442. You and Your Network(s)

Once you have started your network you should begin to influence it. There are 9 reasons why people make decisions. You should know these and the best ways to influence them.

1. Logicality :

If you can appeal to a man's reason, you should have logical arguments in place to advance your case.

2. Emotionality :

Inspire your networks. Ask them to imagine a world where... This type of argument focuses on the heart, not the head. They actually often defy reason but appeal to the emotions. (The entire advertising industry is based on this type of approach.) This method suggests what could be, if only the audience would come on board. It is a very powerful technique if done correctly and can overcome reason and mobilise armies and whole countries.

3. Let them think it was their idea to begin with :

You do this by asking questions so that the answers coming from the floor tell the message that you want to give.

4. Make them Feel Good :

Creating the feel-good factor involves the stroking of egos. People will nearly always feel positive towards you if you tell them that they are smart, beautiful, competent, etc. This is best used on those with less power than yourself or on those with the same level of power as yourself. For it to work, you just need to avoid being too obvious !

5. The Straightforward Deal :

"I'll do something nice for you if you do something nice for me." Also known as Whitemail. Deals like this can be covert. i.e. you can just walk in and say "I got this for you." as you give them a gift. There is no direct link with what you get for the person and the favour you ask but there is an unspoken deal. This is also called the "not so free gift" technique.

6. Do me a favour :

People are generally altruistic and will help you out more often than not if you ask them to. This is especially true if you have already built up a relationship with them and they care about you and the relationship. Calling in this type of favour often has a reciprocal price so in order to keep the relationship, make sure that you pay up.

7. Call on your Unseen Allies :

People who might not believe in your credibility will often be influenced by "outside authorities" or "statistics" e.g "Everyone who has read this book says..." or "8 out of 10 cats prefer...".

8. Call on Authority :

Refer to a principle or set of rules that is recognised and respected by the person you are trying to influence. It does work but it is a lazy technique and can become jaded very quickly.

9. Brute Force :

This is the very lowest level of influence - " Do it or I'll break your arm!" It is not good at all. It is the first and last refuge of the bully. You should avoid going there unless it is absolutely necessary, i.e. to save your life or protect you from injury.

The 3 comditions of "mail" are as follows :

Blackmail: "You do smething nice for me or else I'll do something nasty on you." (threat)

Greymail : "You refrain from doing something nasty on me and I'll refrain from doing something nasty on you." (implied threat)

Whitemail : "You do something nice for me and I'll do something nice for you". - deal,deal.