to influence others, if you know what you are doing.
2. Persuasive sales people understand and use the Law of Rapport
It's often said that with high rapport almost anything is possible, and without rapport, influencing others is almost impossible. Again at first this may see a very basic concept. Many people think that getting into rapport with someone is getting that person to like you. It can be, but rapport is much more than this. You can actually have someone in rapport with you even if they don't like you, even if they are angry with you.
The sophisticated application of rapport can exert a powerful influence and persuade others to do what we want them to do.
3. Persuasive sales people understand The Law of Context
This is a very sophisticated method of influencing others. In a nutshell, this law says, "The CONTEXT in which a request is made, is often more important and can influence the outcome much more, than the CONTENT of the request itself."
In others words, HOW we ask, and seek to influence others is often more important than WHAT we ask.
4. Persuasive sales people understand The Law of Contrast
This is a variation of the Law of Context. Again it has some powerful applications in selling, negotiating and managing people. For example, in my workshops I explain how to use a system of "Top Down Selling" and "The Power of Three" to influence buyers and those we negotiate with to select the option, which we most want them to choose. It's a sophisticated technique, but simple to use when you know how. However as I always stress in my workshops...
With great power, comes great responsibility
I heard this line again just last week when was watching the DVD movie of "Spiderman" with my 11 year old son. (Of course I was there doing research!!).
The power to influence and persuade others is an awesome power when it is fully developed. I do help people to develop this power, however how it is used is up to every individual to decide. It can be used with integrity to create win/win outcomes and strong long-term relationships.
Or it can be used to take advantage of people. Using it in this manner however is a very short-term view.
Today's most successful people take a long-term view and develop on-going relationships with integrity and genuine caring, where customers and people with whom they do business, are happy to do business with them over and over again.
Anyway until we speak again...
Have a great week this week. Make it a great week!
Wayne Berry CSP*
The Hidden Persuaders in Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Wayne Berry's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
|||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Wayne's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 |
|
Wayne Berry Video - Successful selling today requires the skills of being able to build successful relationships. This video explains how to do that by Wayne Berry.
|
|
|
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Speed Business Networking Networking Online JV Considerations Internet Marketing Secrets How to Get a Life |
|
 | ||
 |
More PR Resources
Press Release Builder | |
 |
Top 50 Raising Capital Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
