6 Simple Tips To Improve Your Persuasion Skills and Win Over Others

Convincing others is challenging because every person has their own perspectives and ways of thinking. Their deeply ingrained values and thought patterns may differ from yours, making it difficult to appreciate your point of view. Furthermore, their unique life experiences shape their beliefs; thus, changing people’s minds is not easy.

Also, as humans, we are hardwired to resist change. Most people look at change suspiciously as something that will make them lose control over themselves or their environment. They feel uncomfortable and experience increased anxiety, especially when ideas or decisions are forced upon them.

Though persuading others can be challenging, you can hone your skills to become more effective at it in several ways.

Here are six tips to improve your persuasive abilities.

1. Know your audience and their interests

Understanding the subtle differences between the people you’re speaking with helps you adjust your behavior to their interests. This could mean using a mellow tone of voice with a reserved person to put them at ease or emphasizing how doing things your way will save a certain person time.

2. Don’t be pushy

Even if you think your idea is best, a pushy approach only drives people away. Being pushy causes defensiveness and makes people check out before you’re able to give a thorough, convincing pitch. Instead, an assured, straightforward approach shows you’re not mincing words or using manipulative tactics. Listen well and concede if they make a good point.

3. Pay attention to what they say

Effective persuasion is about getting others and making them understand you. This is possible when there is two-way communication — you express yourself and also allow the other person to put across your point.

When someone is speaking to you, it is vital to give them your full attention. This shows that you’re interested in what they say and makes them feel heard.

Maintaining eye contact, listening to the key points, asking questions, seeking clarifications, and nodding when you find their ideas convincing and worthwhile will show that you’re actively listening and engaged in the conversation. This will help you win their trust and enable you to find common ground and reach a win-win situation.

4. Get to the point

Nobody enjoys burdensome, complex explanations — they’re tiresome and boring, and your ideas seem less appealing. Speaking to your audience in a straightforward, transparent manner makes your point understandable and enjoyable, and shows you’ve thought deeply about the topic.

5. Maintain a sincere tone

When trying to persuade others, assuring them of your honesty goes a long way toward increasing trust. You want to prove that your idea adds more value than someone else’s, not trick people into believing it’s a good solution.

Those who come off as phony or over-confident often cause doubts, even if their pitch is strong. When you demonstrate honesty, people let their guard down and become more receptive.

6. Be patient

Persuading someone takes time and effort; you cannot expect to change someone’s mind by speaking to them for a few minutes. Most people are reluctant to accept others’ ideas and opinions and change theirs, especially if they’ve held onto their beliefs for a considerable time.

The key, therefore, is to practice patience and remain persistent. If possible, you can explain, provide evidence, and illustrate with examples the authenticity of your claim. This will allow you to present your argument convincingly and increase your chances of persuading others greatly.

Working continuously and with patience will help you gradually convince others and enable you to make them see things from your perspective.