How to Cultivate an Irresistible Influential Power over People

Most unsuccessful people miss out on this strategy.

Do you know why salespeople are some of the smartest people in every organization? It’s the ability to manipulate us into doing their bidding. One thing most salespeople do best is persuasion.

As much as I hate to admit it, their persuasive skill can make you turn a “no” into “yes,” no matter how hardcore you’ve disciplined yourself to resist manipulation.

The beauty of mastering a persuasive skill is that it can change your relationship with people, personally and professionally. If you want to get people to do things they wouldn’t usually do, below are some strategies to up your sleeves.

Be willing to return favors

Most people are in the habit of taking without giving back in return. A college friend reached out to me five months ago. He was having a hard time and got lucky with a job that required him to move to Switzerland.

He wanted to borrow some money from me to clear his debts here in the States. Normally, I would have refused because I had bad experiences with lending money to friends. So I would make up an excuse to avoid committing myself to something I will end up regretting.

Chris is one of the dudes that will leave whatever he’s doing and run to a friend’s aid when called on. Whenever I had a problem on my laptop or a tech-related issue, he was the guy I would go to. So when it was his turn to need my help, I had no choice but to oblige.

As a business owner, favors can be in the form of free samples, free courses, sponsorships, or contests. When your potential customers receive a gift from you just for knowing you or your existing customers for patronizing your business, they often return to buy more stuff.

They will feel obligated to introduce their friends and family to your business. This builds a brand’s trust and credibility.

Be committed to growth

I’m the last person who likes to commit in my personal relationships, even to some extent in my professional life, which is why I partnered up with someone who would fill that flaw of mine.

I’m the type that initiates business ideas, builds a structure for its execution, hires people to work on the project, then moves on to the next project hunt. Being a part of the day-to-day activities of a business isn’t something I find fun doing.

And I’m not the only one who does this. The truth is, when we want to truly achieve something, we have to engage in the process of achieving that thing fully.

I was speaking with my partner, Kenneth, regarding our business expansion. We laid out our plan and marketing strategy.

Since I tend to screw up my work routine, Kenneth suggested I take on the recruitment and performance evaluation aspect because he knows my lack of commitment will hurt our success. For the rest of the job that needed serious attention, we delegated to our staff and recruited more qualified workers in fields that require expertise.

I may not be as committed as most people will like to term commitment, but I always make up for my shortfall by hiring people skilled for the task I need to be done.

The purpose of commitment is to impress the people you want to influence. Remember, these are people who value consistency in themselves. When they see how committed and persistent you are towards your business, they will trust your brand’s core values.

In order for them to commit to your business, you must find their choices or preference and show them how your business is committed to realizing their goal. That’s how salespeople get us to yes to things we don’t want to buy.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once said people don’t know what they want to buy until you show them. Because salespeople know our preferences, they often present us with what we need, so we commit to making a purchase.

Build a network of followers

Empaths are the most likable individuals I know. They care about other people more than they care for themselves. They can sense when you are hurting and try to understand why you feel that way and help you feel better.

People feel comfortable being around those that understand them. This type of personality attracts friends and foes. Nonetheless, it can help you build a network of trusted people for your business.

Working on a project with other people reinforces everyone’s individual expertise and humanity. This can minimize social disparities that divide people, hence foster a strong bond.

Aside from empaths, having shared interests can make you attractive to people of like minds. We have this tendency to hang with those like us.

Suppose you want to be a powerful influence and attract growth to your business. In that case, you should identify selfless people in giving — those who are willing to accept recognition and can share their knowledge with you as well.

Building a network of a loyal audiences helps promote your brand to a broader audience. As you know, word of mouth is an effective marketing strategy. Your network will act as social proof to your prospective customers.

Investing in influence can be more powerful than hiring experts. In addition to identifying external influence, you have the opportunity to increase your influence in ways that are almost counterintuitive.

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