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Welcome to Today’s Webinar! The Structure of Success How to Create a Persuasive Sales Message
with Dr. Tom Sant
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Welcome!
Dr. Tom Sant
©2012 Tom Sant. All right reserved
Today’s Agenda
What is persuasion?
Avoiding the exits
Understanding the structure of persuasion
Maintaining rapport and credibility
Living by the “first time right” rule
The Big Question
What is Persuasion?
The V.P. of Engineering’s View
Pretty pictures? Fancy words?
Persuasion is hard.
Sales people, marketing
professionals and proposal
writers often look for a
quick way out.
Quick Exit # 1
Cutting and pasting can result in embarrassing errors!
Cloning
previous proposals..
“Data Dumps” or “More is Better!”
Nobody buys based on the “thud factor.”
Quick Exit # 2
Talking about what we know and love best.
Focus on your prospect, not on yourself!
Quick Exit # 3
The Seven Deadly Sins…
1. No focus on the client’s needs and payoffs
2. No persuasive structure
3. No clear differentiation
4. Failure to offer a compelling value proposition
5. Key points are buried--no highlights, no impact
6. Difficult to understand--full of jargon, too technical
7. Credibility killers--misspellings, grammar errors,
inconsistent formats, wrong client name, etc.
Information Evaluation Persuasion
Expert
Highly
informed
Somewhat
informed
Lay
Comfort Zone
Zoning Out…
Why does this happen?
Peer-to-Peer * Outcome Oriented * Bottom-Line Focused
Executives Expect a Different Kind of Message
Information Evaluation Persuasion
Expert
Highly
informed
Somewhat
informed
Lay
Persuasion Zone
Comfort Zone
Persuasion
is a form of
communication.
So maybe a little
communication theory
is a good place to start.
Subject
Sender Receiver
Aristotle’s Theory
Subject
Form
Sender Receiver
Contact
Code
Jakobson’s Additions
Subject
Form
Sender Receiver
Contact
Code
Informing
Evaluating
Persuading
So…
One answer to the question,
What is persuasion?,
is this:
A form of communication for which the
controlling element is the
audience.
Persuasion
is
client-centered
communication.
“If you wish to persuade me,
you must think my thoughts,
feel my feelings, and speak
my words.”
--Cicero
Hence, the Cicero Principle
Cicero’s Three Points
Audience Level
of Expertise
(Speak my words)
Audience
Personality Type
(Think my thoughts)
Audience Role
(Feel my feelings)
Expert
Highly informed
Acquainted
Uninformed
Analytical
Pragmatic
Consensus-seeker Visionary
Check signer
User
Gatekeeper
But there’s another element:
Purpose.
Why do we write
when we write to inform, to evaluate,
and to persuade?
Consciousness is intentional.
We focus on finding specific content, depending
on our purpose:
• Getting the facts we need
• Obtaining an expert opinion
• Making a decision
It’s a matter of recognizing
the neurolinguistic structure
of the brain.
Suited to the Purpose
Purpose:
Why?
Structure
• Informing
• Evaluating
• Persuading
• Facts
• Opinion
• Decision
Providing Facts; Offering an Opinion
1. Start with most important (most general) fact
2. Second most important fact next, etc.
3. Continue to drill down
4. Simply quit at the end
5. Emphasis on accuracy, conciseness
1. Top bun: the introduction
• What or who are you evaluating?
• What are your criteria?
2. Meat in the middle—facts, observations
3. Bottom bun: the conclusion
• Your opinion
What about
Persuading and Decision Making?
Opposite sides of the same coin.
Decision Makers Have Three Questions
1. Are we getting what
we need?
2. Is it worth doing?
3. Can they really do it?
The Principle of First Impressions
The Primacy Principle
Minimize Cognitive Dissonance
Building Trust and Establishing Relevance
You have
7 minutes in a document.
4 minutes to establish contact face to face.
1 minute for Web-based presentations
and phone calls.
Where Does Your Presentation Focus First?
Company history?
Capabilities?
Financial strength?
Global coverage?
And does the customer care about any of that?
What Are the First Words of Your Proposal?
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for
allow us to submit a response to…”?
“ABC Company is pleased to respond to your Request
for Proposal…”?
“Recognized as a world leader in technology and
service, ABC Company works with many of the world’s
most successful companies….”
Business
Resource
Problem Solver
Vendor
Focus on product and pricing info only,
and you’re seen strictly as a vendor
0000
Business
Resource
Problem Solver
Vendor
Link features and benefits to customer
needs and you become a problem solver
0000
Business
Resource
Problem Solver
Vendor
Business
Partner
Focus on their business issues
and you’re more of a partner
0000
Business
Resource
Strategic
Resource
Problem Solver
Vendor
Business
Partner
Deliver a compelling value proposition
and you’re a strategic resource
Persuading
The Persuasive Paradigm
The Structure of Persuasion: The NOSE Pattern
• Needs: The customer’s key business needs, problems, issues,
pains, or opportunities: the drivers behind the deal.
• Outcomes: The positive impact that will come from meeting
those needs: the motivation to move forward.
• Solution: A recommendation for a product or service that will
solve the problem and deliver the outcomes
• Evidence: Proof you can do the job on time and on budget: your
differentiators.
N
O
S
E
Persuasion is
client-centered
communication
structured to affect
the way the audience thinks,
how they feel,
or what they do.
Seven Client-Centered Questions
1. Client’s problem, issues?
2. Why is it a problem?
3. Desired outcomes?
Four Areas of Value
Personal goals
STRATEGIC
Business / Financial • Revenue goals • Profit improvement • Downsizing • Mergers / acquisitions • Market share • Reduced risk • Better project outcomes
TACTICAL
Technical/Infrastructure Introducing Best Practices Adding flexibility Improving QC Achieving compliance w/
regulatory standards
SOCIAL / POLITICAL
Internal - Improve Morale - Reduce Absenteeism - Decrease Turnover
External -Gain Customer Loyalty -Enhance Recognition
Seven Client-Centered Questions
1. Client’s problem, issues?
2. Why is it a problem?
3. Desired outcomes?
4. Most important?
5. Potential solutions?
6. Probable results?
7. Why are we the right
choice?
Bottom line:
Specificity
leads to
believability.
In Summary
1. Avoid generic content.
2. High primacy, low dissonance.
3. Follow your NOSE.
4. Be specific.
5. Qvidian Proposal Automation
RFP Responses
Proactive Proposals
Presentations
Qvidian Proposal Automation
View a demo at http://www.qvidian.com
Additional Resources
To learn more and/or schedule a customized demo of
Qvidian’s Proposal Automation, contact us:
USA: 800-272-0047
UK: +44 (0)870-734-7778
Email: [email protected]
Download your complimentary chapter from
Dr. Sant’s best-selling book (now in its 3rd
edition!), Persuasive Business Proposals at:
Book winners will be notified by email within 72 hours of today’s event.
www.Qvidian.com/SantChapter
