Complex sales: The Art of Persuasion Peter Rademakers is Principal Consultant and Founder of Motion5. Former Chief Development Officer & Executive Member of the Board of Ordina NV. This whitepaper about persuasion is the third in a series of whitepapers about complex sales. Peter Rademakers will share his insights on the 5 differentiating factors in the art of persuasion. What makes ‘Persuasion’ such a fascinating topic? Persuasion is practiced everywhere: within families when buying a new house, in business trying to convince customers of the value of products and in politics where politicians compete for votes. Its relevance has led to extensive research and debates on the subject. On some elements of persuasion consensus has long been reached, for example the importance of building ‘rapport’ in communication and persuasion. In this whitepaper we would rather look for alternative, more controversial themes that are equally important. Does a typical person prefer to be persuaded or does he want to persuade himself? And what makes people persuasive? Motion5 identifies five factors that can have a big impact. Factor 1: Authenticity Authenticity means: real, believable. If we translate that into behaviour, it is something along the lines of being congruent in thinking, saying and doing. An authentic person is loyal to his/her personality. He is himself, acts from personal drivers, is aware of what he wants and stands for. Additionally, authentic people are often open to new experiences. People who are authentic have the natural inclination to regard themselves and others around them as OK. We call that having a +/+ outlook. These people strive for growth and development and have realistic expectations about accomplishing goals. People who are authentic are also more convincing because they come across as believable. That, in turn, builds trust. Trust and believability are the pillars of persuasion. It is attractive to get into rapport with authentic people. Rapport for them is built in a natural way because other people will get into rapport with them, instead of the other way around. Factor 2: Breaking the Patterns Being normal is, as the word already says, the norm and the safe way to mingle with the crowd. The famous author and social psychologist Robert B. Cialdini talks about the principle of social affirmation: emphasizing real world facts and indicating others have gone before you. It can be persuasive to use this in sales, as people have a tendency to follow others and copy other people’s choices. In business-­‐to-­‐business, this idea is often linked to the concept of a ‘best practice’, a method, process or activity that has proven to be more effective than similar techniques and methods. Therefore, when you choose a best practice, you choose a proven way of working and you follow the collective common sense. 1 However, there are also people looking for something new, something that can make a difference. In a world where ‘more of the same’ is becoming the common denominator, it is both refreshing and convincing to break the existing patterns and do things in a special way. A new way offers new opportunities and possibilities. Dare to be different. Being different can make you more persuasive, because you stand out from the crowd and can accomplish a so-­‐
called top of mind position. Factor 3: Authority Some people have more natural authority than others. Not because they are smarter or older, but because they have a personality that makes them attractive. These people can effortlessly draw all attention towards them. Authority is ultimately about the extent to which you can make others do what you want them to do. Especially in smaller groups the effect of authority becomes more evident. It is related to charisma, which is one of the many elements that define a person with authority. Other aspects often include a certain air or power (related to being successful) and a sense of being dominant. Also, there are qualities admired by followers, such as being able to swiftly dissect complicated matters and strong verbal skills. A person with authority has a strong +/+ outlook, which includes a high sense of self-­‐efficacy (belief in own capacity to execute tasks successfully) and an awareness of his distinguishing qualities. He also has a focus on accomplishing goals, while respecting the contributions of his team. Furthermore, authority is strongly linked to non-­‐verbal qualities like being alert, being well dressed, walking upright and filling the room in a positive, non-­‐
threatening way. People with authority are persuasive because of their appealing, charismatic appearance. Factor 4: Influencing The power of persuasion lies in relatively simple concepts that for many people are hard to put into practice. These concepts include listening very well, wanting to understand your conversational partner and posing questions that do not just provide information, but also give direction. The so-­‐called steering questions should make an appeal to the primary motives of people: gaining pleasure and avoiding pain. The “Master of Persuasion” lets the other consider the consequences of doing or not doing something. These techniques work with the principle that people can only convince themselves; you just show people the way. If you would like to read more about this topic, you could check out the whitepaper ‘Mindwriting’ (2011) on the Motion5 website. The basic concept of ‘Mindwriting’ involves explaining an idea to someone. Whilst doing so, you use certain key words or phrases to label your story. Also, you link your story to the values of the listener; the things he finds really important. This connection will become stronger in this person’s mind over time, and an idea can grow into a belief. At this point, that person has become committed to the idea. In executing each step of mindwriting, you have to consider some issues. For instance, how will I label: do I use a key word, a phrase or a metaphor? 2 Factor 5: Sympathy Business people know the importance of having positive connections with other people. Complimenting someone, if done sincerely, can have a strong, positive effect on your persuasiveness. Again, authenticity is very important in this regard. It is vital that the customer likes you, but in complex sales it is even more important that you like the customer. That gives a feeling of security and sincere interest. Integrity is key in this regard. If you are being nice to some people but not to others, you will soon be perceived as fake, see factor 1: Authenticity. Some people show so-­‐called ‘high frequency emotions’. They are associated with love and joy and make someone attractive and likeable. There’s nothing as persuasive and contagious as enthusiasm. Ultimately, persuasion is about the transfer of emotions. Closing Studying the art of persuasion is nothing new. The classic philosophers already debated the techniques of logic, rhetoric and propaganda and this debate continues. The 5 factors shortly outlined in this paper represent a contribution to this debate. The “Master of Persuasion” is authentic, dares to be different, exudes power and authority and is liked by others. Furthermore, he has the ability to let others convince themselves. Never using high pressure, but through subtle influencing, almost unnoticeable. Masters work in inconspicuous, but highly effective ways. Motion5 and Peter Rademakers Want to know more or get in touch? Check out our website www.motion5.eu or follow us on 3