The Top 17 Most Important Persuasion Tactics You Must Know

1) Empathy

- Understand the emotions and perspectives of the other party.

Example: Instead of insisting on your price, acknowledge the client's concerns about
budget constraints and show empathy towards their position.
- Something EASY: We needed something easy to teach, easy to learn, and easy to
execute

2) Reciprocity:

● Offer something of value to the client before asking for something in return.
This could be in the form of useful information, resources, or small favors.
● Example: Provide a free consultation or a sample of your product to
demonstrate its value before discussing pricing or commitments.

3) Mirroring

● The goal is to identify what your counterpart actually needs and get them feeling safe
enough to talk and talk some more about what they want.Going too fast is one of the
mistakes all negotiators are prone to making.
● Repeat the last few words of what the other person said.
● Example: If a client says, "I'm not sure if this product is within our budget," you can
respond with, "Budget is a concern?"
● it's a process of discovery. The goal is to uncover as many details as possible

4) Dont feel their pain, Label it:

● Identify and validate the other party's feelings or concerns.

● Example: If a customer seems hesitant, you can label their hesitation by saying, "It
seems like you're unsure about this proposal."
● By acknowledging the other person's situation, you immediately convey that you are
listening. And once they know that you are listening, they may tell you something that
you can use
● label your counterpart's fears to diffuse their power. We all want to talk about happy
stuff, but remember, the faster you interrupt action in your counterpart's amygdala,
the part of the brain that generates fear, the faster you can generate feelings of
safety, well-being and trust

5) The Accusation Audit:

Address potential objections before they arise.
Example: Acknowledge any concerns the client might have upfront, such as, "You
might think our product is too expensive, but let me explain why it provides great
value."
● list the worst things that the other party could say about you and say them before the
other person can. Performing an accusation audit in advance Prepares you to head
off negative dynamics before they take root. And because these accusations often
sound exaggerated when said out loud, speaking them will encourage the other
person to claim that quite opposite is true

● remember you're dealing with a person who wants to be appreciated and understood.
So use labels to reinforce and encourage positive perceptions and dynamics

6) Establishing Rapport:

● Find common ground to build a connection.

● Example: Start a conversation with the client about shared interests or experiences
unrelated to the deal to build rapport and trust.
● Use I or your name to look ‘real’ like a human, to improve you and her relationship
● Call her name if you got her name
● Increase Trust = voice recording, video call/ call, video, photo
● The Pinocchio effect: liars tend to speak in more complex sentences in an attempt to
win over their suspicious counterpart's. Liars are often more worried about being
believed do they work harder at being believable. They attempt to baffle by using
bullshit (Malhotra, HBS)

7) The Rule of Three:

● Offer three options to steer the negotiation towards your preferred outcome.
● Example: Present three pricing packages, with the middle option being the most
profitable for your company.

8) The Deadline Technique:

● Create a sense of urgency to prompt action.

● Example: Offer a limited-time discount or mention that prices will increase after a
certain date to encourage the client to make a decision quickly.

9) Silence:

● Use silence as a powerful negotiation tool to encourage the other party to speak.
● Example: After presenting your offer, remain silent and wait for the client's response,
allowing them time to consider and potentially reveal more information.

10) Anchoring:

● Set an initial offer or price point to influence the other party's perception of value.
● Example: Start the negotiation with a higher price than you expect to settle on, so
that any subsequent offers seem more reasonable in comparison.
11) Social Proof:

● Highlight testimonials, case studies, or endorsements from satisfied customers to

demonstrate the credibility and effectiveness of your product or service.
● Example: Share success stories from previous clients who have benefited from your
solution, showcasing real-world results.

12) Loss Aversion:

● Understand that people are more motivated by the fear of losing something than the
prospect of gaining something of equal value.
● Example: Instead of focusing solely on the benefits of your product or service,
emphasize what the client stands to lose by not making a decision or by choosing a
competitor's offering. For instance, you might highlight missed opportunities, potential
risks, or decreased efficiency without your solution.

● >>> VERSUS Framing:

Present information in a way that highlights the benefits and positive outcomes, while
minimizing potential drawbacks.
● Example: Instead of focusing on the cost of your product, frame it as an investment
that will save the client money in the long run or improve their efficiency and
productivity.

13) He/ She has the control:

● "he who has learned to disagree without being disagreeable has discovered the
most valuable secret of negotiation" (Robert estabrook)
● illusion of control: when you go into a store, instead of telling the salesperson what
you need, you can describe what you're looking for and ask for suggestions. Once
you have chosen what you want and have been presented an offer, you ask them
"how am I supposed to do that?" The critical part is that you are genuinely asking for
help and your delivery must convey it. With this negotiation scheme, instead of
bullying the salesperson, you're asking for their advice and are giving them the
illusion of control
● don't try to force your opponent to admit that you are right. Aggressive confrontation
is the enemy of constructive negotiation
● avoid questions that can be answered with "yes" or even just tiny bits of information.
These responses require little thought and inspire the human need for reciprocity;
you will still be expected to offer something in return for even the smallest of
favors/requests in a give-and-take relationship
● people always make more effort to implement a solution when they think it's theirs.
That's why negotiation is often called, "the art of letting someone else have *their*
way". Let the other side feel victory. Let them think it was their idea.

14) Ask How not Why!

Remember, "yes" is nothing without the "how". So keep asking "how?" And they'll do
the work to help you succeed.
● don't ask questions that start with a "why" unless you want your counterpart to
defend a goal that serves you. "Why" is always an accusation, in any language
● calibrated questions: guide a conversation to a goal while giving the illusion of control
to the other person. Begin by asking "what" or "how", as opposed to
who/when/where/why. Turn "do you agree with this schedule" into "how does this
schedule look for you/ what looks concerning to you in this plan"?

Examples:

1. What about this is important to you

2. How can I help to make this better for us
3. How would you like me to proceed
4. What is it that brought us into this situation
5. How can we solve this problem
6. What's the objective
7. How is it supposed that I do that

15) Use We/ Us when there is something want to decide. Avoid Using I_
● Distance from decision: smart decision makers don't allow themselves to be cornered
into making a decision. They will often defer to people not present at the table to
avoid from getting themselves pinned down. They will avoid using "I" and "my
decision" but still defer to "our" or "their" decision (whether true or not)

16) Bargain Hard

● using "I" statements: I feel ___ when you ___ because ___
● complications with people: the person across the table is never the problem. The
unsolved problem is.
● Give Precise & Non rounded numbers in the end

17) Stay Relevant, Always Remember What You Say

● exploit the similarity Priciple. People are more apt to concede to someone they share
a cultural similarity with, so dig for what makes them tick and show that you share
common ground
● when someone seems irrational or crazy, they most likely aren't. Faced with this
situation, search for constraints, hidden desires, and bad information
● Pay special attention to your counterpart's verbal and nonverbal communication at
unguarded moments - at the beginning and the end of the session or when someone
says something out of line.
● Encourage clients to commit to small, incremental steps or agreements that align
with their goals and values. Once they've committed, they're more likely to follow
through.
● Example: Ask the client to agree to a trial period or a smaller purchase before
committing to a larger order, making it easier for them to say yes.