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Persuasion & Pitching ideas

Avi Kumar�avi@kuware.com

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CEO KUWARE®

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Some theory and some practical advice

  • Background
  • The necessary Art of Persuasion
  • Persuasion: Theory and Research
  • How to Pitch an Idea

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My Background

  • Do you really Care?

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  • Instead let me tell you story…

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WHY EVEN BOTHER ?

The Necessary Art of Persuasion

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Marketing Genius !!!

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With Irreverence towards One and All!

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More important now than ever !

  • Cross functional teams of peers
  • Baby-boomers and generation-X offspring
  • A little tolerance for unquestionable authority
  • Electronic Communications and Globalization
  • Erosion of traditional authority

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“People Don’t just ask, What should I do? But Why should I do it ?”

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Recipe for success ?

  • First: Strongly state your position
  • Second: Make your supporting arguments
  • Follow it with an assertive data-based exposition
  • Finally, clinch the deal by working on a “close”

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Four ways NOT to persuade

  • Attempt to make your case with hard up-front sell
  • Resisting compromise
  • Believing that great arguments are enough
  • Believing that persuasion is one-shot effort

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Effective Persuasion: 4 Steps

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  • Establish Credibility
  • State goals in terms of common ground
  • Vivid language and compelling evidence
  • Connect with audience emotionally

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Persuasion: A fuzzy definition

A successful intentional effort at influencing another’s mental state through communication in a circumstance in which the person being persuaded has some measure of freedom.

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Two Facets of Persuasion

  • The Messenger
    • Source

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  • The Message
    • Structure
    • Content

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Factors affecting Persuasion: Source

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  • Credibility
  • Likeability
  • Similarity
  • Physical Attractiveness

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Factors affecting Persuasion: Sequential-request strategies

Simplify the favor request

which is actually a big request

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First extreme request

Then a reasonable request

Do it Quick !

Foot-in-the-Door

Low-Ball Technique

Door-in-the-Face

  • First Small Request,
  • Ask for larger one later.
  • First request: Large, No incentive,
  • Public good and completed

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Factors affecting Persuasion: Message

  • Structure
    • Climax Vs Anti-Climax
    • Explicit Conclusions or not
  • Content
    • One-Sided Vs Two-sided arguments
    • Discrepancy
    • Fear Appeals
    • Examples Vs Statistical Summary

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Factors affecting Persuasion: Message

  • Structure
    • Climax Vs Anti-Climax : Unless presenting to VC
    • Explicit Conclusions or not : Always
  • Content
    • One-Sided Vs Two-sided arguments : Unless presenting to not so smart audience
    • Discrepancy : Moderate is good
    • Fear Appeals : Up to a point
    • Examples Vs Statistical Summary : Always

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STEREOTYPING pitcher

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  • Stereotypes typically formed in a few seconds
    • lasting character impressions made in as little as 30 minutes
  • Ideas often judged versus pitcher’s image
    • leads to fast rejection of ideas if there is any doubt about presenter
  • Humans don’t like the unknown
    • so instinct is to associate traits with easily definable types

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Pitcher: +ve stereotypes

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  • SHOWRUNNER
    • These ‘professional’ pitch artists combine creative inspiration and product know-how into the ‘ultimate’ presentation

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  • ARTIST
    • Quirky and unpolished, these pitchers display single-minded passion and enthusiasm about their ideas

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  • NEOPHYTE
    • Young, inexperienced and naïve (at least appear to be), they excel at ‘drawing in’ catchers

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Pitcher: -ve stereotypes (STRONGER)

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  • PUSHOVER
    • Too willing to delete / change aspects of an idea, gives impression they do not care enough
  • ROBOT
    • Too rigid in their presentation, present with little feeling or emotion as if everything were memorized
  • USED-CAR SALESMAN
    • Obnoxious & argumentative, they overpower and intimidate rather than collaborate
  • CHARITY CASE
    • Too eager to beg or plead at the first hint of being rejected, extremely needy

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Copy that sells: P.A.S.T.O.R

  • “P” is for PROBLEM
  • “A” is for AMPLIFY
  • “S” is for STORY and SOLUTION
  • “T” is for TRANSFORMATION and TESTIMONIALS
  • “O” is for OFFER
  • “R” is for RESPONSE

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Bibliography

  • Never Split The Difference: Chris Voss (Read this last)
  • Influence: Science and Practice, Robert B. Cialdini, Allyn and Bacon, 4rth Edition
  • How to write a copy that sells: Ray edwards
  • Persuasion: Theory and Research, Daniel J. O’Keefe, Sage Publications, 1990
  • The necessary Art of Persuasion, Jay A. Conger, Harvard Business Review, 1999, 84-95
  • How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea, Kimberly D. Elsbach, Harvard Business Review, September 2003, 117-123
  • Selling issues to top management, Dutton and Ashford, Academy of Management Review, 1983, Vol. 18. No 3, 397-428

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Catcher: BREAKING FREE from stereotypes

  • Humans have an inherent internal stereotyping system
    • (+) points for ‘fitting’ stereotypes
    • (-) points for not fitting within these parameters
  • Stereotyping makes catchers feel safe and comfortable with their decision regarding the idea, when they are really deciding about the pitcher
  • Catchers must pay close attention to the merits of an idea rather than focusing on the pitcher
  • Only by exploring deep during a pitch can a catcher feel safe regarding their decision of the validity of a new idea