1. Persuasion & Convincing Skills
Trigger the “Yes” Response
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

2. Persuasion is
1. bring your audience to believe as you do
and/or
2. influence your audience to take action.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

3. May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

4. Influence: Explained
Definition Forms
• Changing the Attitudes • Influence attempts can
and Behaviors of other be either open or covertly
people Without Using Any manipulative.
Force or show of power – In open influence, the
– Active Listening Skills attempt is readily apparent
– Shaping to the target.
– Reflection – In manipulative influence,
the attempt is hidden from
the target.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

5. Influence: Components
Information
• Relevant, factual
information, i.e. Graphs,
Published literature, etc.
• Do not, however, rely on
this alone!
Framework Technical Expertise
• Comfortable context • Assure your
• Similar examples understanding towards
• “No force” approach the problem
• Exhibit experience and
trained qualities
Influence
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

6. Influence and Persuasion
• The refined form of Influence is often
termed as Persuasion.
• Persuasion attempts to win "the heart
and mind" of your client.
• Thus, in order to persuade you must bring
about a change in attitude, which is
basically an emotion-based change.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

7. Where does persuasion take place?
• You wish to convince your client that you have
the solution to his problem.
• You want to convince your client that more time
is needed to complete his request.
• You wish to show your supervisor that working
overtime do not add up to an effective way to get
things done.
• You want to show your client that your proposed
idea is without any demerits.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

8. How do you feel when
clients
raise objections
or
ask questions?
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

9. Each of these situations calls for you
to persuade your audience. In order
to persuade you would have to:
1. Awaken a belief on the part of your listeners
that what you are proposing is a good idea.
2. Show the client that you have a well-
thought-out plan of action available.
3. Be able to convince your client that your
plan of action is realistic and the right thing
to do.
4. Be able to “push the right buttons,” or know
your client.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

10. Analyze your client
A. Supportive client:
– you start with their support
B. Uncommitted client:
– neutral
C. Indifferent client:
– have to get them to pay attention
D. Opposed client:
– against you before you start
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

11. Persuasion: Components
Having Credibility
Making a Solid
Understanding your
Audience Persuasion Case
Effective
Communication
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

12. Components: Defined
Understanding Your
Having Credibility Audience
• Gaining experience in Before
various leadership • How Do The Professionals
positions Make Decisions?
• “The Best Predictor Of
Future Behavior Is Past
Behavior”
Trust Experience Credibility
During
• Watch closely for reactions
• Be prepared to pause for
questions/clarifications
• Hostile  Supportive
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

13. Components: Defined
Making a Solid Case Effectively Communicating
• Begin with a compelling • Appealing to emotional
story sides
• Paint a picture of what
you want to happen • Word choice – add color
• Present factual evidence and excitement!
• Anticipate/answer • You have to be able to
objections that might tell a good story!
come up
• End with a clear
statement of what you
want the committee to
do
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

14. “People with Advance Communication
Skills knows the art of influence and
persuasion. It requires practice, finesse
and a skill set that goes beyond those
that the average person possesses.”
-Anonymous
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

15. Clients will remember what you
looked like
more than what you
said
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

16. Persuasion: In a nutshell!
• Related to Perceptions of Credibility
– Trustworthy
– Qualified
– Personal dynamism
• How could being more “Persuasive”
assist you in dealing with others?
• Caution: Persuasive not Aggressive
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

17. Persuasion vs. Coercion
I am going to convince I am going to pick
him/her that he/she him/her up and
want to jump off the throw him/her off
roof.
the roof.
Pe rs u a s i o n C o e rc i o n
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

18. Be more Persuasive without being
Aggressive –Try to convince them
• Find Common Ground
• Be Honest about your intentions
• Be personally Credible, Admit when you
don’t know something
• Be Patient – i.e., reinforce your messages
over time
• Soften your appeals
• Save your most important point for last.
• Give least number of options
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

19. How to Trigger the "Yes" Response
• The movie: Adjustment Bureau
• It's a well-known principle that people like
to have a reason. A reason helps people
make a decision and justify their action.
• "Because" is usually followed by
information and has become, for most
people, a "trigger."
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

20. Validation of Triggers
we humans can't possibly think through
every situation from scratch, so we have
"triggers" that set off automatic,
unthinking action. Our brain is built to
help us simplify life by identifying patterns
moment-by-moment, and automatically
setting in motion set sequences of
standard, well-rehearsed behavior.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

21. Triggers: To convince
• Reciprocation
• Commitment and Consistency
• Social proof
• Liking
• Authority
• Scarcity
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

22. 7 Golden Principles of Persuasion
• Always focus on the end result
• Relate to your audience (whether it be
one or many)
• Sweet talking (weave your intention)
• Use technical words where necessary
• Try to elaborate on what you said earlier
• Remain relaxed at all times
• Take advantage of influence
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services

23. Things to remember!
• Empathy is the key to all types of persuasion
• Don't elaborate too much
• Avoid using excessive statistics
• Don’t show that it’s your opinion, convince
them to believe it as a Universal truth.
• Make it OBVIOUS.
• Do not respond to any verbal attacks, keep
calm and your position light-hearted.
May 29, 2012 Presented by: Ahsan Bham, Team Member
- Employee Services