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It's that big moment... you've stepped in front of an audience and you have a limited time in which to persuade them to think or act differently about your subject. But how do you 'close the sale' in a way that also feels natural? Here's your persuasive speaking routemap.
In part one we’ve talked about Authenticity, part two moving From Sleazy Selling to Authentic Allowing, and part three was all about Finding the Right Words. The last in our four part series on persuasive speaking is all about how you close the sale.
Let's start as we mean to go on - with the attitude of persuasion. Imagine that from the very first word, you are closing the sale. That's how it is in reality. If you want to influence people, it starts from the beginning of your talk, rather than being something that's tacked on at the end.
The first words you say have the possibility to open people up to being persuaded by you:
Next, it's time to build a journey that takes your audience from their current situation to the brilliant new place you know would benefit them:
E.g. “I wanted to be more confident… so I tried something and failed, tried something else and failed, tried for the last time using this particular method and finally succeeded. This is the method I now want to share with you…"
If you tell your audience "This is a really great product / idea" it will have one impact. But when we start to show our audience how great our product or idea is, we leave room for them to be persuaded by our words. Look for a good balance of evidence to support your argument:
The most important aspect of persuasive speaking, that also feels the most difficult is to 'close the sale'. Before you wrap up, make sure that you allow yourself enough time to clearly state what you want your audience to do next.
This is the 'bungee jump' moment where people have the most fear. But remember - you have been passionate and authentic. Your audience feel connected to you. By now they like you and your message. What will serve them in this moment is not for you to say "Thanks very much" and scuttle off the stage. What will serve them is for you to powerfully ask them to change their behaviours.
Some key persuasive phrases:
Test these out for yourself and see if you can authentically see yourself saying them. If the answer is “NO WAY!” then find a way of expressing yourself persuasively that will feel right. Remember, it’s all about your belief in your message and ultimately… you.
Once you have asked for the 'sale', it's the force of your self belief that will show your audience that you really mean it. A truly persuasive speaker will stick to their message, even if nobody else seems to agree.
This is the moment where you get to change the world. And it's your belief, your confidence and your good intention that will allow that change to happen.
Stand in your full power to close the sale by:
That's the final piece of the Persuasive Speaking jigsaw puzzle. Now's your time to get out there and start speaking persuasively!
This showcase of inspiring female speakers is part of Ginger's work with game changing leaders.
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