3 Powerful Laws of Persuasion

How much are your words worth? Do people take you seriously or do they take your advice with a grain of salt? In today’s world, people are so much harder to convince. And sometimes, your very job depends on how well you use persuasion techniques. Whether it’s asking for a raise or suggesting a new idea, you need persuasion techniques to help get you going. One way to do that is by using the laws of persuasion to your advantage. Check out some of these techniques below. nnPersuasion Technique # 1: The Law Of Friends For some reason, people are shy about asking help from friends. They say that they don’t want to take advantage of the friendship; but then, what kind of friend would leave another friend in trouble? This is where one of the most powerful persuasion techniques is based on. When you’re friends with someone, he/she will be more likely to be persuaded by you. For example, if you say that coffee at a certain cafe is ten times better than your local coffee place, your friend will be easily persuaded into trying your recommended coffee out. You’re not taking advantage of anybody here. That is just the natural play of friendship. nnPersuasion Technique # 2: The Law Of Reciprocity This particular persuasion technique goes by many names. In one of Paulo Coelho’s novels, he calls it the favor bank. So what is the favor bank exactly? Easy. When you do something nice for a person, that person is inclined to return the favor. It’s basically an I-help-you-you-help-me situation. This persuasion technique is actually one of my favorites because it’s simple and direct. You don’t have to play mind games or involve other people into the set up to make it work. nnPersuasion Technique # 3: The Law Of Consistency Consistency is very important in the workplace. You can be judged pretty harshly for saying one thing today and saying another tomorrow. This is one of the sensitive persuasion techniques that require you to be observant and a good listener. Take note of what your colleagues are saying about a certain project or a certain idea. People who proclaim their position on an issue will be more likely to defend their side until the end. If you are clever enough, you can use such commitment to your advantage. These persuasion techniques have been tried and tested many, many times over. They are based on natural human reactions and will generally be effective anywhere.