Are your communication processes, the pathways through your business to the products and services, persuasion based or manipulation based?

Persuasion is a form of influence.

It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic means. It is a problem-solving strategy, and relies on "appeals" and “connections” rather than force.

Persuasion isn’t manipulation, which is the act of guiding another towards something that is not in their best interest by subverting their thought processes.

Knowing all of that means what?

What if your job as a business wasn’t to persuade your audience, listeners, clients, prospects to do what you want, but instead to make it easier for them to accomplish what they want?

How would that affect your business and its communication?

The first reaction is that persuasion allows them to do that.

Ah but is your persuasion really that or is it manipulation in disguise?

I’ve just got back to the office having been doing some shopping and I “called” a sales person for being manipulative. He said … “I was trying to persuade you” My response … “yes you were, by manipulating me and trying to guess my reactions so you could again direct me to what you want me to do”. Needless to say he didn’t get a sale.

As a refresher why not read this again

What if your job as a business wasn’t to persuade your audience, listeners, clients, prospects to do what you want, but instead to make it easier for them to accomplish what they want?

That is a really powerful question that takes any pressure off you, to try and second guess what people are going to do or to direct them towards something you want them to do that they don’t want to do.

It focuses your mind clearly on the “help not sell” process.

It focuses your mind toward your direction and focus and the true purpose of your being in business.