Studies reveal that employees spend much more of their work time engaging in persuasion-related tasks than previously thought, underscoring its enterprise-wide significance.
In To Sell is Human Dan Pink writes “People are now spending about 40 percent of their time at work engaged in non-sales selling—persuading, influencing, and convincing others in ways that don’t involve anyone making a purchase.”
It involves preparing the ground before planting the seed creating an environment for changing perspectives. Across virtually all sectors—from service industries to high-growth startups—persuasion is viewed not just as a soft skill, but as a measurable business driver influencing ROI, employee performance, and customer lifetime value.
Persuasion is now a top strategic priority for high-growth, customer-facing, and innovation-driven segments, forming the foundation for both internal and external business success.
Brian Ahearn, Cialdini Method Certified Trainer says “If being polite took up one third of your employees’ days you’d probably want them to learn to be as polite as possible. Any skill used that much is worth focusing time, effort and resources on. Persuasion is one of those skills that deserves focus because of how often it’s used in business.”
Organisations that fail to elevate communication, influence and persuasion as major drivers of not only profit, but employee satisfaction and achievement lose an opportunity to leverage human effectiveness and initiative. Sharpening these skills can be likened to sharpening a utensil before use. Why would you not want to do that?
Deidre McCloskey, Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois has built a case that Persuasion is responsible for 25% of the USA national income. It is probable the figure is now closer to 30%.
According to Brian Tracy “Selling is the process of persuading a person that your product or service is of greater value to him or her than the price you’re asking for it.”
Equipping customer influencers with deep product knowledge is essential, but equally important is empowering them with the communication and persuasion techniques needed to complete sales and nurture lasting partnerships.
This comprehensive understanding of persuasion underlines why organisations that cultivate these skills gain a decisive advantage in both business outcomes and sustainable relationships.
An added personal advantage is that since employees are real people, they get to take these skills home with them to enrich their communication skills with family.
Key source: Brian Ahearn, Three Reasons Every Business Needs to Focus on Persuasion (5 March 2019)
Paul du Toit, CSP is the author of The Book of Persuasion – How You Can Change People’s Minds and Influence Their Decisions While Building Trust.
