The ability to know exactly what to say and the insertion of a few magic words, could be just the tonic that moves you from counting conversations into making conversations count.
#1 I’m not sure if it’s for you, but…
Imagine receiving a comment from your employer that started with the words ‘you know you’re really a valuable member of the team. We love everything you do here, but some things need to change.” What’s the only part you remember? If you’re like most people, you would focus on everything that follows ‘but’.
#2 Open-minded
“How open-minded are you?” Just about everybody thinks of themselves as meeting this criterion.
#3 What do you know?
One way to overcome I know best mentality is to question the knowledge on which the other person’s opinions are founded.
#4 How would you feel if?
Real world proves people will work far harder to avoid a potential loss than to achieve an equally potential gain. “How would you feel if this time next year you were debt-free, living in your dream home and planning your next vacation?
#5 Just imagine
People makes decisions twice: once in their mind hypothetically before it’s ever made in reality. “Just imagine how things will be in 6 months once you implemented these magic words.”
#6 When would be a good time?
Prompt the other person that there will be a good time and that no is not an option.
#7 I’m guessing you haven’t got around to…
By pushing for the negative scenario, you get people to rise to positive or to tell you how they’re going to fix the thing they said they were going to do. Most people are people of their word and feel pretty bad when they are called out for it.
#8 What questions do you have for me?
“Do you have any questions?” is a cliché and implies people should have questions.
#9 You have three options.
“As I see it, you have three options.” Finish it with “What’s going to be easier for you?” and watch people pick the easiest choice they previously found so difficult to make.
#10 There’re two types of people.
There are two types of people in this world: those who read books like this and do nothing and those who put what they read into practice and enjoy compound effects.
#11 I bet you’re a bit like me.
Slip those statements into early conversations while maintaining eye contact and just watch the other person nod back.
#12 If… Then
If then sandwiches position guaranteed outcomes that we’re difficult not to believe. If you’re prepared to give this a try, then I’m certain you’ll see compound results as early as the first day you try it.
#13 Don’t worry.
Two words put people at ease especially in high-stress scenarios.
#14 Most people…
When people hear these two words, subconscious brain says “Aha… I’m most people so if that’s what most people do, that’s what I should do.”
#15 The good news is…
It helps people to face forward everything that comes after it with optimism and zap any negative energy out of the conversation.
#16 What happens next is…
It’s your responsibility as a salesperson or for that matter any leader to lead the conversation and help people anticipate what comes next.
#17 What makes you say that?
It prevents you from making assumptions or entering into argument. It allows you to better understand another person’s viewpoint as well.
#18 Before you make your mind up…
When the other person is preparing to walk out, you can quickly move them back in your direction with this one last attempt.
#19 If I can, will you…?
When you say it, it communicates the other person you have the intention as well as power to make things work out for both of you.
#20 Enough
It drives the recipient to answer the direction question and ‘yes’ becomes the path of least resistance.
#21 Just one more thing…
When they think they’ve got away with not buying anything, you introduce this one simple idea and bring them back into your world with a smaller decision than you had previously asked for.
#22 A favor
When people say, ‘thank you’, it’s the best time for you to ask for their help.
#23 Just out of curiosity…
Ask it and remain quiet. Let silence be your friend and learn to be comfortable with your friend. Asking big brave questions is exactly
Every principle discussed here is easily transferable into any industry and every area of life, to help you become more persuasive and influential and have a bigger impact in all that you do.
What it doesn’t do though is work with all of the people all of the time. It just works with most of the people most of the time. So, don’t try this once and give up. Try it over and over again until it becomes natural.
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Also check out other fantastic book by Phil M. Jones:
