The Psychology of Influence: Persuasion Techniques for Business Consultants

Often, the art of persuasion is viewed in a negative light because it’s associated with manipulation. William Nothstine, in his timeless handbook, successfully distinguished myth from fact when it comes to persuasiveness.

Persuasion is present in our day-to-day communication as we interact and get our opinions heard.

Business consultants navigate various projects, revising and restructuring client strategies to improve their operations. With such a tedious job, you often find yourself in need of persuasive techniques to guide clients in the right direction and drive real change.

Understanding the psychology of influence is not about being pushy and getting your way. For a business consultant, it’s about motivating and helping your client see your vision as an expert so that they can make an informed decision.

Persuasion Techniques for Business Consultants

As we delve into the psychology of influence, let’s explore some of the persuasive strategies business consultants need.

Show Your Experience

A big part of persuasion lies with credibility. You need to demonstrate expertise to solidify your credibility in the eyes of your clients.

It’s not enough that clients have a copy of your resume. Besides the relevant credentials you share with them, make an effort to showcase your deep knowledge of the industry and emerging trends.

When you get your clients to view you as an expert, they will have an easier time trusting your judgment and acting on your suggestions.

Build Rapport

Persuasion is not just about what you say at the moment. It comes down to the relationship you have established with your clients.

By establishing rapport with clients, you lay the foundation for a positive relationship and strong influence. Actively listening and showing genuine interest in helping your client achieve their objectives can go a long way in building rapport.

Showing that you respect your client’s viewpoint even if you have a different perspective also promotes positive interactions.

Understand Their Needs

How much do you understand the needs of your clients?

As a consultant, you want to position yourself as the go-to individual, which means offering value. However, value goes beyond getting paid for your services.

For example, if your client is not utilizing effective resources for managing projects and tracking time, you could provide that knowledge freely to show your readiness to assist.

It may be a casual suggestion, but considering the importance of tracking time for billing purposes, your free input could save the company a lot of money, and that will only strengthen your influence.

Share Opposing Viewpoints

Every business faces positives and negatives, and so their owners are not opposed to hearing about what doesn’t work. Instead of only highlighting the good to support your arguments, discuss the flipside as well.

Sharing positives and negatives can be a powerful, persuasive strategy as it allows your client to examine the different outcomes of every approach.

Utilizing opposing viewpoints helps you come across as honest and only prioritizing client satisfaction.

Use Evidence

People value tangible proof, and as a consultant, you can leverage that to influence your performance. While pursuing prospects, evidence of past successes, such as testimonials and references, can easily persuade prospects to work with you.

Additionally, you can use case studies and other industry evidence to instill confidence in your strategies and suggestions. Remember, businesses are more likely to get on board if you can back up your claims.

Communicate Effectively

Sometimes, the way we present information can either get people to pay attention or dismiss us on the spot. As a consultant, it’s important to learn how to communicate your ideas effectively.

The more you master how to frame your information, the easier it will be to influence decision-making because you know how to tailor suggestions to client goals and values.

Stay Positive

Positivity is a powerful asset that a consultant needs to inspire their clients to take steps that further their growth.

It’s normal for a client to be hesitant when it comes to decision-making. When that happens, combine positivity with your in-depth understanding of the industry to help motivate them to take those steps.

Bottom Line

Understanding the psychology of influence is a valuable skill for business consultants looking to drive change and offer their clients positive results. While these persuasive techniques may seem hard to master, like other skills, it takes a learning curve and practice to perfect.