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Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential
Issue 4.22 - May 28, 2007 - ISSN: 1551-6571

In Kevin's Own Words

Helping People Answer the “What’s in it For Me?” Question

We all want to persuade someone of something sometime.

• We want them to see our point of view.
• We want them to take some action.
• We want them to buy in to the change we are championing.
• We want them to learn something new.
• We want them to pick up the slack for a team member who is out on leave.
• We want them to attend our event, go to dinner with us or pick up our mail.

We might even want them to buy our product or service.

To do any of these things, we must help them see the value that they will gain – directly or indirectly – from the decision or action. In other words they need to see what is in it for them.

Some people think it is crass, cynical or degrading to think that people only make decisions that they see as being in their own best interests. It really doesn’t matter if you think this is the way the world should work or not, it is the reality.

We all are always screening ideas, information and opportunities based on what we believe is in our best interest. And this is why we are all asking “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM?) all the time.

Answering the Question

Recognize that while everyone is asking the WIIFM question, almost everyone has the same answer. In order then to help any individual answer this question we must first step back and think about human nature.

Daily Coaching in Your Inbox

A powerful mental kick-start PLUS action steps to make your day more successful. Powerquotes Plus is the motivational way to start your day. "What looks like a loss may be the very event which is subsequently responsible for helping to produce the major achievement of your life." - Srully Blotnick, Author Powerquotes Plus – Transferring Powerful Thoughts into Action

Ask yourself this question: What are the things that motivate people? The broader answer to this question provides the basis for helping any one individual answer the WIIFM question.

The Motivators

People want to:

• Save time
• Make more time
• Save money
• Make money
• Gain praise from others
• Advance socially or professionally
• Reduce their effort (or work)
• Reduce their worries
• Reduce their stress
• Reduce their risk
• Reduce the chances of embarrassment
• Express their personality and individuality
• Have more fun

People want to be:

• Up to date
• Creative
• Helpful
• Trusted
• More self confident
• More secure (physically, emotionally and financially)
• More comfortable
• Proud of their accomplishments, knowledge and possessions
• Recognized as an authority
• Efficient and productive
• Influential with others

This isn’t a complete list (but it’s plenty long), but it hopefully helps you think about what things are motivating the people you want to influence today.

Use this list to help you brainstorm the motivators of others or use this list to help you formulate the questions you will ask to uncover the “hot button motivators” of others.

Remember that not all of these motivators apply equally to all people. Your job as a master persuader is to determine which of these levers are most important to an individual or group and to help them see how your solution or suggestion will help them in that particular way.

The next time you are trying to influence or persuade someone about something, stop thinking about you and your needs. Instead think of them and how they can benefit. You will feel better, so will they – and you will be far more successful in persuading them!

Potential Principle - We are all, consciously or not, asking ourselves “What’s in it for me?” all the time. The key to persuasion is helping people answer that question to their satisfaction.

Kevin

Kevin's Recommends

Little Green Book of Getting Your Way
by Jeffrey Gitomer

I started my January review of Jeffrey’s Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude like this:

"I’m an unabashed Jeffrey Gitomer fan.

I have recommended his books here before. Last year I recommended The Little Black Book of Connections, and a couple of years back I recommended The Little Red Book of Sales. Some day Jeffrey will run out of colors, but until he does I will likely recommend each new book in this series."

The latest color is green.

Like all of the others, this book is fun to read and offers practical ideas. It also offers some unusual ideas – like how to be a better presenter by singing Karaoke!

The book focuses on our skills in influence and persuasion in all areas of life including writing, speaking and presenting. Jeffrey’s core audience is sales people so naturally there is much here that focuses on the sales profession. I share that distinction with you not to dissuade you from this book, but just to let you know. After all, all of us need to influence, persuade, speak and present, and everyone can benefit from this concise, upbeat and effective advice.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

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