Persuasion is the preferred way to achieve an outcome for about 18.6% of the benchmark group of over 2500 international middle and senior managers.

Persuasion is assertive in nature, but can involve varying degrees of assertiveness from hard core selling, pitching and arguing to assertive debating and subtle influencing.  All of these techniques involve persuasive argument to sway the other side to adopt your position or act in accordance with your wishes.  Persuasion in its pure form does not involve coercion (that would be imposing your will) or a concession in order to induce movement (that would be a value exchange/trading).

 Persuasion and influencing can be useful when:

• The other side is not aware of the full extent and importance of key points

• You want to test the firmness of the other side’s position

• You suspect the other side may yield in the face of persuasive argument

• The other side is not yet ‘sold’ on the idea

• You need to create a sense of urgency for the other side

 Downsides of Persuasion:

• Effective persuasion and influencing requires considerable skill and judgment

• A useful first approach, but a technique of limited utility and can be easily overused as a means of resolving conflict

• In commercial negotiations, positions are usually prepared well in advance and so negotiators can be resistant to change their position, even in the face of sound argument.  This can limit the effectiveness of the technique.

 Persuasion also has a range of important upsides…

 Upsides:

• Can be very useful at the start of negotiations

• Structuring the other side’s expectations through use of early disclosure and a powerful opening statement can influence their perception of the power balance and the Common Ground

• If the other side is amenable to yield in the face of persuasive argument, the objective may be attainable at a lower cost than through negotiating.

We are often asked about the importance of negotiating as part of the sales process.  A de novo sale really involves two stages: persuasion is used to convert a prospect into a willing buyer.  Once there is a willing buyer, the emphasis of the conversation should change from persuasion to negotiating.  The objective now is to settle on what terms the two sides will do the deal.  So often, sales people don't recognise when to switch techniques and continue to sell in pursuit of the deal, sacrificing margin in the process.  Effective salespeople have learnt not only how to sell, but also how to negotiate.