Maximizing the Impact of a Proposal

Digital Marketing - Study Notes:

How can you increase the impact of your proposals and pitches, and make it easier to win your audience over to your way of thinking? There are three very effective techniques: triplication; copying VAK words and phrases; and looking out for potential disconnects.

Let’s focus on triplication first. You can think of triplication as a way of linking the three corresponding parts of any pitch or proposal. These three parts are, of course, the beginning, middle, and end.

So let’s first assume that every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. And let’s assume that the audience needs to know at all times whereabouts you are in the triplication of learning. Which one of the three parts are they in? It is up to you to guide them clearly and effectively at all times during your pitch or proposal.

You can help your audience remember what you say by using repetition. In other words, tell them, tell them what you told them, and then tell them again.

The second technique is copying VAK words and phrases. Now, I know that your first question is going to be, what does VAK mean? It stands for visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, and it refers to the words and phrases that people use. Noticing these words and phrases, you can learn to notice how someone is thinking.

Let’s look at visual phrases first. Think of these as ‘see’ sensory phrases. Examples of these phrases are ‘appears to me’; ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’; ‘clear cut’; ‘paint a picture’; and ‘see to it’. Notice how all these phrases involve the use of sight?

Next, auditory. These are ‘hear' sensory phrases. Examples of these include ‘manner of speaking’; ‘clear as a bell’; ‘call on’; ‘describe in detail’; and ‘to tell the truth’. In this case, all the phrases revolve around how something sounds.

And finally, kinesthetic. There are ‘feel' sensory phrases. Examples of these include ‘boils down to’; ‘come to grips with’; ‘firm foundations’; ‘lay cards on the table’; and ‘pull some strings’. In this case, notice how the dominant sense is touch.

So how does all this help you to persuade someone? Well, if you pay close attention to someone using VAK words or phrases, then you can copy their sensory phrases in your own speech. This will really ramp up the rapport between you. Note that you are not making them like you or agree with you. You are simply increasing the rapport between you. This should help to intensify your message, get your point across, and persuade them.

The third effective technique is to look out for potential disconnects. It is not enough to simply listen to your audience. You also need to pay attention to the signals you are receiving from their body language. You could pay attention to the amount of eye contact you are (or are not) receiving, and the positions of your audience at rest. However, what you really need to be focusing your powers of observation on are potential disconnects. 

A disconnect may occur when you are attempting to persuade an audience. It can take a number of forms. It can occur whenever there is resistance, disagreement, or even conflict about what you are saying. These reactions manifest themselves in a disconnect between you and your audience.

Consider what a disconnect might look like in practice. Suppose you are making a pitch to an audience. Up to now in your pitch, you believe that this audience has been fairly receptive to what it is you are attempting to persuade them to accept, buy, or consider. Everything seems to be going great!

At this stage, your audience is in something like a mini-trance, because they are comfortable and relaxed. However, outside of their immediate conscious attention, all of their senses are on a kind of hyper-alert. This is known as the ‘Unconscious Radar Scan Effect.’

Their senses are scanning their surroundings, testing for safety, and ready for a perceived threat. If you deliver words of disconnect to your audience, your words will trigger in them the part of their brains called the amygdala. It instantly responds to a perceived threat with the instinctive ‘fight or flight’ response. This could result in a physical flinch or jump. It is this sudden physical movement that you should train yourself to take notice off.

If you are lucky, the physical reaction will be obvious. The person in the audience - or the entire audience - might throw up their arms and audibly blow air out of their cheeks. They might even stamp their feet loudly. But, let’s face it, such an obvious reaction is highly unlikely! 

Any physical reaction you notice will probably be much less obvious. For example, a slight movement in a chair as people sit more upright, or make themselves more comfortable, or push their chairs away from the table, are subtle reactions to look out for. Other signs include putting down a pen or, if standing, taking a small step backwards. You might simply notice someone raising an eyebrow. Or you might even hear a non-verbal sound, such as tutting, or a grunt.

The list is actually endless. The kind of reactions you will encounter all depend on the ingrained responses that are hard-wired into each person. You need to get tuned-in to different responses and to be aware of the mere suggestion of a physical movement among your audience.

And if you do spot a disconnect? Well, this is a chance to really impress your audience with your powers of perception! So halt your pitch and go back to the point of disconnect. Then ask your audience some clarifying questions and do your best to reassure them. This should help you to come across as both credible and persuasive.