Effective Persuasive Communication.

by Mwangata Fredrick B.

Communicating persuasively is a crucial business skill.

The ability to persuade is crucial in the business world. On a day-to-day basis, you need it to convince employees to work toward company goals or to persuade colleagues or clients to consider your ideas and suggestions. If you can master the art of persuasion, you can not only win the support of others, but you also can unify your team and encourage them to work together.

Know Your Audience

How you craft your message will depend on whether you're sending a memo to your staff or giving a presentation to the entire company. Effective persuasive communication addresses the audience's needs, values and desires. Audiences respond better to persuasive communication when they feel the person speaking is similar to them in some way, whether it's in age, occupation or socio-economic status. If you address what's important to your audience, they'll see you as someone who is like them and understands them and will be more receptive to your message.

Get the Audience's Attention

Before you can persuade an audience, you must first grab their attention and demonstrate why it's worth their time to listen to your idea or suggestion. Start with an anecdote that illustrates the point you're trying to make or with a surprising fact that tells them why what you have to say is important to them. For example, if you're trying to persuade company management to adopt a no-smoking policy, begin with a statistic regarding how many sick days smokers take compared to non-smokers.

Related Reading: The Importance of a Persuasive Presentation

Establish Credibility

If you want to persuade an audience, you must first demonstrate your credibility and authority. People are more receptive to someone they view as an authority figure, whether that person has direct authority over them, such as a boss, or if the person is an authority in his industry or profession. Only attempt to persuade others of something you can prove you have first-hand knowledge of or experience in. Back up your claims with statistics or examples.

Tailor the Message to the Medium

What persuades in writing doesn't necessarily persuade when delivered verbally. For example, you can include numbers and statistics in a written document because readers can take their time interpreting the data before moving on. However, if you bombard listeners with these same figures during a speech, you may confuse them and lose their attention. Face-to-face interaction often works better for persuading others, because you can create a personal connection with your audience and use eye contact, gestures and other nonverbal signals to maintain their attention.

Convey Benefits

It's easier to persuade an audience when you can show them how your proposal benefits them. If you're asking your staff to work overtime during your busy season, describe how the extra money generated will fund additional employee perks or physical improvements to the workspace. If you're trying to convince your supervisor to let you work from home part time, mention studies illustrating that employees are more productive when allowed to telecommute. If you're pitching an idea to a client, illustrate how using your idea will boost the company's image and attract more customers.

Body Language

With verbal communication, your demeanor influences your ability to persuade as much as your words do. If you cross your arms, your audience may perceive you as hostile or angry. If you fidget, they may see you as weak or uncertain. If you rarely make eye contact, they may think you're hiding something. To sell your message to your audience, connect with them by maintaining eye contact. Project authority and confidence by standing up straight. Demonstrate your sincerity and openness by relaxing your arms and keeping them at your sides -- unless you're using them to gesture -- instead of crossing them behind or in front of you.