Consider your role a privileged position. You are privy to lots of information. You have contact with your Executives, team members, customers, clients and suppliers.
Even with the current COVID restrictions in place limiting face to face contact, if you take a minute to think about all the people you have connected with today (good old Zoom and Teams and an ever increasing reliance on email!), that’s a pretty impressive list I’m sure. Consider that list over the course of a week – a month – a year – and you’ll realise what a vast “reach” you have to influence and persuade.
In this blog post I’m going to introduce a format that you can use to structure your persuasive communication. I call this the IMPACT Model. It’s easy-to-follow yet, as it’s name suggests, it’s incredibly impactful.
The Model incorporates The Power of Three which you learned about in my last blog post. It helps you pull together the Verbal element of your persuasive communication, the words and the phrases you use, whilst you will, of course, be considering the Vocal and Visual element.
IMPACT stands for:
I Introduce your idea/proposal and employ KISS (Keep It Short and Simple)
M Main Reasons: identify the main reasons and use the “Power of Three”
P Problems: Be ready to answer any potential problems or queries that could arise
A Appeal: to Logic (e.g. it will save us money) and emotion (e.g. it is good for team morale)
C Credibility – add this with supporting evidence/stats/info
T Thank your audience for listening and take any questions
Here are two examples of IMPACT proposals and suggestions (with the inclusion of a cheeky, blatant promo for the qualifications we deliver here at Your Excellency Limited!)
IMPACT PROPOSAL EXAMPLE ONE
I suggest you put into practice “The Power of Three” when communicating (I).
You will be able to share knowledge that is 1. more effective, 2. Highly impactful and 3. Truly memorable (M).
I agree it might take some practice, but “practice makes perfect” (P).
By using “The Power of Three” you can better engage, inspire and lead those you are communicating with (A).
Think about some of our famous orators such as Martin Luther King Jr and Winston Churchill ……(C).
Thanks for taking the time to let me share my proposal with you and I’m happy to provide any more information or answer any questions you have (T).
IMPACT PROPOSAL EXAMPLE TWO
I suggest you book onto an accredited, professional EA qualification with Your Excellency Limited (I).
Your Excellency have a high standing in the EA community for delivering learning that is 1.accredited, 2. relevant and 3. instantly-useable for the EA professional (M).
You think it might be expensive? Your Excellency prides themselves on remaining competitively priced in the market. Their qualifications start at £2,200 which equates to just £440 per day of learning. They also offer a “Train now, pay later” scheme so you can spread the cost of this training over 5 months or defer payment (P).
You will be able to apply your newfound learning skills to ensure you’re working more effectively and efficiently. It will also be a real boost to self-esteem as the video from their recent graduate Gemma demonstrates (A and C).
I appreciate you taking the time to listen to my proposal and I’m happy to answer any questions you have (T).
