| First, let's talk about David Barron's Convincer | | | | expressing their opinions when they know it will |
| Strategy MetaProgram. This strategy is excellent | | | | help them, even if indirectly. As you can imagine, |
| for use by salesmen on potential customers. The | | | | we had trouble keeping the professional |
| most obvious potential customer is one who | | | | interviews going because we were calling busy |
| walks into a store with the intention of making a | | | | people. We had to work with a script that was |
| purchase. | | | | standardized for my group's use - which tended |
| First, let's go over David Barron's marketing | | | | to come off as robotic to the other person. |
| persuasion tactic known as The Convincer | | | | Therefore, surveyors had to do what they could |
| Strategy MetaProgram. Per David Barron: | | | | to keep the interview going or schedule another |
| "People will only respond to your attempts to | | | | time to finish it. Now that I no longer work for |
| influence if the information you tell them fits their | | | | this company, I freely admit that my approach |
| MetaProgram. The one that most sales people | | | | towards interviews was unorthodox, but |
| can easily use once they learn it is The Convincer | | | | successful. Surveys consisted of multiple choice |
| Strategy MetaProgram. The Convincer Strategy | | | | and essay questions, but I would also ask |
| quickly determines what a person requires in | | | | questions outside of the survey like, "How would |
| order to be convinced that something is worth | | | | you describe...?" "How do you feel about...?" "What |
| buying. To elicit someone's Convincer Strategy | | | | about... is important to you?" And I would |
| you only have to ask two questions and follow | | | | constantly adjust my questions to fit the situation |
| some very simple rules..." | | | | posed by the interviewee. |
| "Regardless of which response you receive you | | | | On top of that, I also freely admit that I would do |
| have their personal process to be convinced and | | | | what was necessary to keep a survey moving. |
| all that is needed is to fulfill their strategy..." | | | | For example, if someone like an engineer was |
| Thereupon, David Barron provides several | | | | stumped about how to answer a question, then I |
| examples in applying this strategy in his report. | | | | would offer answers which I heard from other |
| The Convincer Strategy hinges on several | | | | engineers in the same line of work. In that sense, |
| important factors that must be fulfilled in order to | | | | I was a form of industry information conduit. In |
| work: | | | | another sense, I was influencing their answers, but |
| - The product in question is easily produced, | | | | insofar as answers that would apply to any |
| displayed, and shared. | | | | engineer in their position. By serving as a source |
| - The product in question has a reputation such | | | | of industry information and by asking pertinent |
| that people have written reviews and articles | | | | open ended questions, I believe the quality of the |
| about it. | | | | answers was even more valid, not only to the |
| - The customer is warmed up to the idea of | | | | market research, but to the person answering |
| buying/using the product in advance because of | | | | the questions because I would provide a mode |
| the above criteria. | | | | for them where they could think outside of the |
| What if you're beginning a grass roots organization | | | | "box" being their everyday line of work, so they |
| or at the ground floor? All you have left is the | | | | could be more creative. By asking these types of |
| cold call to sell your product - is that right? Not | | | | question, I would get people talking like crazy. I |
| exactly. | | | | would also learn their personality dimensions and |
| As a person who worked with marketing analysts | | | | speak with them according to their mind patterns. |
| with a major market research and analysis | | | | (I still recall when I was calling psychologists in |
| company, I discovered that the best way to | | | | Australia late at night; I actually picked up the |
| start from the ground floor is to find out what | | | | accent and their vernacular after a while - which |
| the customer wants. The main reason for doing | | | | was kind of funny, but very effective.) |
| this is to develop better products and services - | | | | In a way, I would turn the tables on the people I |
| which is what we would tell the potential markets. | | | | interviewed by having them sell themselves to |
| My group's function was to call these multi-national | | | | me. Of course, I would make notes of everything |
| companies according to industry sector. For | | | | they were saying. (Then the market analysts |
| example, if it was a car industry sector and the | | | | would rewrite their surveys based on my notes - |
| end users were repair stations, then we would call | | | | thus making better quality reports.) So, how does |
| station managers and survey them about their | | | | this turn cold calls into warm calls? In essence, |
| working conditions, their common problems, their | | | | you're doing four things: |
| biggest challenges, and the kind of solutions they | | | | Give the other person a venue to express |
| would like to see. From what I recall, I did an | | | | themselves either personally or professionally. |
| intense amount of surveying for the auto | | | | Listen to the way the other person answers your |
| industry, the medical industry, information | | | | questions. |
| technology, energy technology, the drug industry, | | | | Form rapport by communicating with the other |
| and a host of others. I called everyone from the | | | | person according to their mind patterns (the way |
| Fortune 500/Inc 100 companies to people sitting | | | | they express themselves). |
| at home about all sorts of things. | | | | Have the other person sell themselves on their |
| In that few years that I worked for that | | | | ideal solution to whatever challenge they're facing, |
| marketing company, I had around ten thousand | | | | then produce that solution in the form of your |
| interviews. From what I experienced, people do | | | | product. |
| love to express their opinions, either professionally | | | | This product could be a widget, or it could be you. |
| or personally. In essence, I was cold calling. In | | | | Little did I know that I was applying Keys to |
| return, I received the other person's time as well | | | | Power Persuasion tactics until I actually bought the |
| as an (expert) piece of their mind on the subject | | | | course for myself. Then I discovered numerous |
| at hand. If you really think about it, I was selling | | | | marketing strategies - not only for sales, but for |
| the other person on expressing their opinions on | | | | life. |
| the way things should work in their industry or on | | | | Obviously, I didn't know everything this course |
| a personal level. The final product of the | | | | offers, but it did give me all the tools I need to |
| marketing company is to generate a report | | | | approach any marketing and sales situation, be it |
| (analysis) on all the findings of these market | | | | myself or whatever I'm selling. Keys to Power |
| research surveys to the client who requested it. | | | | Persuasion cleaned up my act by refining my |
| In general, these clients are big companies, but | | | | methodologies of communication, thus making me |
| the strategies employed for research and | | | | an even better communicator than I was back |
| development are essential, not only for producing | | | | then. If I had known back then what I know |
| the product, but for developing that necessary | | | | now... Perhaps, you'll take advantage of this |
| rapport with the potential market. | | | | moment by looking into Keys to Power |
| The strategy that I employed during that time | | | | Persuasion. |
| can be used in any situation because people love | | | | Thanks for your time. |
| expressing their opinions. Even better, people like | | | | |