Posts Tagged ‘covert persuasion’
Does Covert Persuasion Exist
Is there such a thing as covert persuasion ?
In considering whether covert persuasion exists let me first repeat something I was told
many years ago,
“You cannot, not communicate”
Even if you do not say anything your appearance, your manner communicate something.
So, let’s look at this in relation to persuasion and sales.
You walk into a prospect’s office having made an appointment to see them a few weeks
before and confirmed the appointment two days before.
You walk in wearing shorts and a sweat shirt. What are you communicating by wearing
those clothes ? Do you think that will help you make a sale ?
OK. That’s an extreme example.
But what about if you are late ? What does that communicate to the buyer ?
Ever been into a retail store and been attended to by a young, new sales assistant ? They
are not quite sure about the products, not quite sure where everything is, fumble with
their words. How do you feel when that is happening ? My guess is that you either just
want to get out of there or you feel sorry for the young person. The important thing is do
you feel inclined to buy ? And I’ve had some people say they’d feel sorry for the young
sales person and help them out and maybe even buy from them. I guess that would all
depend on how important , complicated and critical the purchase was to you ?
What if you’ve had a disagreement with your spouse earlier in the morning. You are
fuming all the way to the customer call and you walk into the customer’s office without
having got rid of those underlying emotions. Do you think your prospect will notice
something ?
I think they will. They might not know what they are sensing. They’ll just get this feeling
that something is wrong. You’ll come across as incongruent which means to say that
something in your manner is not agreeing with what is coming from your lips. When
prospect’s get this uneasy feeling they are much less likely to buy.
So, and here’s the first lesson about covert persuasion. It all starts with you.
Since everything about you communicates you have to make sure that all your
communication, both verbal and non-verbal, is sending the same message, or at least a
congruent message. Otherwise your sales will suffer.
Covert Persuasion – First Impressions
Few things will improve your persuasion results more than creating a favourable first impression and surprisingly most of this is covert persuasion.
“A positive first impression starts the relationship on the right foot, while a poor one is often impossible to overcome.”
Whilst I believe that most of a positive first impression is created by building rapport with a prospect. And rapport building in mostly an unconscious practice. Following some of the guidelines in the following article will certainly help you create a good starting point.
Covert Persuasion and Elementary School
Ever thought of primary school grammar and how it relates to covert persuasion ?
As sales people, language is the major tool we have to work with so it pays to use it artfully.
Aftre all as Napoleon said, ” We rule men with words”.
Likewise I’m sure you’ve heard the expression,
“The pen is mightier than the sword. “
So, if language is so important in our quest to influence people how much attention did you pay to your English grammar lessons in your pre high school years?
You see verb tenses (or as one NLP trainer likes to call them “verb relaxes”, because there’s no point getting tense over verbs) are a very powerful tool we can use to influence people.
One of the ways you can use verb tenses is to move an objection into the past….
You can read more here
Covert Persuasion – Presuppositions, Contrary to Expectation
Covert persuasion, “Contrary To Expectation” basically involves the use of the word “should.”
Covert Persuasion – Values
We all seek to meet our values and express some of these in what we buy.
Our values present as the criteria on which we base our decision.
We can use this as a covert persuasion tactic.
How would you like to know within the first three minutes of every interview exactly what your client wants or expects from you?
Then, with just a few simple, (yet incredibly powerful questions), know exactly what your client needs to hear in order to buy from you…
I’m not kidding! It’s possible.
That would change your career just a little, wouldn’t it?
“Criteria Elicitation,” is a power-packed strategy the enables your client to tell you right up front what they want!
The answers to these questions deliver you a map of your client’s brain… exactly what your client needs to be fed in order for them to buy with zero resistance!
Criteria elicitation is the precise technology that you need in your business to insure zero resistance.
The question that starts you on that pathway is, …
Covert Persuasion – Self Confidence
Believe it or not one of the most important covert persuasion principles is self confidence.
I have always noted throughout my sales career that when I’m full of confidence I get better results.
In fact, I had a little practice that whenever I landed a big sale I would immediately go and try to close some other deals that I knew were close to fruition. I figured “nothing succeeds like success”.
I read this post today from Geoffrey James in which he helps a reader with some self confidence issues, it’s well worth a read.
Sales Skill #1: Self-Confidence
Covert Persuasion – Responsive Customers
One way it can be apparent whether your covert persuasion is working for you or against you is to notice how responsive your customers are.
Do you find yourself wondering if your prospect is from another planet?
Or maybe they speak a foreign language or something ?
Imagine trying to make a sales call in a country where they do not speak any language that you do. For example, imagine trying to sell someone an item when you only speak English and they only speak French. Would that be difficult and frustrating?
Yet this is very similar to what happens in many sales calls.
You need to be on the same wavelength as your prospect and to then use language that motivates them to act in order to progress a sale.
Read more at…
7 Steps to Responsive Customers
Covert Persuasion – 10 Top Rapport Tips
While it may not be considered by many to be a covert persuasion tactic rapport is certainly helpful, if not necessary, to persuasion and the best way to do rapport is covertly.
“Rapport is far more than just talking about the same football club or discussing your client’s children. It is a deeper integration with the client, immersing you into their world and what makes them tick and then designing a sales process around them, not you.”
I offer an eBook on Sales Rapport which is valuable reading for any sales professional.
Follow the link for 10 Top Rapport Selling Tips