The One-Sentence Persuasion Course

27 words to make the world do your bidding
(condensed for this class)

By Blair Warren

WARNING: Do not read ahead to discover the "one sentence"—doing so will only diminish its impact. It will be revealed soon enough so take your time and read this report straight through. It will be worth the wait.

One sentence persuasion?

Is it possible to capture and communicate anything of value about persuasion in a single sentence? It is and I'm about to prove it.

Given the pace of today's world, it has never been easier to be powerfully persuasive. Never. It doesn't require good looks, a silver tongue or infallible logic. It doesn't require confidence, charisma, or a magnetic personality. It is a simple matter when one cuts through all the smoke. Cutting through the smoke is the hard part.

If this barrage of techno-jargon has left you more confused than empowered, take a deep breath and relax. We're about to take aim at this confusion, blow away the smoke, and make things as simple as possible. In fact, we'll nail it down to a single sentence. Just 27 words. And with these words we can work miracles.

But first, we must clear away some smoke.

The setup

Before we venture into our material on persuasion, let's take a quick peek at the field of magic. For the two share a common core.

Try this sometime:

Visit a magic shop in your city and spend a half an hour or so watching the owner demonstrate some tricks. Pick the one that baffles you the most and buy it. Then go out to your car, open up the instructions (if you're like me, you won't be able to wait till you get home) and discover how the trick works. If you will do this, I can predict with 99.9% accuracy what will happen.

You will be disappointed.

The "secrets" behind many magic tricks, even some of those that seem like miracles, are often so mundane that one cannot help but feel disappointed upon their discovery. Now for another prediction: your next thought will be,

"This is ridiculous. This wouldn't fool anyone."

At this point, if you're like most people, you'll put the trick away and consider your $20 investment a bust. But if you're honest with yourself (and few people are), you will have another thought that can transform the way you look at life. No joke. That thought goes something like this:

"Wait a minute. It must not be that ridiculous if it fooled ME."

And with this one thought you will have risen to a level of intellectual honesty and understanding that few people ever experience; you will have discovered that the most magical things in life—on and off the stage—are often the result of the correct application of the most basic principles imaginable.

This is perhaps nowhere more true than in the field of persuasion. I realize this is heresy for me to say, as persuasion is clearly a complicated field. And judging from the amount of new material coming out every day, it's only going to get more so. Without a doubt it has never been easier for us to get "lost down the rabbit hole" only to be spit back out more confused and broke than when we started.

What is necessary is a fundamental understanding of human nature, for persuasion—even the most extreme examples of persuasion, such as suicide cults and mass movements—are often based on the most basic of human desires.

Just as magicians can perform miracles using mundane principles, powerful persuaders shape the world in much the same way.

The sentence

I have found the best way to do this is to encapsulate them in a single sentence. Not a sentence that one delivers, but a sentence that one remembers—a sentence that can help guide your efforts from beginning to end in virtually every situation imaginable.

This sentence could easily be condensed or expanded and after reading this report I encourage you to try to do this for yourself. In fact, the best way to make these ideas your own is to modify them to suit your understanding and experiences.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Let's look at this sentence - this "one-sentence persuasion course"—and see what makes it tick. Here it is:

People will do anything for those who encourage
their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks
at their enemies.

Read that again:

People will do anything for those who encourage
their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks
at their enemies.

That, in a single sentence, contains 5 of the most important insights of studying and applying the principles of persuasion:

— encourage their dreams

— justify their failures

— allay their fears

— confirm their suspicions

— help them throw rocks at their enemies

Now, these are not the most important because they are comprehensive—they aren't. They're not the most important because they've been scientifically proven—they haven't. And they're not the most important because they're based on the latest "persuasion technology"—they're not. They are the most important because they are simple, they are immediately useful, and they can be almost frighteningly powerful.

The explanation

If you don't believe me, try to find a truly successful ad campaign that does not use one or more of these five insights. Really, try to find one.

Then, when you give up on that, try finding a deep, satisfying relationship that isn't built upon one or more of them. Just try to find people who have a "remarkable chemistry" yet fail to encourage each other's dreams.

Or who demand that the other is to blame. Or who fail to address each other's concerns. Or treat each other as paranoid. Or leave each other to fight their own battles.

While I'm sure you could find an example if you searched hard enough, I am also certain that for every one you find, I can find a hundred to counter it. The bottom line is, whenever and wherever people form powerful bonds, these insights are more often than not, lurking in the shadows.

Think back to our trip to the magic shop and how quick we were to dismiss the "secret" behind our little trick. And yet, magicians aren't so quick to dismiss. Instead, they take theses simple secrets that "wouldn't fool anybody" and build upon them to create illusions that baffle the most brilliant among us.

It is much the same with powerful persuasion. Its effects can be so sudden, so dramatic, so life-altering that we remain convinced there has to be something deeper, something more complex, going on. More often than not, there isn't.

But by overlooking the power of these basic principles, we do more than guarantee ourselves failure and frustration: we leave those with whom we wish to connect vulnerable to others who may fill these needs we so casually dismiss.

Consider:

On encouraging their dreams...

Parents often discourage their children's dreams "for their own good" and attempt to steer them toward more "reasonable" goals. And children often accept this as normal until others come along who believe in them and encourage their dreams. When this happens, who do you think has more power? Parents or strangers?

On justifying their failures...

While millions cheer Dr. Phil as he tells people to accept responsibility for their mistakes, millions more are looking for someone to take the responsibility off their shoulders. To tell them that they are not responsible for their lot in life.

And while accepting responsibility is essential for gaining control of one's own life, assuring others they are not responsible is essential for gaining influence over theirs. One need look no further than politics to see this powerful game played at its best.

On allaying their fears...

When we are afraid, it is almost impossible to concentrate on anything else. And while everyone knows this, what do we do when someone else is afraid and we need to get their attention? That's right. We tell them not to be afraid and expect that to do the trick.

Does it work? Hardly. And yet we don't seem to notice. We go on as if we'd solved the problem and the person before us fades further away.

But there are those who do realize this and pay special attention to our fears. They do not tell us not to be afraid. They work with us until our fear subsides. They present evidence. They offer support. They tell us stories. But they do not tell us how to feel and expect us to feel that way. When you are afraid, which type of person do you prefer to be with?

On confirming their suspicions...

One of our favorite things to say is "I knew it." There is just nothing quite like having our suspicions confirmed. When another person confirms something that we suspect, we not only feel a surge of superiority, we feel attracted to the one who helped make that surge come about.

Cults often confirm the suspicions of prospective members by telling them that their families are out to sabotage them. It is a simple thing to confirm the suspicions of those who are desperate to believe them.

And finally, on helping them throw rocks at their enemies...

Nothing bonds like having a common enemy. I realize how ugly this sounds and yet it is true just the same. Those who understand this can utilize this. Those who don't understand it, or worse, understand but refuse to address it, are throwing away one of the most effective ways of connecting with others.

No matter what you may think of this, rest assured that people have enemies. All people.

It has been said that everyone you meet is engaged in a great struggle. The thing they are struggling with is their enemy. Whether it is another individual, a group, an illness, a setback, a rival philosophy or religion, or what have you, when one is engaged in a struggle, one is looking for others to join him—those who do become more than friends. They become partners.

What's missing?

There is something else worth noting about this sentence. It is missing something most people think is very important in the persuasion process. Read the sentence again and see if you can tell what it is:

People will do anything for those who encourage
their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks
at their enemies.

Any ideas? If so, you're one step ahead of the game.
Here's what's missing: YOU.

There isn't a word about your wants, your needs, your hopes or your concerns. There isn't a word about your offer or proposal. There isn't a word about what you think. It is all about the other person.

Again, this is heresy. People write books about how to frame your ideas, how to present yourself, how to "put your best foot forward." And yet, all that people really care about is themselves. Can you imagine how much energy you will free up if you stop focusing on yourself and put your attention on other people?

Can you even imagine how much more charismatic you will become when you come to be seen as the one who can fulfill some of their most basic emotional needs?

Think of it like this:

Imagine you are sitting down with someone you hope to influence. Your proposal makes sense. Your arguments are solid. The conversation is even pleasant. But the entire time you are looking off to the side of the person and focusing on the wall behind them. Now, how much of a connection do you think you are going to make with that person?

Remember, everything is perfect with the exception of your focus. Your message shines. Your confidence is solid. Your proposal is a no-brainer. And yet, none of this makes the slightest bit of difference when you are looking past the other person.

This is exactly what happens in a conversation when your focus is on your own goals.

Still not convinced? Then notice what else our sentence doesn't say. It does not say people will do anything for those who educate them, do what's best for them, or even treat them fairly. It does not say people will do anything for those who are eloquent, well-dressed and pleasant. Nor those who make the best case for their proposals, who are reasonable and come across as intelligent.

When we focus on the basic principles of human nature, we create relationships in which people naturally want to do things for us. This is the real secret to getting what we want.

Really. It is that simple. Or, I should say, it can be that simple.

Have you ever noticed that the harder you push, the more resistance you get? When you focus on what you want, people will resist. That's what people do. Politicians lie, the sun rises in the East, and people resist pressure.

But one thing people rarely resist is someone trying to meet their needs. And when one's needs have been met a bond is often forged and a natural desire to reciprocate has been created.

Notice I have never said you should ignore your wants. I simply said you should focus on the other person, not forget yourself. Or to be more specific, when you are with a person you want to influence, your primary focus should be on that person. Do not "look past" him or her by focusing on your intentions.

The time to focus on your own hopes, dreams, and desires is when you're alone. This is when you should get clear on what you hope to accomplish, on what you would like to occur, in any given encounter.

But once you get this state of clarity and find yourself face to face with another, place your attention where it can have the greatest impact. Place it on the other person.

Examples

As I said earlier, there is nothing particularly difficult to understand about these strategies, especially when it comes to one-on-one encounters. But how might they be used in other contexts, such as websites and advertising? And can they have the same impact they would in an interpersonal encounter?

The answer to the first question is, easily. The answer to the second is, absolutely. For example:

Example 1 - Depression, Weight loss and Landscaping

One of the most common of our 5 insights is “justifying the failure of others,” or “scapegoating.”

A couple of television commercials that are currently airing in the United States…brilliantly and ethically employ the concept of scapegoating and they do so at the very beginning of their scripts.

The first commercial, for an antidepressant medication, starts out with something like, "Feeling depressed lately? It may be the result of a chemical imbalance in your brain."

The second commercial, one for a weight loss product, starts out like this, "If you've tried to lose that extra weight and have failed, it may not be your fault. It may be your metabolism."

Can you see their use of the scapegoat principle? If you're depressed, it may not be your fault. It might simply be a biological factor beyond your control. And if you're overweight and have failed to slim down, it might not be your fault, but simply a problem with your metabolism!

What makes the use of scapegoating in these situations ethical is that they are absolutely true statements. Depression can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. And obesity can be caused by metabolism.

What makes the use of scapegoating brilliant in these cases is that it is used immediately in their pitches and instantly offers the viewer something of value—a scapegoat for their problems. From here, the viewer is much more open to the rest of their message.

A landscaper once told me that when he first meets potential clients they are often embarrassed by the condition of their property. When he senses this, he immediately points out how many of the problems with their property are due to such things as drought conditions, bad soil conditions and the like. In other words, the condition of their property doesn't say anything negative about the potential client. It isn't their fault!

He told me that the number of people he secured as clients increased significantly once he realized that people often not only want their property to look nicer, but don't want to accept responsibility for it looking poor in the first place.

Example 2: This special report

If I've held your attention thus far, there's a good reason: I have used the "one sentence" strategy in writing this report. If you'll go back and re-read it, you will find places I've used our 5 insights sprinkled throughout. However, the best example is the second half of the opening section itself titled "One Sentence Persuasion?"

I closed that section using each of our five insights to not only demonstrate the effectiveness of these ideas, but also to give you a sense of how powerful and transparent they can be.

The first paragraph reads:

"Given the pace of today's world, it has never been easier to be powerfully persuasive. Never. It doesn't require good looks, a silver tongue or infallible logic. It doesn't require confidence, charisma or a magnetic personality. It is a simple matter when one cuts through all the smoke. Cutting through the smoke is the hard part."

The next paragraph reads:

"In fact, if you have yet to develop your persuasive powers to the level you want, it likely has nothing to do with you. Given the shell game of strategies and misinformation available, it is a wonder we're still able to understand each other, much less persuade each other."

And the final paragraph reads:

"If this barrage of techno-jargon has left you more confused than empowered, take a deep breath and relax. We're about to take aim at this confusion, blow away the smoke and make things as simple as possible. In fact, we'll nail it down to a single sentence. Just 27 words. And with these words we can work miracles.

“But first, we must clear away some smoke."

Here, I complete the task by allaying their fears (i.e. "take a deep breath and relax") and helping them throw rocks at their enemies (i.e. "We're about to take aim.") And notice my use of the term "we." I said, "We're about to take aim" not "I'm about to take aim." I then said, "We must clear away some smoke," not "I must clear away some smoke." This helps assure readers that I'm on their side.

These examples illustrate how widespread and applicable these insights really are. While most people like to think they are too wise to fall for such tactics, this very thinking makes them just that much more susceptible.

Now what?

Nietzsche reportedly said that the message of most books could be reduced to a single paragraph without losing anything of value. I have tried to create an entire "persuasion course" in a single sentence.

People will do anything for those who encourage
their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks
at their enemies.

So my goal was to simplify a process that is often needlessly complex. It was to clear away cumbersome techniques and strategies that often serve to separate more than persuade. And ultimately, it was to provide a core concept you can use to build relationships that are not only powerful, but profitable.

Whether you find this notion distasteful or not, there is one thing you can count on: your family, friends, customers, clients and even everyone you have yet to meet will have these needs met by someone.

The only question is, will it be by you?

Blair Warren is a television producer, writer, marketing consultant, and voracious student of human nature. He is the creator of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion E-Class, and author of The No-Nonsense Guide to Enlightenment. To read more of Blair's material, visit his website.