Quotes About Persuasion

My first job is to say thank you to those who voted me. Those who didn't, I'm going to get your vote next time.

You certainly wouldn't want to invest much time in an argument with someone who would believe it in the first place.

He hadn't realized yet that Gansey could persuade even the sun to pause and give him the time.

I learned many years ago never to waste time trying to convince my colleagues.

Now listen. You can't fool all the people all the time-- but I want you to try.

People buy-into what they can understand quickly. If it takes you a long time to make your point, most people think you don't have one!

We are creatures of story, and the process of changing one mind or the whole world must begin with 'Once upon a time.'

It's easier to flatter a man than fight him.

A man convinced against his will, is of his own opinion still,'

The success of the lie depends a great deal upon how much the hearer wishes to believe it," she replied.

I came because I could resist it. I came because perhaps I didn't quite believe in you. I didn't believe in spite of all I'd read and been told.

Kate said, "Well, in my country they say that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

she wants to wait till she graduates although me, I'm thinking this summer would be good; I mean, she could finish school in California just as well as at Kinney, so I'm hoping to talk her around, but in any case

It is safe to assume that any individual or group you wish to influence has access to more wisdom than they currently use. It is also safe to assume that they also have considerably more facts than they can process effectively. Giving them even more facts adds to the wrong pile. They don't need more facts. They need help finding their wisdom. Contrary to popular belief, bad decisions are rarely made because people don't have all the facts.

Other methods of influence—persuasion, bribery, or charismatic appeals—are push strategies. Story is a pull strategy. If your story is good enough, people—of their own free will—come to the conclusion they can trust you and the message you bring.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a story is worth a thousand assurances.

When studying tools of influence, people always ask the question, "How can I make them listen to me?" They ask because that is what they think they want to learn. Unfortunately, this can never be learned because it can't be done. You can't make someone listen. You can entice, inspire, cajole, stimulate, or fascinate but you cannot make anyone listen to anything. Embracing this fact up-front lets us focus on what we can do.

There are six types of stories that will serve you well in your efforts to influence others. 1. "Who I Am" Stories 2. "Why I Am Here" Stories 3. "The Vision" Story 4. "Teaching" Stories 5. "Values-in-Action" Stories 6. "I Know What You Are Thinking

The magic of influence is less in what we say and more in how we say it and who we are.

I liked to watch the real salesmen-- the old-time travelers. A lot could be learned from those guys. Those fellas had plenty of charm. They used to say that sincerity sells-- and if you can fake that, you've got it made.

People don't believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always believe what they tell themselves. What leaders do: they give people stories they can tell themselves. Stories about the future and about the change.

Marketing is the act of telling stories about the things we make—stories that sell and stories that spread.

Selling is about a transference of emotion, not a presentation of facts.

Great design = getting people to do what you want.