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The art of persuasion and follow-up

Persuasion and follow-ups are learning about choices and negotiating the way through. It is used in everyday communication

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In a role play in the class of PGP, IIM- Shillong where I teach as an external, the participants were practicing persuasion. One of them persuaded an imaginary project with his hypothetical boss and the other person did identical. But the former got the project because he was swift with persuasion and then with follow-ups.

Persuasion is one soft skill which is very hard to get imbibed in self. So is follow-up. The ability to persuade, to change people's opinions and hearts is probably the single greatest skill that gives an aggressive edge over others. The world is now the economy of niche and knowledge. The more generic you are, another "Me too" product you become.

The global economy has evolved from an agricultural and animal-based farming to an industrial and then a knowledge-based one. Every successful person in approximately every profession has learnt the art of convincing others to take action on their ideas.

Art of persuasion is needed to accomplish almost everything.

Start-ups persuade investors to back their ventures. Job seekers convince recruiters to hire them. Politicians get people to vote for them. Salespeople talk customers in to choosing their product. Leaders of organisations ask people to follow specific goals. These are just a few.

This being said, it is also clear that some people are generally more persuasive than others. These people are charming, politically smart and great with social niceties of individuals. They are usually sought-after salespeople, managers and leaders. Thanks to their patience and ability to remain calm when others would burst out, they're better equipped to lead people. People trust them better, write or seek advices from them and if these kinds exit the organisation, they also cause exit of a few good employees with them.

So how do we develop persuasion and then learn to follow through?

The first step persuaders must take is to build their own credibility. A persuader can't suggest anything to people if they have doubts. They mostly wonder, Can we trust this individual with the ideas or products one is talking about. This kind of reaction from your listeners is understandable. After all, allowing oneself to be persuaded is uncomfortable and acceptance of a new change in whatever manner. An interesting research done by Harvard Business Publishing says that most people overestimate their credibility and risk losses in the process. Most people also lack necessary follow-ups once the basic result of persuading has come through. A lack of follow-up risks serious credibility.

Common base of benefit: Why should I listen to you? Is there a common ground? Are we both gaining in the process or is it just you? Common questions of a person who is on receiving end. Remember, how your parents convinced you to get a painful vaccine? By stating that you will get candies or a gift? That's not deception. That is exactly stating that the process might be discomforting yet it would come bearing gifts.

Get a proof: Nothing matches a competition of buying or sailing in the same boat as the other person. Mob or herd mentality may sound mean word but the world has a buying pattern of copy paste. If someone else has bought the idea, very high chances are that I will too. The reports of sales numbers that you crunch are always informative, but what motivates people that they can be an achiever if you share "how to" stories with a proof. The world looks up to doers and not empty talkers.

Follow up that emotional connect: Do you feel emotionally connected to persuade and trail up to the cause, sales, product, idea whatever it might be? Because it would be impossible to get results if you don't keep an eye on the subsequent results. People want to be taken care of and getting a traction back is possible if you are strong in building an emotional connect to your persuasion power and the follow up later.

Persuasion and follow-ups are learning about choices and negotiating the way through. It is used in everyday communication.

The writer is a strategic advisor and premium educator with Harvard Business Publishing

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