Whether it’s a sales pitch or just a casual conversation, personal connections are powerful when trying to persuade. Jay Baer, Hall of Fame keynote speaker, business growth advisor, and customer experience expert, joins us on today’s episode of The Small Business Show. He shares invaluable lessons from his journey—from political campaigns to helping businesses grow through personal and powerful communication strategies.
In his approach to persuasion, Jay Baer articulates that messages become significantly more effective when they are connected to personal benefits. Drawing from his experiences in political consulting, Baer highlights the fundamental question that should drive communication: “What’s in it for them?” This perspective asserts that individuals are much more inclined to act when they recognize how it directly influences their interests.
To enhance persuasive communication, Baer advocates for including an “and therefore” clause in every persuasive statement. By explicitly outlining the outcome of a suggested action and its relevance to the listener, the message gains depth and urgency. This technique clarifies the request and underscores its importance, making the audience more likely to feel compelled to engage.
Despite the idealistic view that people often act for the greater good, Baer notes that self-interest typically drives personal decision-making. Whether in formal settings like sales pitches or casual conversations, effective persuasion is predicated on establishing a connection between the request and the individual’s personal stakes. This understanding is crucial, as it illustrates that most decisions are influenced far more by personal motivations than by a sense of communal obligation.
Baer illustrates his point with a practical example from a United Airlines flight. A simple sign in the restroom stated, “Clogged toilets delay flights.” This addition turned an otherwise standard message into one that resonates personally, as no one wishes to cause a flight delay. This demonstrates how transforming a general request into something personally significant can be a powerful, persuasive tool.
Lastly, Baer offers a technique for ensuring clarity and relevance in persuasive messaging: the ability to reverse the order of sentences in a way that still makes sense. For instance, “Clogged toilets delay flights. Therefore, don’t flush paper down the toilet” can be flipped to “Don’t flush paper down the toilet because clogged toilets delay flights.” This method reinforces the personal stakes involved, making the message even more compelling.
“Anytime you’re making a statement, you have to tie it back to what’s in it for the recipient. What’s in it for the listener? What’s in it for the reader? That second part is so incredibly crucial, but it gets left out so often.” – Jay Baer.
