Josh Peace Reveals the Secrets of Persuasive People
Some sales advisors seem to have the ability to sell ice to an Inuit, but are they born sales people or have they honed their skills to perfection? Being persuasive is an essential skill for any entrepreneur to have, but the first step to becoming more persuasive is to look at the people who are good at it, and learn from what they are doing. A recent article in Entrepreneur magazine gave the secrets of persuasive people. Here, Josh Peace reviews the article and looks at the lessons that entrepreneurs can take from it.
“In business, you have to communicate with people every hour of every day, whether its team members, suppliers, clients, or potential customers”, said Josh Peace. “By learning how to persuade these people round to your way of thinking, you can gain a competitive edge over your business rivals. This Entrepreneur article is a great start for people who want to become powerful persuaders.”
The first thing that super persuaders know is that everyone is different, so you have to tailor your pitch to your individual audience. Finding out as much as possible about your audience will help you ascertain how aggressive or empathic you need to be. Always remember that there is a big difference between persuasive and pushy, and you should never be over aggressive in your arguments. On the other hand, you can’t afford to be too meek. You should never present your speech in the form of questions, as if the product needs approval. Shy or awkward presenters can get round this by presenting ideas as statements of fact.
Positive body language is also important. Study after study has shown how people respond to these non verbal communications. Maintain eye contact and lean in towards the person you’re talking to. Smile warmly, and always greet people by their name. Be genuine and honest in everything you say, and be prepared to accept the point of view of the person you’re talking to without making concessions about the product itself. Never be afraid to walk away from a deal, if you have a great product that you’ve presented powerfully they can return to you when they’ve thought about it more.
“Being a great persuader is a fine line, but the good thing is that the more you do it, the better you’ll get”, said Josh Peace. “That’s why entrepreneurs should practise pitches regularly, and learn what works for them and what doesn’t.”
Josh Peace is himself a successful entrepreneur with a wealth of experience. He provides public speaking and business mentoring services.
