Growing Income From Home

"Your ability to negotiate, communicate, influence, and persuade others to do things is absolutely indispensable to everything you accomplish in life."

- Brian Tracy

Translating negotiation tactics into sales copy;

5 Ways to Get Anybody to Say "Yes" to Anything

By John Forde

It was on the reply form I dashed off a day ago. At the top, I wrote what I've written on reply devices for nearly two decades: "YES!"

It was in the title of the audio book I downloaded this morning: Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive.

Now I'm on a plane, heading stateside for a meeting. And what movie was one of my choices? Yes Man, with Jim Carrey.

I didn't particularly want to watch it. And, no question, it was full of some dumb dialogue and slow moments. But there was something about the premise… a guy who had to say "yes" to everything… that was appealing.

"YES." What is it about that word?

We like people who say "yes." Yes gets you to opportunities. Without a "yes," no sale ever happens.

One study even shows that if you can get people to say "yes" to ANYTHING, even a question about the time or the weather, you'll have an easier time getting them to say yes to bigger requests afterward.

But how do you get a "yes" out of someone who really doesn't want to give you one?

A while back, I read a book by William Ury called Getting Past No: Negotiating With Difficult People. The parallels between some of Ury's techniques and what works in sales copy were striking.

Here's a rundown…

* Negotiator Tactic #1: Don't react.

Ever sent an e-mail to a client, colleague or… well, to anyone you wish you could reel back in? Well, Ury says don't. It's one of the first and biggest mistakes we make hoping to work toward a relationship-building response.

Instead, says Ury, "go to the balcony." That is, step out and get some air. Take a breath. Count to 10. Maybe even 100. And only then, react. This gives you time to figure out not only what you want out of the negotiation, but what your prospect wants as well. It also chills your passions so you can form a strategically smart (rather than unfocused and wild-eyed) response.

Sales Copy Connection: It's great to feel passionate about what you're selling. But before launching into a feverish sales "rationale"… actively map out what it is your prospect really wants. Some prospects want security, others excitement. Some want vindication, others want proof that helps boost confidence in their own opinions.

What is it you're really selling? Is it what you should be selling? Know before you get started. Often it's something more or deeper than the thing you're excited about. And sometimes, it's less.

* Negotiator Tactic #2: Disarm your opponent.

In selling, we're not really talking about "opponents." The prospect is not your enemy. And in a negotiation, Ury says, you're better off thinking the same way. That is, instead of looking at negotiations as two sides facing off over two sides of an issue, you'll get much better results if you "step to the other side." In other words, do the opposite of what your target expects.

And the easiest way to do this? Simply agree with your "opponent" on as many points as you can. Build consensus first, before you try to defend a single counterpoint of your own. Ury tells us the best negotiators even steer clear of using the word "but." They instinctively replace it with "and" wherever possible.

Sales Copy Connection: This is a lot like what we're doing in sales copy when we try to ask questions designed only for a "yes" response. For instance, stating our prospect's own rationale right back to him and tacking on a line at the end – something along the lines of "Wouldn't you agree?"

These are just tricks, of course. The bigger idea is that when you can show agreement with your prospect's own opinions – in person or in print – do so. It will pay off in the end.

* Negotiator Tactic #3: Change the game by changing the frame.

This is a more advanced tactic, because it requires listening better than most people and thinking more creatively than anyone else in the negotiation. But it's key, says Ury, to negotiating effectively.

What you're doing is looking for solid ways to "reframe" the objections to your counterpoint in the discussion. You're actively exposing the objections and stonewall tactics… then finding a way for both of you to get around them.

This is where a pro shows his or her mettle.

Sales Copy Connection: As tough as this is to do, the parallel here is easy. Too often, I've seen junior copywriters try to avoid the prospect's potential objections to a sale rather than raising them in their copy. But just because you don't confront the reader's doubts doesn't mean they don't exist. Or that they won't stop your sale cold in its tracks.

When you get the urge to sneak around an objection, don't. Take a sheet of paper and actually list every objection you can. (Even better, make this list before you start writing the sales letter.) You're playing your own devil's advocate, coming up with every reason why a prospect might NOT want to buy what you're offering – or, at least, not buy it from you.

Once you've got this list, you can use it to tweak your sales outline. You can even hit each objection head on, writing responses almost in a Q & A style. Or try making every subhead a persuasive resolution to every doubt you suspect your prospect might have.

But be careful. You don't want to come across as if you're working to trounce an argument or crush your adversary. Rather, you're easing doubts and building consensus.

* Negotiator Tactic #4: Build a golden bridge.

Ury urges negotiators NOT to push against resistance. Rather, he says, involve your prospect by incorporating his ideas into your solution.

You want to avoid, at all costs, "winning" a negotiation by making the other side feel like they're making a concession. In fact, you want to avoid "winning" the negotiation.

Instead, let the other side feel like they own the victory, to share only if they're willing. In short, let them "save face" and retain control over the decision to go along with whatever it is you've suggested.

Sales Copy Connection: This is a no-brainer. You can never force-feed a sale. The moment your prospect feels he's losing control over the decision, you've lost him.

Remember, you're asking your reader to take a risk when they check the "yes" box or click the order button. Give them reason to feel good – and safe – by taking that chance. Generous guarantees, instant rewards and hefty premiums, immediate discounts or results can all help make this happen.

And finally…

* Negotiator Tactic #5: Make it hard to say no.

"Bring your opponent to his senses, not to his knees," says Ury. You're not looking to punish him for saying no. You're looking to show him the cost of not saying yes.

Sales Copy Connection: Try this tactic elsewhere in your copy, but especially in your close. Think of it as an inversion of the classic problem-solution lead.

That is, you open by stating a big problem… you offer a big solution… and then, when it comes time to seal the deal, you back off in the middle of the close and restate the problem again. But this time, as a contrasting backdrop for the solutions you've presented.

Not as a threat. Rather, as a way to make the positives of your offer stand out, sharpened by the comparison.

Good advice, overall? I think so. And I recommend that you check out Ury's book. You can find it easily on Amazon.com or, in audio, in the iTunes bookstore.

[Ed. Note: To get more of copywriting expert John Forde's wisdom and insights into marketing (and much more), sign up for his free e-letter, Copywriter's Roundtable, at www.copywritersroundtable.com. Or send an e-mail to signup@jackforde.com. Get a free report about 15 deadly copy mistakes and how to avoid them when you sign up today.

For more expert advice on how to become a "highly effective person"... the kind of person who succeeds where others fail... who instinctively knows how to burst through roadblocks and obstacles that leave others stumped and stalled... pick up a copy of Michael Masterson's Power and Persuasion.]

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