Entries by Mark Rodgers

Six Ways to Strengthen Your Pitch

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Not every persuasion attempt you make will be successful. But here are six ways to strengthen your chances by adding muscle to your pitch: 1. Drop your “er.” Watch out for the language tic that uses the comparative “er” when referring to new products, services or ideas – as in “better,” “nicer” or “sleeker” than another product […]

Talk More, Persuade More

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In a previous post, I wrote about ways you can use the written word to persuade others.  Another method of sharing your ideas, boosting your credibility and helping others see that your way is best is to get up and talk to groups of people. This follows the same approach as writing, just using different communication skills. […]

Write Stuff, Persuade More

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Thanks to technology, there are numerous ways for you to use the written word to persuade people and build credibility – from posting on your LinkedIn page to writing a commercially published book. I know one motorcycle dealer who, on his own initiative, keeps a running list of all his customers and prospects, and regularly sends […]

Risk and Persuasion: What You Need to Know

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While you may not be familiar with the term “chiasmus” [kahy-az-muhs], chances are you’ve encountered it. One of the most famous came from John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Chiasmus is a verbal pattern in which the second half of a […]

What Do Mirrors Have to Do with Effective Persuasion?

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I still remember a classic cartoon in The New Yorker that depicted a hiring manager and a job candidate sitting across a desk from each other, looking like mirror images. The hiring manager said, “I don’t know what it is about you, but I really like you!” You look like me, and I like that about […]

How Savvy Words Can Increase Your Persuasion Success

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I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating — especially in discussions about persuasion: Logic makes you think, emotion makes you act. Some words are more compelling than others because of their emotional heft. They create powerful mental images to which listeners can readily relate. That’s why some of the best word choices are aspirational […]

Use These 6 Words to Hear ‘Yes’ More Often

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When you are in the process of persuading, remember six powerful words that will force you to link a meaningful target benefit to your request: What this means to you is …  You can’t say it without saying something after it. When you start to focus on your justification points for why someone should take […]

Want Your Voicemail Messages Returned? Follow These 7 Tips

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If you are currently engaged in the profession of selling and grasp even the basics of solid communication skills, you can stand out like a pro. Here are seven ways to receive a stronger response from your voicemails: 1. Be interesting, fast. You literally have nanoseconds to get someone’s attention. Rather than leave a message […]

How to Argue Effectively

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I remember a long-ago staff meeting in which I was asked to share my thoughts on a proposal I didn’t much care for.  I knew, though, if I blurted out something like, “I think this is a horrible idea that could potentially debilitate our market share,” I wouldn’t have done myself any favors. So I […]

How To (Successfully) Sell an Idea

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Selling an idea is a lot like making a persuasive presentation; the biggest difference is that ideas lack tangibility. You’re not soliciting donations, rallying for a raise or convincing an on-the-fence customer to choose between a Kia and a BMW. Rather, you’re making something concrete out of the abstract, which means you must instantiate to […]