Invisible Influence: The Power to Persuade Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere

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Behavioral Integration

If you can get the other person to physically make the movements that lead to the desired emotion or action, they will soon feel it or do it of their own accord.

Research shows that the artificial creation of smiling made study participants rate cartoons as funnier than those whose faces were not forced into a smile.

Here’s how you can utilize this:

“If you don’t mind, Madison, I’d like to unroll this poster right here on your desk. Can you come around and take a look at it with me? It outlines every step of the process we have been talking about.”

Or:

“Could you please hold this sample, Mackenzie? I’ve got to get the other one out of the box.”

In both examples above, you’re causing the other person to physically move. You are changing their perspective by physically integrating them. By doing this, you have an excellent opportunity to engage them on a deeper level. With more engagement comes much easier influence.

When I do a presentation I all but demand that participants take handwritten notes. Taking notes involves many influential processes. One is that it encourages learning. A second is that it engenders better memory. And if they are writing something down it, and therefore, you must be important.