People will generally know, like and trust you when you’re being yourself, and radiating joy and enthusiasm. When you’re interacting with people, and you have something to sell, or some action you would like others to take, is your first instinct to promote or persuade? Give me a couple of minutes, and let me promote promotion. (smiling) Break the word down for a second. To promote is “pro-mote.” To move something forward. In other words, you put it out front and center.
If what you’re promoting is important, or something you feel good about, it’s fun. It’s effortless. It gives you a burst of energy when you do it. And it’s usually very persuasive.
Hey, there’s that other word! *** *** I’m not going to position myself as a marketing expert, although there are things I have marketed very successfully. NULL
I am however, an expert on human behavior and motivation. And if you don’t think there’s a connection between motivation and marketing, you’re not seeing the same things I am.
All of us can understand the emotional differences between promotion and persuasion. When you’re persuading, the feeling is you’re trying to get someone to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do.
Persuasion isn’t a bad thing. When the action you want someone to take is a proper energy exchange, it feels good. And it’s a science as well. There are a lot of great books about persuasion, one of the best being Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini. Promotion or persuasion… as if it were an either/or thing. *** *** The discussion can go on forever. So let me just promote some of my thoughts on the subject. Good persuasion doesn’t involve a contest of wills with another. It’s not a clash of egos to see who has the most juice. When it’s done well, everyone feels good about the interaction. No losers. Just winners. And good persuasion doesn’t have to be simply influencing people to join a noble cause or buy a product or service that will change the world. It’s perfectly cool to promote your nutritional products, soap flakes, gas additives, lawn mowing services, etc. People buy from, vote for, and donate to, people they know, like and trust. And people will generally know, like and trust you when you’re being yourself, and radiating joy and enthusiasm. And they’ll like you when you create an atmosphere of positive energy around you… also known as keeping your complaints private, not public. They will move away from you when they perceive an attempt to convince. Or when you move in fear, or greed, or any other kind of weakness.
If people sense you’re moving in their best interests, or if they see you as strong and capable, they’ll line up behind you… …unless they don’t see themselves as worthy of being around a strong person.
Then you don’t want that person too close to you anyway. So line up with things you feel genuinely good about. Or are at least fun. Or necessary. And promote them. And get strong, and capable, and fun to be around. Larry Hochman (860) 585-6266 NO MORE HOLDING BACK
Downloads
- How Do You Talk to Your 14 Year Old (Or Your Prospects and Partners) by Larry Hochman - November 1, 2012
- Stay Away From Someone Who Wants To “Coach You” by Larry Hochman - September 1, 2012
- I Am Clairvoyant (and so are you) by Larry Hochman - November 1, 2011
