Maximize Your Influence

Of all the tools in your persuasion toolbox, questioning is probably the one most often used by Power Persuaders. Questions are used in the persuasion process to create mental involvement, to guide the conversation and to find out what your prospect needs. Questioning is a very diverse and useful tool. An important study observed hundreds of negotiators in action in an attempt to discover what it takes to be a top negotiator. Their key finding was that skilled negotiators ask more than twice as many questions as average negotiators.

Much like movements, questions elicit an automatic response from our brains. We are taught to answer a question when it is posed to us. We automatically think of a response when asked a question. Even if we don't verbalize the answer, we think about it in our head. Most people want to be cooperative. We don't want to be considered rude because we don't answer the questions. In this way, a question stimulates our thinking response.  

The Cheerleader Effect

How do you form a good question? First, design your questions ahead of time. The structure of your questions dictates how your listener will answer them. When asked to estimate a person's height, people will answer differently depending on whether the question asked is "How tall is he?" versus "How short is he?"

In one study, when asking how tall versus how short a basketball player was, researchers received dramatically different results. The "how tall" question received the guess of 79 inches whereas the "how short" question received the guess of 69 inches.  Words have a definite effect on how people respond. "How fast was the car going?" suggests a high speed, but "At what speed was the car traveling?" suggests a moderate speed. "How far was the intersection?" suggests the intersection was far away. 

How to turn a no into a yes and a yes into a sale


 What is NLP?

Neuro-linguistic programming, or “NLP” as it is called today, is a very interesting science. NLP was first developed by UC Santa Cruz professor John Grinder and graduate student Richard Bandler.

 Its basic premise is that one’s thought patterns, beliefs and attitudes can be used to “preprogram” actual experiences that are yet to happen. NLP is very focused on how we think, what influences the way we think, and how we structure what we think. Subscribers to the science are encouraged to closely study and then model those individuals who do things well. When studying them, you don’t ask them how they did it—just what they were thinking when they did it.

The Negative Side of NLP

For example, if you asked Michael Jordan how to play basketball, he could give you a big list of dos and don’ts. He might outline a series of necessary drills, but that is not what NLP is about. Instead, you would find out how Michael Jordan perceives basketball in his mind. What are his beliefs and attitudes about basketball? When he makes a decision on the court, what is he thinking?

Click here for FREE cutting edge influence techniques that will increase your income

Many academics are haters of the science of NLP.  On this podcast, I will reveal what upsets them and what aspects of NLP work/don’t work.

– Listen and find out

Direct download: Podcast_252_-_NLP_-_Fact_or_Fiction.mp3
Category:nlp -- posted at: 6:30am CDT

Mind Control and Expectations

We communicate our expectations in a variety of ways. It may be through our language, our word choice, voice inflections, or our body language. Think of a time when you've been introduced to someone. Usually, if they introduce themselves by their first name, then you do the same. If they give their first and last name, you do likewise. Whether you realize it or not, you accept cues from others regarding their expectations and you act accordingly. Similarly, we all unknowingly send out our own cues and expectations. The power is in using the Law of Expectations consciously!

Exercise Changes Your Personality

Numerous studies have shown how the Law of Expectations dramatically influences people's performance. For example, in one study, girls who were told they would perform poorly on a math test did perform poorly. In another, assembly line workers who were told their job was complex performed less efficiently at the same task than those who were told it was simple. Another case study demonstrated that adults who were given complex mazes solved them faster when told they were based on a grade-school level of difficulty.

Then there is mind control.  What are the negative approaches to mind control and what are the techniques used in everyday persuasion?  What are the mind control tools that are appropriate to use?  Which one's are being used on you?

 – Listen and find out

Whats Your Persuasion IQ?

Direct download: Podcast_251_-__Mind_Control_Explained.mp3
Category:sales -- posted at: 6:30am CDT

The psychological edge gained by top persuaders cannot be overemphasized. How do great persuaders prepare their minds for success? What is their mental process before, during, and after the persuasion cycle? This mental aspect is one of the most important (and usually neglected) traits of success.

Almost everyone wants to accomplish their dreams, achieve more, become a better person, or pursue bigger and better goals. And we often know exactly what we need to do to make these things happen. So why don't we do them? Why do we fall short of our dreams and aspirations?

Writing down your goals coupled with a strong desire to reach them won't automatically bring success if you overlook this one vital detail:

Successes are not achieved if they aren't first conceived mentally. We are told all the time to be positive, to change that attitude, to have a good outlook. In fact, we are so bombarded with these messages that they are easy to tune out. We gloss over "think positive" messages, saying, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard that before. Now get to the meat."

Achieve Your Goals: Research Reveals a Simple Trick That Doubles Your Chances for Success

In this chapter, we're going to talk about much more than just positive attitudes—I call it "mental programming." This mind training or self-persuasion is what gives great persuaders the psychological edge. It's true that "you'll only achieve it once the mind believes it." By "programming" our minds, we dictate our future. It's just that simple. Think of your loftiest goals, your greatest aspirations. 

Do you really believe you can achieve them, deep down? Do you? If you can't visualize your success, you are unlikely to ever experience it in real life. We are always thinking and processing information, and our thoughts either propel us closer to our goals or drive us away from our dreams. We have a choice. It is critical that our "mental programming" is always geared to our advantage. How do you program your mind for success – Listen and find out

Claim Your FREE Book

Direct download: Podcast_250_-_Do_Goals_Destroy_or_Inspire_Success.mp3
Category:sales -- posted at: 6:30am CDT

There are only two things that motivate us in life: inspiration and desperation. We either move toward that which inspires us, or we move away from that which fills us with despair or discomfort. Most people only use desperation’s motivational energy. Any persuader can motivate an audience with desperation, fear, and worry.

The problem is that motivation spurred by desperation does not last. People who are moved by desperation or fear are typically so preoccupied with what they’re trying to get away from that they can’t think of anything else.

If you want personal motivation to last, you need to rely on inspiration, which is rooted in our emotions and vision. The positive results that come from using inspiration as a motivator are obvious. And, inspired people don’t need a carrot dangling in front of them to get something accomplished. They are self-motivated and don’t wait for external factors to drive them one way or the other.

SCIENTISTS SAY THEY CAN MEASURE YOUR CHARISMA WITH ONLY SIX QUESTIONS

Motivation is not stagnant; we all will require different types of motivation. Every day, every hour we will require a different form of motivation. Great persuaders know when, how, and what type of motivation to use not only as a persuader but also in their personal lives. It is also critical to know what which combination of motivation to use in each persuasive situation.

Direct download: Podcast_249_-_The_Science_of_Human_Motivation.mp3
Category:sales -- posted at: 11:58am CDT

1