There is a great deal of difference between the art of presentation and persuasion. When I first got into sales, I became a pretty good presenter, so why are they not buying? As my late mother used to say, self-praise is no recommendation, so I quickly learned that I had to add an additional skill. I always knew I was a good presenter, but needed to become a great at persuasion if I was going succeed in sales. And I think you can only consider yourself a good persuader if the results start to follow, for example, when people start to act after your presentation. And to become good at persuasion, you have to become a good storyteller.
Get back to basics
c/o Harvard Business Review
This well-known Ancient Greek tale "The North Wind and the Sun” is my favourite Aesop’s fable.
“Long ago, the Wind and the Sun quarrelled over who was stronger. Upon seeing a traveller coming down the road, the Sun said: “Now we can end our dispute. Whomever of us can make that traveller take off his cloak shall be regarded as the victor. You begin.”
The Sun retired behind a cloud while the Wind blew, blustered, and raged upon the travelling man. But the harsher he blew, the tighter the man wrapped his coat. At last, exhausted, the Wind gave up in despair.
The Sun came out and shone in all her glory upon the traveller. Soon the man tipped his face up to the warmth. He removed his coat and basked in the Sun’s rays.”
There are many interpretations as to the meaning of the fable, I think Aesop’s fable basically says that if you want a man to take off his coat, you don’t blow it off. You make him feel warm, and he’ll take it off on his own. A metaphor is often used in framing a dispute or situation and you can use this fable as a metaphor for negotiation technique.