I saw an interesting lecture the other day, by an economist.
The subject was free speech laws and advertising, and what role regulators play.
Her angle was kind of unique, in that she had a unique view of what communication is, and what its purpose is.
Many people assume that language is purely for transmitting information. However, when you consider most of your interactions, this isn’t altogether true.
For example, even something simple as stopping somebody on the street to get the time, your intention is to get information, but in order to do so, you’ve got to do some persuading.
You’ve got to break their state, you’ve got to create enough rapport so they don’t run away, and you’ve got to convince them to tell you something that they know but you don’t.
As it turns out, according some some linguists, all communication is in part based on persuasion.
Sometimes the persuasion is overt, like when you’re cold calling people or selling things door to door.
Other times the persuasion is covert and subconscious. You call your buddy when you’re bored. The subtext is you want them to entertain you, so you need to convince them to take time away from what they were doing when you called, and spend a few minutes talking to you.
If you’ve got any kind of intention, whether it be going down to the pub for a couple drinks, or taking a road trip to Vegas, then the persuasion becomes more overt.
Most of the time, the persuasion in our communication is a mixture of conscious and subconscious intentions, generated by a blend of instincts and rational thought.
However, the structure is always the same. Break state, create rapport, and pitch.
Within the pitch, the part where you’re trying to get your needs met, you’ll likely have objections.
Maybe your friend is busy and doesn’t want to talk. Maybe your buddy would rather grab a slice than a drink, maybe they spent all their money and can’t afford to hit Vegas.
Regardless of the content of the persuasion, being able to anticipate and handle objections will make everything go smoother, and will leave everybody feeling better.
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