Persuasion is convincing someone to adopt a certain point of view, to agree to a commitment, to change their beliefs and behaviours, purchase a product, or take an action you want them to take. 

Persuasion is an act of influencing – however influence comes from who you are, whereas persuasion is action in itself. Influence has a long term impact and persuasion is more a short term strategy.

Very often we persuade effectively without even knowing that we are using these techniques. 

This ebook is part of the online workshop The Power of Persuasion: Three Little-Known Powerful Techniques

• How to prepare a good persuasive speech, presentation or conversation.
• How to structure your arguments.
• Whether to appeal to emotions or to the rational mind.
• How to use features and benefits.
• How to ask powerful questions.
• What the conversion theory is, and how to use it in your endeavours.
• How to use the scarcity principle.
• How to naturally limit your proposal in time.
• What the amplification hypothesis is, and how it can help you in your negotiations.

To many of us the expression “to persuade people” carries a negative connotation and often brings an image of an unethical and noisy salesman or a demagogue at a political rally.

But that’s not accurate.

Persuasion is a critical part of our everyday lives.

Disagreements, differing opinions and contradictory goals are what we normally experience in every organization.

Only those who know how to influence and persuade can use all these differences and transform them into a positive energy, a spirit of cooperation and a unity of hearts and minds working together on common goals.

The subtle art of persuasion helps every one of us, living in a very complex and competitive world, to smoothly achieve everything that is important for us.