Persuasion and Relevancy

Are you finding that your persuasion does not work with everyone?

A common reason that people are not persuaded by what you have to say is very simple. It isn’t relevant and does not apply to them.

One quick look at your inbox will reveal any number of offers that are directed to you because you appear to meet certain criteria. The real problem is that they are in no way relevant to you. The problem is made worse by the amount of unwanted email or “spam” we receive on a daily basis.

Relevancy is all about providing information for your client to know based on their own revealed needs and desires.

Relevancy goes much deeper when speaking of persuasion. It also applies to the kinds of messages we send. You have to ask yourself how does someone see you in order to know what is relevant to them. You also need to adjust your persona, whether in person or via any advertising outlet to appeal to your specific client or market.

Relevancy also means that you’ve taken the time to get to know your client(s), to understand them as an individual or as a specific group so that you can serve them better.

It means you understand what is important to them in their life, in their job, in their free time, and in their most private moments.

It also means you understand timing and know when your offer or idea will be most applicable to them. It does not necessarily mean that you know them personally, but you’ve studied them by studying many others like them.

You ask questions more often than you provide information and when you do provide information it is tailored to their needs specifically. You can nearly read their mind because you understand almost as well as they do what they need and what they'll get out of the relationship with someone like you.

Once you’ve done that, you’ve begun to become relevant to your clients. There is a very short path between your relevancy and a mutually beneficial relationship.

It is insane if not bordering on criminal to think that your persuasion will work on anyone even if they have no interest.

Unfortunately we often attempt that on a daily basis. The old idea that “sales and persuasion is a numbers game” is still so predominant that a significant amount of marketing falls on deaf ears.

The real problem isn’t that your attempts are falling on deaf ears. The real problem is that people hear you and each piece of irrelevant information is another straw on the camel’s back that eventually causes it to break.

The result is that people become not just defensive, but also apathetic. The best way to not be persuaded is to be apathetic about whatever another person is talking to you about. Apathy takes a long time to build but takes an even longer time to turn around.

If you hope to persuade one single person or a stadium full of people, you must be sure that the information you are sharing is relevant to their needs and desires.

Pay careful attention to what I said, “relevant to their needs and desires.”

Remember --

Your pitch or idea had better be immediately relevant to me or I’ll destroy you with apathy -- Dave Lakhani