Empathy and Persuasion

By: Kenrick Cleveland

Empathy: The ability to identify with and experience the vicarious feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another person.

This has had untold benefits in my persuasion for years and now I'm sharing it with you.

First, an exercise to get into the mindsets of our affluent clientele. . .

It's all about understanding and responding to their experiences. You may have heard of another powerful technique like this where you metaphorically 'jump' into them. Here, we are instead going to experience them.

When someone feels that kind of trust - where you are actually experiencing what they are going through - rapport is never far behind.

With loved ones whose patterns we know and understand, this comes naturally. This exercise you will give you an insight to people you don't know that well (if at all).

You will need a role play partner for this one.

Here's the exercise: Ask your partner to think of something. Anything. And call it 'A'. As they answer, notice their body, how it's arranged, watch their face, their breathing, their muscle tension, whether they're fidgeting, and take a snapshot in your head of what this looks like. Along with your mental snapshot, say to yourself, 'This is how they represent 'A'.'

Next, have them break state by looking around the room and naming three things they see. (This is just to get their mind off of 'A' and to revert back to their normal state.)

The next step is to have them think of something entirely different--not opposite, just different--and call this thought 'B'.

[NOTE: When you first do this exercise thinking of the opposite may make it easier, but I encourage you to develop your skills and not use something opposite once you've got the hang of it.]

Have them break this state.

This is the fun part. Have them think either 'A' or 'B' without telling you which one they're choosing. Which one are they thinking about? You need to figure this out just by looking at them. Which snapshot are you viewing?

Once you've done this enough times, switch roles and let them enjoy the experience of being able to tell what you're thinking. You can begin to really know the people you deal with regularly.

Obviously, you're not going to sit down with a prospect and say, 'Let's practice this persuasion technique I just learned so that I can better understand you. . .' You're going to practice this with friends, family or maybe even a co-worker. This will really fine-tune your observation skills.

Eventually you'll be able to recognize the smallest of changes in their states as you talk with them.

And maybe they won't exactly be able to pinpoint the feelings they are getting, but they will feel a connection with you.

What's the point? It's just another way to gain fast and powerful rapport at the same time putting your prospect into a state where they are feeling understood.

You can also use this to determine if someone's lying to you.

If a prospect, for instance, explains that their finances are "great" but their body language belies this, then these verbal and nonverbal cues can be a dead give away that this prospect doesn't really have a steady hold on his finances - and this information can be used to your persuasive advantage.

You can use this along with other persuasion strategies to gain that deep sense of trust and rapport with your prospects getting to the heart of their needs, wants and desires, with your product or service becoming the answer they were looking for.

Article Source: http://www.retirementlivingarticledirectory.com

Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of wealthy clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.

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