How do you overcome this lack of credibility? Here are several
ideas great persuaders use to boost their
credibility:
1. In this very skeptical world your prospect is looking for a
weakness. If you don’t give them some type of weakness (personal or
product), they will assign a weakness for you. Great persuaders
increase credibility by revealing an apparent weakness and turning
that perceived weakness into a desired benefit.
2. Credibility is enhanced by every minute of preparation. Great
persuaders never “wing it” or leave anything to chance. If your
audience ever feels you should know the answer but don’t, you have
lost credibility. Plan, rehearse and polish your presentation.
Always research your audience.
3. Your audience is going to judge you in the first thirty seconds.
How do you really look? How are you really coming across? Can you
maintain eye contact? Is your appearance professional, polished,
and what your audience expects.
4. When you enter a low-credibility situation or when you audience
does not know you, borrow the credibility from someone else. Who
can endorse or recommend you? Who can introduce you that already
has credibility with your audience? Learn to always ask and get
testimonials from happy current clients.
5. One of the quickest ways to lose your credibility is to badmouth
the competition. You don’t have to resort to pulling down others to
enhance your own product or service. If you can’t persuade based on
the quality of your product or service, it is time to change
careers. If the consumer needs to be legitimately warned about the
competition, provide ways for them to find out for themselves.
6. Pepper your presentation with credible facts, figures,
statistics, or studies to reinforce your message. Never assume your
audience thinks you are credible without using outside resources.
Always remember to cite your sources. Your audience will
always believe someone else before they will start to believe
you.
7. Find ways to reveal your qualifications without coming across as
a braggart. You need to reveal (or display) your expertise,
qualifications, education, and experience so you will come across
as the expert. The moment your audience accepts you as the expert,
you have their undivided attention. Reveal to your audience why you
are the expert and why you have earned the right to persuade about
your product, service or idea.
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