Remember, Please Use Influence Tactics Ethically

1)Copy a persons movements.
People like people who are “Just Like Them” and not just similar in thoughts and philosophies but movement, body language, mannerisms.

Yes copying someone’s movements can get them to like you because they pick up at an unconscious level that you have very similar traits, movements, mannerisms. Here is the key though, they must NOT pick it up at the conscious level. Which means that if you blatantly match and mirror every little thing they do, they are going to hate you. How annoyed would you be if someone suddenly started copying every little move you made? So the key is match and mirror but do it very subtly. For example if someone is swinging a foot could you very cunningly get a hand movement to work in time with it? Again without being obvious. Notice little things like they way they incline their head when speaking. Throw in a couple of those yourself. Do they have some distinct eye movements when talking, you can match those. When they raise their cup and drink wait a few seconds and then follow.

Match - one of their movements with another move of your own. If they are tapping fingers, can you tap a foot in time with it?
Mirror – Their movement but don’t do it immediately. If they drink, wait a few seconds then drink. If they brush hair aside, wait a few seconds then do it yourself. Use mirroring more sparingly as it more obvious and so easier to get caught.

It’s all about learning how to mimic the other persons body language, mannerisms, without being caught. If you get really good at this you can get a complete stranger to like you without ever meeting you - and don’t be surprised if someone actually comes over to ask if they know you. Sit where you are in plain view of the person you want to build unconscious rapport with. You don’t have to be on the table next to them, you can be on the other side of the room as long as they can clearly see you. And remember that they don’t have to be consciously aware that you are there. Their brain is processing all the information coming in through their eyes from the entire room so it will be monitoring you while they talk away to their friend.

Start matching and mirroring and see if they are eventually drawn to look at you more and more, wondering who this person is that seems so familiar (similar)…. Have fun with it. It won’t work all the time because you can’t control all the variables like how long they stay which gives you a chance to get unconscious notice turned into conscious notice. In the beginning you may not be very good but with time you can become an expert at covert matching and mirroring face to face or from a distance.

2) Lead Them Slowly To Evidence That Supports What You Want…

Again this is an art as you don’t always want to be too obvious about it or it may be seen as bragging or even blatant sales chatter. Ask yourself what you are trying to “sell” this person. Remember that everything is sales and everyone is constantly involved in “sales” many times a day. Whenever you are trying to get your point across your are “selling”. Decide what you want to sell then ask yourself what evidence you could present to verify the validity of your opinion (sales pitch). Lastly think of ways you could introduce at least some of this evidence more covertly, in passing conversation. For example you could be trying to get someone to sign up for a course…. “I know you are really going to enjoy this course and be just as thrilled as Mr Jones who attended last week. He gave me a really good testimonial but then people don’t mind giving testimonials when they have had a great experience, don’t YOU AGREE?”

3) More Tricks To Getting What you Want……

The thing with the vast majority of us is that we are basically self centred. This is something you can use to your advantage. If you can present evidence that suggests that what you are trying to “sell” them has more benefit to them than it does to you, they will be far more ready to “buy” into it

Focus in on their needs and desires. Talk about the benefits they will get. Along the same lines, get them talking about themselves, what they have achieved or are doing. Get them to tell you what benefits they would like to have, then later on covertly re-mention them getting those benefits…. from your product/idea.

Remember that no matter how good your think your opinion, idea or actual physical product is, no one is going to buy into it if they believe they are getting nothing from it. The more a person gets from something, the more prepared they are to “buy”.