.

• Persuasion: Induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.   Oxford Dictionary
• Persuade: To cause (someone) to do something by asking, arguing, or giving reasons. Merriam Webster
• Eloquence,  Influence,  Action,  Power,  Communication,  Seduction

.

.

Persuasion is an essential skill in life

• Everyone is a salesperson whether they realize it or not. You may not be selling a product or service for money, but in our daily lives each of us are in situations where we need to influence and persuade other people and affect their decisions in favor of our position. Jerry Bruckner
• All communication involves selling yourself and your ideas. Jerry Bruckner
• The universe, they said, depended for its operation on the balance of four forces which they identified as charm, persuasion, uncertainty and bloody-mindedness. Terry Pratchett
• Life skills

.

Persuasion is not manipulation for it has an honourable intent

• Manipulation implies persuasion with the intent to fool, control or contrive the person on the other side of the conversation into doing something, believing something, or buying into something that leaves them either harmed or without benefit. Johnathan Fields
• Manipulation aims at control, not cooperation. It results in a win/lose situation. It does not consider the good of the other party. Persuasion is just the opposite. In contrast to the manipulator, the persuader seeks to enhance the self-esteem of the other party. The result is that people respond better because they are treated as responsible, self-directing individuals. Paul Swets
• The difference between persuasion and manipulation is intent. As long as they feel better for having met you, that’s influence. Manipulation on the other hand, is about feeling buyer’s remorse the second they walk away. Robin Dreeke
• Persuasion aims to serve; manipulation, to hurt. Or, if not necessarily intending to hurt, certainly not caring if it does. The manipulator is simply so focused on him or herself and their own self-interest that — like any other totally self- serving organism — they do only what they feel is for their own benefit and, if someone must suffer as a result, then so be it. Bob Burg

.

Persuasion is more effective and long lasting than force and coercion

• In a republican nation, whose citizens are to be led by reason and persuasion and not by force, the art of reasoning becomes of first importance. Thomas Jefferson
• It may take forever to win men’s minds by persuasion, but that’s quicker than you can do it by force. George Orwell
• Men are not governed by justice, but by law or persuasion. When they refuse to be governed by law or persuasion, they have to be governed by force or fraud, or both. George Bernard Shaw
• Not brute force but only persuasion and faith are the kings of this world. Thomas Carlyle
• Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still. Dale Carnegie
• The use of violence as an instrument of persuasion is therefore inviting and seems to the discontented to be the only effective protest. William Orville Douglas
• The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society. Mark Skousen
• Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces. Henry David Thoreau
• Persuasion is often more effectual than force. Aesop
• Persuasion is better than force. Proverb
• Lasting influce is achieved through persuasion, not coercion. Jeffrey Benjamin
• Violence

.

Persuasion increases one’s influence

• Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself. Oxford Dictionary
• Influence is our inner ability to lift people up to our perspectives. Joeseph Wong
• Influence is the compass. Pesuasion is the map. Joeseph Wong
• Influence,  Power

.

.

The purpose of speaking is often to persuade

• In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech. Aristotle
• Oral delivery aims at persuasion and making the listener believe they are converted. Few persons are capable of being convinced; the majority allow themselves to be persuaded. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions. Joseph Chatfield
• The object of oratory alone in not truth, but persuasion. Thomas Babington Macaulay
• Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense. Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Communication,  Public speaking

.

The purpose of selling and advertising is often to persuade

• Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art. William Bernbach
• Advertising isn’t a science. It’s persuasion. And persuasion is an art. William Bernbach
• Every time a message seems to grab us, and we think, “I just might try it,” we are at the nexus of choice and persuasion that is advertising. Andrew Hacker
• Advertising

.

The purpose of leadership is often to persuade

• I believe that the will of the people is resolved by a strong leadership. Even in a democratic society, events depend on a strong leadership with a strong power of persuasion, and not on the opinion of the masses. Yitzhak Shamir
• In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership. Donald Rumsfeld
• There are good leaders who actively guide and bad leaders who actively misguide. Hence, leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills. Shiv Khera
• Leadership,  Politics

.

.

Persuasion is best seen as a process, not an event…

• Persuasion is a process, not an event. Rarely, if ever, is it possible to arrive at a shared position on the first try.  More often than not, persuasion involves listening to people, testing a position, developing a new position that reflects input from the group, more testing, incorporating compromises and then trying again.  It this sounds like a slow and difficult process, that’s because it is.  But the results are worth the effort.   Jay A. Conger

.

… often a process of learning and negotiation

• It’s important for people to understand persuasion for what it is–not convincing and selling but learning and negotiating. Jay A. Conger
• Exercised constructively and to its full potential, persuasion supersedes sales and is quite the opposite of deception. Effective persuasion becomes a negotiating and learning process through which a persuader leads colleagues to a problem’s shared solution. Persuasion does indeed involve moving people to a position they don’t currently hold, but not by begging or cajoling. Instead, it involves careful preparation, the proper framing of arguments, the presentation of vivid supporting evidence, and the effort to find the correct emotional match with your audience. Jay A. Conger
• Learning,  Think win-win,   Compromise

.

.

Not everyone is persuadable …

• At the end of the day, you have to realize that you can’t persuade everyone. Often times, if you can’t change someone’s mind, it’s better to just let it go instead of continuing to try to persuade them. It’s paradoxical, but the less you seek people’s approval, the more often you’ll usually get it. The same is true for persuasion: the best way to change people’s minds is often when deep-down you don’t really care if you do or not.  Steven Handel

.

… so it is important to focus one’s attention on those who are

• Persuade the persuadable. Everyone can be persuaded, given the right timing and context, but not necessarily in the short term. Political campaigns focus their time and money on a small set of swing voters who decide elections. The first step of persuasion is always to identify those people that at a given time are persuadable to your point of view and focus your energy and attention on them.  Jason Nazar
• Focus

.

The power of persuasion is best used sparingly …

• Truly persuasive people understand their power and use it sparingly and knowingly. They understand that most conversations do not require trying to get someone to do or accept something. Aggressive pushers are a turn-off and will put most people on the defensive. It’s the person who rarely asks or argues that ultimately gets consideration when they strongly advocate an idea, especially when they do it with power and persistence.  Simply put, they pick their battles. Want to persuade more? Argue and advocate less often. Kevin Daum

.

… by letting go of the need to persuade others all the time

• Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view. I will feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view. Deepak Chopra

.

It is impossible to persuade someone to change if they don’t want to

• No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or emotional appeal. Marilyn Ferguson

.

.

Persuasion involves several essential steps

• Effective persuasion involves four distinct and essential steps. First, effective persuaders establish credibility. Second, they frame their goals in a way that identifies common ground with those they intend to persuade. Third, they reinforce their positions using vivid language and compelling evidence. And fourth, they connect emotionally with their audience. Jay A. Conger

.

Persuasion requires understanding your audience and what matters to them

• Before stating your case, it is important to understand the nature of your audience, who they are and why they think the way they do. Doing so gives you two important advantages: You can empathise with them, establishing a human connection, and 2. You can better construct your arguments to show why your view is more sound than theirs.  Roberto Rocha
• Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change. Thich Nhat Hanh
• We may convince others by our arguments; but we can only persuade them by their own. Joseph Joubert
• Persuasive arguments depend on knowing what matters to the other person. Susan Heitler, Ph.D.
• Our values are ultimately what guide our behavior. And it’s a lot easier to persuade someone by focusing on their values, rather than trying to persuade them by focusing on your values. Steven Handel
• Before you can persuade someone, you must learn what they need, want or like and why. Jerry Bruckner
• Understanding,  Knowledge

.

Persuasion requires trust

• Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion. Aristotle
• The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity. Zig Ziglar
• People have to unconsciously say, “I trust you, you make sense, and you move me.” Nicholas Boothman
• Before someone will be persuaded by you they must trust you, respect you, believe you are very knowledgeable in the subject and that you are interested in finding out what their interests and needs are, and are suggesting to them — not selling — the best solution to get the result they want or solve their need or problem. Jerry Bruckner
• The biggest barrier to establishing trust is when you’re too interested in your own interests, and not in the other person’s. Robin Dreeke
• Trust,  Integrity

.

Persuasion requires building rapport and connection

• We like people who we are like. This extends beyond our conscious decisions to our unconscious behaviors.  By Mirroring and Matching others habitual behaviors (body language, cadence, language patterns, etc.) you can build a sense of rapport where people feel more comfortable with you and become more open to your suggestions. Jason Nazar
• Really persuasive people create a connection. They are are likeable and look for common ground to help establish emotional bonds and shared objectives. They show empathy for your position and make it known that they are on your side. They manage their impatience and wait for you to give them permission to advocate their approach. You’ll persuade people much more easily if they are open and aligned with your desires.  Kevin Daum
• People tend to be more open to persuasion by someone they like than by someone they don’t like. Susan Heitler, Ph.D.
• Connection,  Intimacy,  Vulnerability

.

Persuasion requires a dialogue …

• Dialogue happens before and during the persuasion process. Before the process begins, effective persuaders use dialogue to learn more about their audience’s opinions, concerns, and perspectives. During the process, dialogue continues to be a form of learning, but it is also the beginning of the negotiation stage. You invite people to discuss, even debate, the merits of your position, and then to offer honest feedback and suggest alternative solutions. That may sound like a slow way to achieve your goal, but effective persuasion is about testing and revising ideas in concert with your colleagues’ concerns and needs. In fact, the best persuaders not only listen to others but also incorporate their perspectives into a shared solution. Jay A. Conger
• Communication

.

… and active listening

• Your most vital organ for persuasiveness is your ears. Listening more fully to the underlying concerns of the person whom you want to persuade will most dramatically increase the odds your message will get heard.  Listening better is more likely to get you what you want than trying to be persuasive with your tongue alone.  Susan Heitler, Ph.D.
• The best way to persuade people is with your ears – by listening to them. Dean Rusk
• Really persuasive people listen. People who know how to persuade also know that just pushing your own argument will get you nowhere. They certainly are able to articulate their position in a convincing way, but that is only half the equation. They are actively listening when in persuasion mode. First, they are listening to assess how receptive you are to their point of view. Second, they are listening for your specific objections, which they know they’ll have to resolve. Last, they are listening for moments of agreement so they can capitalize on consensus. Kevin Daum
• Persuasion needs a relaxed, open recipient. LIstening invites the person you want to persuade to relax and listen more openly. Susan Heitler, Ph.D.
• Reciprocity is one of the most important persuasion tools we have. It means I listen to you and find something we agree on. Then when I make my point, you’re much more likely to agree with me. Lisa B. Marshall
• Listening

.

Persuasion requires the reassurance of ‘we’

• Studies have shown that the reassurance of ‘we’ is more productive in persuading people to compromise than other approaches, including the threatening approach (If you don’t do this, I will) and the rational approach (You should do this for the following reasons). The use of “we” immediately conveys a sense of commonality and support. Steve Martin
• Synergy,  Teamwork,  Cooperation,  Collaboration

.

Persuasion often demands compromise

• Persuasion, in other words, often involves—indeed, demands—compromise. Perhaps that is why the most effective persuaders seem to share a common trait: they are open-minded, never dogmatic. They enter the persuasion process prepared to adjust their viewpoints and incorporate others’ ideas. That approach to persuasion is, interestingly, highly persuasive in itself. When colleagues see that a persuader is eager to hear their views and willing to make changes in response to their needs and concerns, they respond very positively. They trust the persuader more and listen more attentively. They don’t fear being bowled over or manipulated. They see the persuader as flexible and are thus more willing to make sacrifices themselves. Because that is such a powerful dynamic, good persuaders often enter the persuasion process with judicious compromises already prepared. Jay A. Conger
• Compromise

.

Persuasion requires conviction

• Ninety percent of selling is conviction, and 10 per cent is persuasion. Shiv Khera
• There is no quality as compelling, intoxicating and attractive as certainty. It is the person who has an unbridled sense of certainty that will always be able to persuade others.  If you really believe in what you do, you will always be able to persuade others to do what’s right for them, while getting what you want in return.  Jason Nazar
• Self-confidence,  Belief

.

Persuasion requires speaking the language of the other person

• I don’t know the rules of grammar. If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language. David Ogilvy
• Speak their language. Persuasion is most effective when you speak the language of the person you’re talking to. Pay attention to particular words and phrases people use – especially ones they repeat a lot – and then you use those exact same words and phrases when you’re trying to make your own points. This is helpful because many words have a personal meaning attached to them, so by adopting those words in your own vocabulary you can touch on that same level of meaning and connotation. Steven Handel
• Simplicity,  Language,  Brevity

.

Persuasion sometimes requires careful timing

• Have good timing. Sometimes, it’s not what you ask for, but when you ask for it,” says Martin. People are most persuadable immediately after thanking someone, and they are at their most persuasive after being thanked, so it’s the perfect time to ask for a favor. Steve Martin

.

Persuasion often requires giving the other person space and time to come around

• Really persuasive people know when to back away. Deep ideas require time and thought to take root. Great persuaders bring you along in your own time. And they give you the space and time to carefully consider their position. They know that nothing is more powerful than your persuading yourself on their behalf. That almost never occurs in the presence of the persuader. The next time you want to persuade someone of something truly important, follow the tips above, make your case, and walk away. If they don’t come around, you were probably wasting your effort in the first place.  Kevin Daum
• Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 25:15 Bible

.

Persuasion is best done one on one

• A persuader should make a concerted effort to meet one-on-one with all the key people he or she plans to persuade. Jay A. Conger

.

.

Persuade through the power of passion and enthusiasm

• The passions are the only orators which always persuade. François de la Rochefoucauld
• Is enthusiasm important in selling? Yes, genuine, heartfelt enthusiasm is one of the most potent factors of success in almost any undertaking. Dale Carnegie
• The principal effect of the passions is that they incite and persuade the mind to will the events for which they prepared the body. René Descartes
• The passions are the only advocates which always persuade. They are a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without. François de la Rochefoucauld
• The main ingredient to sell anything is to be enthusiastic about what you are selling! Your goal is to transfer your enthusiasm into the other person so they also feel enthusiastic to agree with you. Jerry Bruckner
• Passion,  Enthusiasm

.

Persuade through the power of facts and statistics …

• In persuasion, the more facts and statistics you have, the more likely it is that you will appear right to others. People are more likely to side with the person who can cite studies, polls, and statistics to back up what they say, rather than the person who just expects you to take everything at face value. Using facts and statistics makes you more authoritative and knowledgeable in what you’re talking about. And in today’s information age, it’s really not hard to do your research and find hard evidence to support you. Try your best to find the most reliable and acceptable sources, especially keeping in mind the person or audience you are trying to persuade. If you do this, people will have little reason to criticize where you got your information. Steven Handel
• Facts

.

… but also through the power of emotion

• A speaker who is attempting to move people to thought or action must concern himself with Pathos (i.e., their emotion.) Aristotle
• Numbers do not make an emotional impact, but stories and vivid language do. Jay A. Conger
• The mind is no match with the heart in persuasion; constitutionality is no match with compassion. Everett Dirksen
• Many times, emotions are even more persuasive than facts. It’s unlikely you’ll change someone’s mind solely through facts, logic, and reason. People like to believe their choices are based only on the evidence, but at the end of the day we tend to follow our gut a lot of the time. In persuasion, it’s helpful to create emotions that support your message. Ask yourself, “What emotions would someone need to feel persuaded?” Then think of ways you can create these emotions by sharing a personal story about you or someone you know, creating a hypothetical scenario. (“What would it be like if you…”), using metaphors to communicate your message in a different way or playing music or videos that elicit emotions (such as during a presentation or lecture). Steven Handel
• Emotions

.

Persuade through clear communication …

• Communicating clearly is key. If you can’t explain your concept or point of view to an 8th grader, such that they could explain it with sufficient clarity to another adult, it’s too complicated.  The art of persuasion lies in simplifying something down to its core, and communicating to others what they really care about. Jason Nazar
• Communication,  Simplicity,  Brevity

.

… and the power of the right words

• He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense. Joseph Conrad
• Eloquence,  Words,  Right speech

.

Persuade through the power of repetition

• Often we don’t realize that our attitude toward something has been influenced by the number of times we have been exposed to it in the past. Robert B. Cialdini
• Use repetition. The more an idea is repeated, the more it’s accepted as fact. Dan Roitman
• Structure it well. Any persuasive argument, be it a speech, an essay, or a sales pitch, has a clear structure. Verbally, a successful structure is about repetition and placement. When listing reasons why people should listen to you, save your most powerful points for last, as they will linger in the minds of your captive audience. Also, repeat your most important arguments. Repetition establishes a pattern that remains in the memory. Roberto Rocha

.

Persuade by appealing to the interest of your audience …

• If you would persuade, appeal to interest and not to reason. Ben Franklin

.

… and conveying to your audience what’s in it for them

• To be successful when you speak to persuade someone to do something you must convey to the other person ‘what’s in it for them.’ Explain the benefits to them of what you are presenting. Jerry Bruckner

.

Persuade by finding common ground

• Find common ground. Many people share similar ideas about what’s fair and desirable. Show your audience that your values and ideas mesh with their own. Again, you need to put yourself in their shoes, understand their concerns, and be sympathetic to their feelings. Roberto Rocha

.

Persuade by focusing on your audience’s values

• Our values are ultimately what guide our behavior. And it’s a lot easier to persuade someone by focusing on their values, rather than trying to persuade them by focusing on your values. Steven Handel
• Values

.

Persuade by providing compelling reasons

• A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do. Robert B. Cialdini
• At the end of reasons comes persuasion. Ludwig Wittgenstein
• Reason

.

Persuade by building credibility

• People will automatically be wary of anyone who’s trying to change their minds. This is why it’s paramount to gain their trust by convincing them that you are sincere and know what you’re talking about. Show them why you should be heard. You must know what you’re talking about and prove that there is good reason why you think the way you do. Roberto Rocha

.

Persuade by stressing their loss

• Stress their loss. We’re more persuaded by the thought of losing something than the thought of gaining. Steve Martin

.

Persuade by getting the other person to say “yes” to unimportant things

• Get the other person comfortable with saying ‘yes’ a few times to unimportant things before you ask them to commit to your main idea, proposal or what you are selling. Jerry Bruckner

.

Persuade by showing both sides

• Show both sides. Weigh the pros and cons of your ideas, as doing so will make you seem fair and reasonable to others. The trick here is to emphasise the pros and underplay the cons. Explain why the cons aren’t so bad, or how the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Never lie about the cons because if and when people find out about your deception, they’ll resent you. And they will never trust you again. Roberto Rocha

.

Persuade by using similes and metaphors

• Similes and metaphors are the bread and butter of persuasion. When you’re looking for buy-in to an unfamiliar, disruptive idea, try to package it with familiar concepts, especially ones that have seen success in the past. Dan Roitman

.

Persuade by using humour

• If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas. And if I can persuade you to laugh at the particular point I make, by laughing at it you acknowledge its truth. John Cleese
• Humour

.

Persuade by making a start on the task

• People are more likely to be persuaded to complete a task if it’s already been started for them. Next time the dishes need to get done, try cleaning the silverware, then asking if your partner wouldn’t mind finishing the job. Steve Martin

.

Persuade others by making them think it is their idea

• It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea. Nelson Mandela

.

Persuade by creating the impression of scarcity

• Create scarcity. Besides the necessities to survive, almost everything has value on a relative scale. We want things because other people want these things.  If you want somebody to want what you have, you have to make that object scarce, even if that object is yourself.  Jason Nazar

.

Persuade by giving first

• Give first. People are psychologically conditioned to return a favor. And, instinctually, we’ve known this one all along — i.e., if you buy the first round of drinks, they’ll buy the second. So think of doing the initial good deed as an investment, explains Lee. “In turn, people will feel compelled to do things for you.” Steve Martin
• Giving

.

Persuade by helping them to imagine

• Help them imagine. “I know it’ll be a late night, but can you imagine how relieved we’ll be if we get the job done before going home?” This tactic paints a vivid picture in the person’s mind of the pleasure if she/he does — or the pain if she/he doesn’t.   Steve Martin
• Imagination

.

Here are some more persuasion techniques

• Door-in-the-face. In this aptly named technique, the persuader makes a ridiculously large request, knowing the other person is sure to reject it. He then follows up with a favor that is more reasonable. Katie Gilbert
• Foot-in-the-door. The person interested in doing the persuading hooks her target with a small request, then follows up with a larger one. For instance, if you ask a neighbor to take your dog for a walk on one occasion, he is more likely to concede when you later ask that this become a weekly favor. Katie Gilber
• Low-balling starts out with a small, manageable request that the potential favor-doer will agree to. Then, before the favor is executed, the persuader ups the ante and explains that the favor is actually larger than previously described. Katie Gilber

.

6 key principles of influence – by Robert Cialdini

• Reciprocity – People tend to return a favor. People feel an obligation to give when they receive.
• Commitment and Consistency – If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being congruent with their self-image, even if the original incentive or motivation is removed after they have already agreed
• Social Proof – People will do things that they see other people are doing.
• Authority – People will tend to obey authority figures, even if they are asked to perform objectionable acts.
• Liking – People are easily persuaded by other people that they like.
• Scarcity – Perceived scarcity will generate demand.
• Source: The Science of Persuasion  (Robert Cialdini)

.

.

There are some things we should persuade ourselves of …

• If you persuade yourself that you can do a certain thing, provided this thing be possible, you will do it, however difficult it may be. If, on the contrary, you imagine that you cannot do the simplest thing in the world, it is impossible for you to do it, and molehills become for you unscalable mountains.  Emile Coue
• A firm persuasion of the superintendence of Providence over all our concerns is absolutely necessary to our happiness. William Cowper

.

… and some things not

• Nothing is more easy than to deceive one’s self, as our affections are subtle persuaders. Demosthenes
• There is only one real sin, and that is to persuade oneself that the second-best is anything but the second-best. Doris Lessing
• It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything. Dean Inge

.

• Blessed are they who have nothing to say and who cannot be persuaded to say it. James Russell Lowell
• I never did very well in math – I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn’t meant my answers literally. Calvin Trillin
• With plants, persuasion is better than force. Elsa Bakalar
• When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don’t let anyone persuade you to say it. Jackson Brown, Jr.
• The problem with breaking up with someone, if you are a little unsure — and so often, people are unsure — is that breaking up involves persuasion. You have to persuade your ex that it is better this way for everyone. And this is difficult if you have not entirely persuaded yourself. It is especially tricky to do this if you are also naked and making two cups of coffee. Adam Thirlwell
• REASONABLE, adj. Accessible to the infection of our own opinions. Hospitable to persuasion, dissuasion and evasion. Ambrose Bierce

.

.