The Persuasion Equation

How to Influence Others, Sell Your Ideas, and Make Things Happen

Teleseminar Worksheets and Homework

Worksheets

Worksheet # 1 – “Magic Lamp”

Circle or highlight three qualities below that you feel would be most helpful to you in being more persuasive with others:

  • Be a better public speaker
  • Make the mundane interesting
  • Possess more communication skills
  • Have more passion around interests
  • Find the positive in things
  • Have the confidence to act
  • Be more focused
  • Have more charisma
  • Be more flexible and adaptable
  • Have better timing
  • Freely give compliments
  • Be more prepared
  • Be kinder
  • Build better trust
  • Be more giving
  • Strive to be more helpful
  • Have a more open mind

Worksheet # 2 – “Bad Attempts at Persuasion and Influence”
(page 1)

Part I - Definitions

/ Approach #1: People ______
Defined as…
/ Approach #2: People ______
Defined as…

Worksheet # 2 – “Bad Attempts at Persuasion and Influence” –
(page 2 continued)

/ Approach #3: People ______
Defined as…
Five Best ‘Tricks” this approach uses to pull the strings of others to get what they want:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Worksheet # 2 – “Bad Attempts at Persuasion and Influence” – (page 3 continued)

Part II - Behaviors

/ Approach #1: Associated behaviors:
/ Approach #2: Associated behaviors:
/ Approach #3: Associated behaviors:

Worksheet # 2 – “Bad Attempts at Persuasion and Influence” – (page 4 continued)

Part III - Response

/ Approach #1: How do people respond to this approach:
/ Approach #2: How do people respond to this approach:
/ Approach #3: How do people respond to this approach:

Worksheet #3 – “Obstacles and Aids to Persuading and Influencing”

Two Sides
/ 1) Capture the 10 obstacles to persuasion and influencing as they are presented. After, place a checkmark or highlight the top three obstacles that are most prevalent in your life or are having the greatest impact on your ability to persuade and influence others.
2) Take the 10 aids to persuasion and influencing that are presented and match them to the obstacle they are meant to counter. After, place a checkmark or highlight the top three aids that you feel could help you to be more persuasive and influential with others if these skills were practiced.
Obstacle / Countering Aid
Internal – think about yourself
Obstacle / Countering Aid
External – how you act

Worksheet # 4 – “Lost in the Rainforest!”

(page 1)

Scenario:

You and others on the call have found yourselves in a bad situation. On your way back from a vacation to South America, your flight is forced to make an emergency landing in a small clearing in the middle of the Brazilian rainforest. Although your group only sustained minor injuries upon landing, the plane broke into several pieces. Unfortunately, the plane’s communication equipment was destroyed in the crash.

Before landing, however, the pilot was able to report engine troubles, so there is a good chance authorities will start looking for you once you fail to arrive at your final destination. However, the rainforest is filled with very dense forestation, and it will take days to reach you on foot. As well, you cannot remain where you are as there is a danger that the plane’s fuel could explode at any moment. Upon searching through the wreckage, you find the following items:

  • A book of matches from the hotel
/
  • Fully charged mobile phone with GPS

  • 3 elastic luggage straps
/
  • 1 bottle of whiskey

  • 6 packaged airline meals
/
  • 3 boxes of chocolate chip cookies

  • 4 blankets
/
  • 3 - 2 liter bottles of soda

  • A compass
/
  • A Swiss Army knife

  • A tourist map of Brazil
/
  • Metal first aid box

Your task:

  1. You have located asingle, small backpack in which to carry with you only 3 of theabove items that could help in your survival.
  2. Note: Each item listed is considered one item regardless of the quantity associated with it. For example, 3 boxes of chocolate chip cookies are one item, not three.

Worksheet # 4 – “Lost in the Rainforest!” –

(page 2 continued)

Activity Steps:

  1. What three items would you personally take? Write them in the spaces provided below. List the item you feel would be most important to take first.

1)
2)
3)
  1. Next, come to a consensus with the other people on the call as to which 3 items collectively to take as a group.
  2. Take turns presenting arguments for why different items should be taken.
  3. When given the opportunity to tell others why you feel a particular item should be included in the three the group is going to take, pick and use one of the aids you have just learned about to help you enhance your persuasion skills and ‘sell’ your idea better.
  4. Record the item you will argue for here:

The item I am going to try and convince the others to take along is:

  1. Record the aid you will use here:

The aid I am going to use to influence and sell my idea is:

Worksheet #5 – “Emoticon Learning Symbol”

Directions.

  1. Take a moment and review the emoticons presented below and circle or highlight the emoticon that best represents how you are feeling about what you have learned as a result of participating in this training course.
  1. Be prepared to explain which emoticon you selected and how that emoticon symbolizes what you are feeling and what have you learned in this training program.


Homework

Homework – Persuasion and Influence Exercise

1. Reflect on the following behaviors & skills that may want to use when persuading & influencing others.
2. Select the 3 skills you would like to focus on most.

3. Rank in order (from 1 to 5) the importance of these behaviors and skills can have on your ability to persuade and influence?

4. Identify ways you will use these skills in your life.

Behavior/Skills / Ranking / How will Ipractice using this skill in my life?
Involving supporting others
Providing a clear vision
Offering ideas suggestions
Asking questions probing
Stating your expectations of others
Displaying energy & enthusiasm
Finding common ground
Providing reasons facts
Applying incentives & pressures
Developing ideas with others
Evaluating/giving feedback on others’ efforts
Being attentive

The Persuasion Equation:
How to Influence Others, Sell Your Idea, and Make Things Happen!

Follow Up

If you desire, you can offer additional questions to the participants at the end of the program followed by a 15-30 minute follow-up consultation. This is another way to stay in touch, offer value and check in to hear how their learning from the program has improved their skills in real life. This also gives you an opportunity to assess their needs and move them into another product, program or service.

Here are some other ideas and questions for your follow-up activities:

Ask the client about their homework answers, success stories, and frustrations they are still

experiencing. If helpful, create a checklist of questions to ask such as:

•Name something that this program has helped you to improve. Give at least one detailed

success story.

•What are the positive consequences of this improvement in your life?

•What new perspective have you been able to own because of this coaching program?

•What one or two things do you want to continually focus on?

Remember, follow up is another very important “touch” in your multi-touch marketing campaign.

Following up with clients not only shows them that you care, but allows you another opportunity to develop a long-term relationship and continue to serve.

IMPORTANT: Only offer this extra value if you plan to follow through on it.

Nothing is more unprofessional than offering to do follow ups and then not following through in a timely manner as promised.

Persuasion Equation – How to Influence Others, Sell Your Ideas, and Make Things Happen Worksheets and Homework