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How do some people sell anything to anyone, while others struggle to be heard?
In this article I break down the secret for persuasion: knowing your audience.
What Not To Do
Consider this situation. I want to convince you to use artificial intelligence (AI) at work. I say:
“You should try AI. It’s such a revolutionary technology!”
It may sound convincing to you – because innovation is something you value. But what if your audience doesn’t care about that? … Then your argument is a nonstarter.
What To Do
Check out how Jess Carter, Vice President of Operations at Rezilient Health, delivers the same message. You only need to watch about 1 minute from the video below to get a sense of Jess’ technique.
Jess roots her argument in experiences she knows you’ve had, making it much more persuasive and relatable:
“Everyone listening to this has someone you vent to about work. Everyone. It could be a coworker family member or spouse. I have a certain AI tool that I’ve trained to be my executive coach so when I need to let off steam I do it to the AI not other people at work”
But what if Jess’ audience was different? What if she needed to…
…convince a coworker who is scared AI will take their job?
Then she could adjust her argument to acknowledge their concerns and address their priorities:
“This technology won’t replace our jobs. It will just speed up the boring part we don’t like”
…or an employee who’s been burned out with work the past few months?
“We’ve had a high workload the past few months. This technology will help us make deadlines more manageable”
…or a boss who values company culture?
“This technology aligns with our long-term strategy for a high-performance culture”
…or a boss who values data?
“This technology has so far resulted in 20% fewer deadlines, resulting in 33% more customer satisfaction”
Persuasion requires knowing your audience and adapting your argument to them.
Summary
The next time you need to persuade someone of something, take the time to understand them. What are their pains, worries, concerns? What are their priorities, goals, aspirations? Speak to those things … and you’ll win them over.
If you’re looking for further guidance on how to differentiate your communication skills and stand out in the workplace, take my free self-assessment.
I’m writing a book on thinking quickly, speaking clearly, presenting convincingly, and supercharging your executive presence. Follow me on LinkedIn for more updates on the book and its release!
