persuasion If you use only the same tactics that you learned years ago, you'll lose sales. Have you ever had a potential customer that you knew needed your product or service? They wanted your product or service, they could afford it, but they still didn't buy from you? What happened? It was a perfect fit for both parties. As a master of persuasion and influence, you will understand your prospects' mindset, their decisionmaking process, and how to close the sale so both of you win. I have never met anyone who knows all the laws of Power Persuasion. What we have found through research is that most people actually use only two or three persuasive techniques. Even the most successful salespeople typically use only seven or eight persuasive tools. This is like playing "Chopsticks" when you could be equipped to play Mozart. Many top producers stop learning when they start making a comfortable living. If you follow the steps I outline in the following chapters, you will be equipped with countless techniques, strategies, insights, and tools to manage any situation. You will find yourself starting to wield Maximum Influence. Pay the price to become a professional in your field. Don't settle for mediocrity; become the best you can be at what you do. Who is the best in basketball? Michael Jordan. He knew he could not become the best without daily practice of fundamental skills along with the addition of new skills. He also knew he could not excel without a team, and especially not without a coach. True excellence comes from knowledge, continuing education, and consistent practice. To help you as you learn the techniques and strategies of Maximum Influence, let me outline what I call the "Five P's of Success." The first "P" is psyche. That's the mental aspect of the game. It's a critical skill for all successful salespeople, but it works equally well in all fields. You will not be able to achieve your goals until you believe you can achieve your goals. All the best techniques and tools will not help you until you first believe in yourself. Unfortunately, most of the people we know tend to bring us down. When you tell them about your dreams and the things you want to accomplish in life, they can be very discouraging. Do you know people like that? When you have the right psyche, you know where you're going and what you want to accomplish, and anything that people say is not going to matter. The right psyche involves knowing what you want and having a plan to get it. When your psyche is in its proper place, you will always follow your heart. The second "P" is persistence. Persistence is the number one reason why people are successful in life. It's also the driving force that determines why certain people are wealthy. Their success is not due to financial backing or education. They owe their achievements to persistence. There's an old sales adage: "Some will; some won't. So what? Who's next?" It's a numbers game. Most sales are closed after the fifth attempt. persuasion