Use These Words to be More Persuasive

TLDR:

Use these phrases to persuade people more easily to get the desired outcome in sales situations and negotiations. You can use these when talking to clients face to face or via phone or VC.

• Open-Minded

• Most people

• I’m not sure this is for you, but…

✍️ Whether you like it or not, we are all sellers

If you think about it, you are persuading people and selling your ideas or intentions to everyone. Daily! You want to convince your colleagues to go for lunch at your favorite restaurant, you want to get your client to agree to a deal with you, you want your kids to go to bed early, and you want your partner to watch the movie you’ve been waiting a long time to see!

Some people are good at it and others could improve their skills with a few simple changes. And the point is that if you implement these tactics, they should be used to persuade people. Not manipulate them. That’s the key. Persuasion has the interests of both parties in mind when manipulation is selfish and immoral because only the manipulator tends to have the upper hand and win.

🧠 When we are having conversations, many decisions are made by our subconscious mind

The powerful thing about these phrases is that they speak directly to the subconscious brain. This part of your brain is an efficient tool for decision-making since it helps you make decisions without overcomplicating everything. Practically it helps you to quickly decide in “yes or no” answers. This is a great thing for you because then the people you are interacting with will be able to process the information faster and will be able to make decisions more rapidly.

So basically you are talking to what Daniel Kahneman refers as “System 1”. Imagine System 1 as your fast, automatic thinking. It's like a gut feeling or a snap judgment. It operates on instinct, making quick decisions based on past experiences and emotions. This system is fuel-efficient, allowing you to react quickly in everyday situations.

System 2, on the other hand, is the slower, more deliberate thinker. It's the voice of reason, carefully analyzing information and weighing options. This system requires effort and focus, like solving a complex math problem. While powerful, it's not always "on duty."

Now let’s look at some practical examples of these magic phrases.

💡Two passive ways to persuade

1. Open-Minded

Basically, all people would like to see themselves as an open-minded individual. Especially, if the alternative is to be considered as super conservative and stiff, without any openness to new things or possibilities. This gives you an advantage because if you want to introduce a new idea to the person you want to persuade, framing the scenario with the question “How open-minded are you about xyz”, will immediately make the other party try to stay consistent with their view that they are open-minded, making them more likely to consider your offer. Here are some examples:

• How open-minded are you about exploring alternative solutions to your current process?

• How open-minded are you about getting more appointments for your business with the software we just developed?

• How open-minded are you to the idea of making a short trip to the sea on the weekend?

2. Most People

This is a powerful phrase because it’s based on two important biases of the human mind. First, by saying these words, you are sending the message that many people would do or have done the thing you want the other party to do. This is classic social proof and we know that people tend to follow the majority's lead. Think about how you shop for products and go to restaurants based on their positive reviews. Second, it reduces the uncertainty of the decision they want to make. This happens because you are communicating that it’s a safe decision since most people have already gone through this and accepted what you are offering. You could say this:

• Most people would take the opportunity to save time with this method.

• Most people take just a couple of hours to think about this decision.

• Most people who have gone to this restaurant have recommended it.

✅ One active way to influence

The last phrase we’ll cover today is “I’m not sure this is for you, but”… What is super powerful about this phrase is that it takes the instant rejection of what you want to offer away from the equation. Why? Because you are already giving them an easy way out and taking away the pressure of deciding.

However, telling them they might not be interested will immediately make them curious about what you want to offer. And what is actually magical about the phrase is the word “but”. We are conditioned to know that when someone says something and the word “but” comes, what will follow will change the meaning of the sentence the person was just saying, maybe even negate it. The same applies here.

When you use these words, people will think. “Hmm, ok. I don’t know what it is that I’m being offered but I might take a look at this to not miss the opportunity.”

Here are some examples:

• I’m not sure this is for you, but we just got a new product that might be interesting for you.

• I’m not sure this is for you, but you should join this email list with great insights.

• I’m not sure this is for you, but we’ll attend a cool party on Saturday if you want to join.

📖 Further information for you to dive deeper

• Exactly What to Say - Phil M. Jones

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Thanks so much for reading,

Juan Diego

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