In general, i think of persuasion in terms of the efforts we make to shape or shift people in their attitudes. So it's not really about tricking people into doing what you want and buying your product. It's more about understanding the factors that kind of actually engage people or open them up to your ideas and input. You can have more impact when they're doing that.
We’re constantly bombarded with competing images, messaging, and bids for our attention. That's why as communicators, it’s increasingly important to know what engages people.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Zak Tormala about the subtle ways you can structure your speech to get people to pay attention. “It’s not really about tricking people into doing what you want,” Professor Tormala says. “It’s more about understanding the factors that actually engage people or open them up to your idea and maybe get them to see something a little bit differently.”
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