Fundamentals of Effective Persuasive Communication
Being able to successfully persuade others to align with your view(s) or vote for you is a skill that can be developed through training and practice. Experience shows that many people approach persuasion in a way that makes it difficult for them to succeed. The beginning of a successful persuasion is building trust and credibility so that your audience can pay attention to you.
Current electoral campaigns in Nigeria
The business of politics is very active at the moment in Nigeria, as election campaigns have started in an attempt to persuade the electorate to vote for candidates from different political parties in the April 2011 general election.
As usual, the election campaign becomes more interesting and shocking every day, revealing the oratorical and persuasive skills of some politicians, as well as exposing the gross incompetence of others when it comes to persuasive communication. Those who lack oratorical and persuasive skills usually base their campaigns on other contestants/character assassinations. Eloquent communicators focus on the issues, that is, on their manifestos.
Violence in the political business
We are witnessing the current wave of political violence in Nigeria due to miscommunication among politicians. Those who don’t know how to successfully win over the electorate simply resort to insulting other contenders. The result of this is preventable violence that has negative effects on politics. I would like to advise the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) of Nigeria to allow political candidates to undergo public speaking and persuasive speech training to stop the current wave of violence mainly caused by the use of abusive language.
Aside from violence, candidates who lack public speaking skills and persuasive communication basically resort to voter fraud just like academically lazy students always look for quizzes when exam days approach. Research shows that one of the reasons for electoral fraud in this country is the lack of what it takes to convince the electorate and even win the opposition of the majority of politicians during election campaigns.
University violence and oratory distinction
On a seriously comical note, the lack of persuasion skills is so tragic that it has led to the rise of members of university cult groups in Nigeria. Research shows that most cult members cannot successfully woo or persuade ladies. Therefore, they threaten the targeted ladies with submission of their membership to cult groups. It is a truism that the causes of most inter-cult clashes on our campuses are often as frivolous as fights over girlfriends.
President Barack Obama was able to change the status quo in the United States of America by becoming the first black president due to his public speaking skills and persuasive speech. He is just a charismatic speaker.
utility
The ability to communicate persuasively is a skill that can be used in all aspects of our personal or business lives. In short, it is said that the difference between a powerless talker and the motivational communicator is the ability to persuade people to engage in win-win relationships. Dr. Kevin Hogan, author of “The Psychology of Persuasion,” says the world would be a very different place without those few people who have mastered the skills of persuasion and used them so effectively over generations.
The (desired) mental state of an individual is a very important aspect to consider in the persuasion process. When you determine this, you can persuade the person by showing them how to get there. It is noteworthy that when a person is unable to build a good relationship with another person, then no meaningful relationship can take place. Relationship is essential to persuasion and all communication.
negotiation and persuasion
Although negotiation and persuasion are almost the same, they are semantically different. Negotiation involves reaching an agreement on the price or on the specific terms of an agreement; while persuasion, on the other hand, is the art of getting people to accept your views, to see everything your way. But you need negotiation skills to be a good persuader, and you need persuasion skills to be a good negotiator.
Roger Dawson, a renowned author and marketing expert, says, “Selling is really a persuasion contest, isn’t it? You’re trying to persuade the buyer to buy. The buyer is trying to persuade you to buy your point of view.” “. than he or she.”
challenge and solution
If you are a salesperson who has gotten very good at prospecting for business and building rapport with clients, but closing is your problem as you simply can’t get the buyer to ‘sign on the dotted line’ , There is a solution.
In Dawson’s words, “Let me tell you about a persuasion technique that is so simple and so effective, it’s unbelievable, that few people are aware of how powerful it is… This simple technique consists of using the person’s name, at the beginning or end of a sentence, and make your request. You should tilt your head a little and smile as you say his name…”
Establishing your credibility
The good news is that there are many strategies you can adopt to achieve effective persuasion. One of them is to establish your credibility as stated above. In the workplace, for example, credibility comes from experience and relationships. People are considered experts if they have a track record of good judgment or have been shown to be knowledgeable about their proposals. They must have demonstrated over time that they work in the best interest of others.
wise choice
Another strategy is to make a wise choice. If you make the wrong decision in the course of your persuasion by focusing on things that are extremely unrealistic or technically impossible, you may risk not being able to successfully persuade your audience.
However, Naomi Karten, author of “Changing the Way You Communicate During Change,” says, “Still, sometimes it’s worth a try. One project manager, Cliff, mustered up the courage to ask his boss for a project license.” three months to pursue some personal goals. Cliff was so sure the answer would be ‘Are you crazy?’ that he almost didn’t hear his boss say, ‘Okay, let’s find a way to make this happen.'”
Be specific about the expected result
You also need to be specific for effective persuasion, eg “I expect five million votes from you”; “I want you to approve N2 million quoted in my proposal”, etc. You must also explain why. Most people want to know the “why” behind the “what.”
To support your proposal, for example, collect as much relevant data as you can. The fact that you’ve done your homework gives you a distinct advantage over those who demand or plead in the name of persuasion.
Do the favor of the people first
Doing people an honest favor beforehand also helps. According to the principle of reciprocity, people feel obligated to give back when a favor has been done for them. Robert Cialdini, in his text “Influence” says that even people we don’t like have a better chance of getting us to do what they want simply by doing us a small favor beforehand.
However, this principle has negative implications when applied for the wrong purposes, for example, if money is distributed to people to persuade them to vote.
Concentrate on audience problems.
It’s another thing to focus on topics important to your audience. Consider, too, what these people emphasize when they seek to persuade. If, for example, they emphasize facts and figures, strive to do the same. If they focus on how people or productivity, deadlines, etc. will be affected, implement your key points accordingly. The more your own case matches what your audience cares about, the better your chances of winning them over.
Never expect an immediate positive response
Don’t expect an immediate positive response on your persuasion or proposal. It’s easy to persuade a friend to change an appointment. Karten says making a release for something big, like adopting agile methods, is unlikely to get an immediate response. Getting buy-in for something that involves major change often requires patience and persistence. It allows the idea to be explored and can show how other organizations have benefited from it.
accepting rejection
Today, the focus has shifted from aggressive marketing to assertive marketing. If your customer or prospect notices a shortcoming in your product or service, for example, and it catches their attention, they listen and promise to correct it (assertive marketing) rather than dismiss their review as false or untrue. without foundation and promoting an unnecessary defense. If they reject it, accept the decision and make the necessary modifications.
Recapitulation
To be successful in persuading others, we need to learn and apply effective persuasion strategies. If we master the principles of effective persuasion, our married life, our career, etc., will improve.