In today’s society, we are constantly persuaded whether we notice or not. 

Persuasion can take many forms as:

Your friends getting you to do something you didn’t want to do,

Companies getting you to buy their product,

Political figures getting you to consider their viewpoint,

and much more.

Persuasion has been studied for quite some time and will always be a part of human nature. It is and will continue to be utilized by anyone and everyone but to varying degrees. 

With persuasion around us, we must know what it is along with identifying and learning the skill.

What is Persuasion?

Persuasion is getting an individual or group to behave a certain way or change their beliefs. 

For example,

When asking a stranger out on a date, you aren’t going to instantly ask them out. Through conversation, you will reason why they should go on a date with you. If you are persuasive enough, you will get their phone number and later take them on a date. 

In the example above, many people struggle to approach a stranger they are interested in. If they do, they may not be able to get their phone number. This can be due to a lack of communication skills in which persuasion can play a big part. 

The degree to which persuasion is effectively utilized depends on the person, how persuasive they naturally are or have taught themselves to be, and the situation at hand. While some people are natural, others have to go through the process of learning the skill. 

In the end, no matter how good a person may be at persuading, the situation at hand will always play a role in the effectiveness of your persuasion.

If you want to take a stranger on a date and they have a significant other, no persuasion will get them to go on a date (hopefully).

Persuasion is a skill to be developed and learned by anybody. 

The question is, why does it matter?

Key Takeaways

Persuasion is getting an individual or group to behave a certain way or change their beliefs. 

The degree to which persuasion is effectively utilized depends on the person, how persuasive they naturally are or have taught themselves to be, and the situation at hand.

Persuasion is a skill to be developed and learned by anybody.

Why Persuasion is an Important Skill to Learn

Persuasion is one of the most practical skills you can and should learn. With it around us, we must always identify and utilize the skill to our advantage. 

Whether it be through asking a stranger on a date, landing a large client, or getting a promotion at your job, persuasion will play a role in each of these scenarios. 

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle recognized the importance and effectiveness of persuasion.

Through his studies came three principles of persuasion that he found to be most important: logos (logic), ethos (ethic), and pathos (emotion). 

Logos (Logic)

Logos refers to the logic or reasoning behind your argument. When employing logic in your persuasion, you will utilize facts and statistics. This will give you more credibility based on the facts. 

When scientists warn us of global warming and persuade us to behave a certain way, their go-to persuasion tactic is to use facts and statistics detailing the effects of global warming. 

Using logic within your persuasion tactics will establish a solid framework surrounding your argument. 

Ethos (Ethic)

Ethos refers to the credibility or character of the persuader. People are more likely to listen to somebody if their actions and image align with what is presented.

If somebody is persuading you to buy a “get rich quick” scheme when they aren’t wealthy, you will be more hesitant to purchase the product.

On the other hand, if they look wealthy, you will be more receptive to their persuasion.

This is why you will find people on Instagram flaunting their “lavish” lifestyles when selling products such as online courses. They know it brings them more credibility and use that to their advantage.

Pathos (Emotion)

Pathos refers to the emotion or the way you make somebody feel with your argument. Good arguments are built with solid reasoning and emotion behind them. 

When trying to persuade somebody, if your argument doesn’t emotionally move them, the odds are not in your favor as they will default to their way of thinking and behaving. It is when you can “strike a chord” in them that persuasion takes place. 

The use of emotion in persuasion can be witnessed daily in politics. Politicians use fear tactics, such as citing statistics surrounding rising crime rates, to get voters to consider their agenda and action plans. The statistics make voters fearful and view the politician citing the statistics as the person to end their fear. 

When used ethically, being persuasive can give you a one-up in many scenarios and allow you to navigate the situation at hand with confidence.

As persuasion is not always ethical, it is also crucial to have the ability to identify when somebody is using it against you. 

The best way to identify when persuasion is used is by knowing how to use it yourself.

Key Takeaways

Persuasion is one of the most practical skills you can and should learn. With it around us, we must always identify and utilize the skill to our advantage. 

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle recognized the importance and effectiveness of persuasion. Through his studies came three principles of persuasion that he found to be most important: logos (logic), ethos (ethic), and pathos (emotion). 

When used ethically, being persuasive can give you a one-up in many scenarios and allow you to navigate the situation at hand with confidence.

How to Properly Use Persuasion

We have learned about persuasion and why it is an important skill, but we have yet to go over how to properly use it to our advantage. 

Honesty and Ethics

You always want to be honest and genuine when persuading. Persuasion is manipulative and unethical when paired with dishonesty.

Additionally, when trying to persuade someone, it is best not to overdo it. When you overdo persuasion, it comes off as pushy and has the opposite effect of what you desire. 

For example,

Before persuading somebody, tell them a genuine compliment and mean it. If you want to take a girl on a date, tell her you like her hair or outfit.

This may seem small, but people are much more receptive after receiving a compliment. 

The trick with compliments is to ensure they are honest and light. You don’t want to bombard somebody with compliments since this will again do the opposite of what you want to achieve. 

Communication

When persuading, you must remember to listen more than you talk. When listening to what somebody is saying, you can navigate more effectively when you speak. Upon speaking, repeat parts of what the other person said. It shows interest and lets them know that you listened.

As you are talking, avoid filler words at all costs. Filler words will make you appear less confident and portray yourself as questioning or unsure.

Examples of these words include:

Like,

I mean,

Um.

Presentation

Upon presenting your request, it is best to make it higher than intended. After persuading, bring it down to what you had planned. Your original offer will be much more appealing and agreeable. 

In addition to your presentation, be sure to provide a balanced argument with both the good and bad. Instead of highlighting only the positives, highlight the negatives of why somebody may not want to fulfill your request.

This will show the person that you see their point of view and find their concerns valid. Although they are reasonable, you continue to present the positives that can result from them acting upon your request. 

For example,

If you want a friend to go on a trip with you to Spain and they are hesitant to leave their home country, you will identify their concern is valid. You will agree that flying and visiting a different country can be stressful. After addressing their issue, you will continue to speak on the positives, such as experiencing new places, food, culture, and much more. 

Lastly, use the yes ladder to your advantage when persuading. The yes ladder involves having a person answer yes to many small questions before going in for a big ask. 

Getting somebody to answer yes multiple times in a row will warm them up before going in for your ask. 

If the yes ladder is paired with other tactics, you persuade more efficiently and effectively. 

Key Takeaways

You always want to be honest and genuine when persuading. Persuasion is manipulative and unethical when paired with dishonesty.

When persuading, you must remember to listen more than you talk.

Be sure to provide a balanced argument with both the good and bad.

Conclusion

You have now learned what persuasion is, why it is an important skill, and tactics to use when persuading. 

Although there is much more to persuasion than presented, you can now persuade more confidently. 

Remember, persuasion must always come from a place of honesty and transparency.

When pairing honesty and transparency with your persuasive tactics, you will find yourself with the upper hand in many, if not all, situations.

–Your future self will thank you.