The Structure of Persuasion
by guest author Dr. Tom Sant
According to an old song, "It ain't what you say, it's the way that you say it."
 When it comes to persuasion, that song is exactly right. There is a way to communicate your message that will create maximum impact on the audience. I'm not talking about fancy words or pretty pictures, either. I'm talking about a structural pattern that will get the customer's head nodding a lot quicker.
This is important for most of us, because it's very difficult to close large deals unless you write a successful proposal. Even on small deals, the client may ask us to "put it in writing," and we owe it to ourselves (and to the buyer) to do that as clearly and persuasively as possible. If we simply give them a price quote or a bunch of boilerplate, we may actually make it more difficult to win the business.
If we understand our audience, we can choose words and details that are relevant and easy_to comprehend. And we'll avoid focusing on things the audience doesn't care about. And if we understand our purpose -- persuasion -- we'll deliver the message in a way that produces results.
 Interestingly, many people struggle with the whole concept of persuasion. Sometimes they confuse it with being manipulative or coercive. Those approaches don't work and have nothing to do with being persuasive. Effective persuasion is a straightforward process of showing that what you have to offer will solve a major problem for the client and deliver significant value in the process.
The structural pattern for persuasion, which I call the Persuasive Paradigm but which my clients usually call the NOSE pattern (for Need, Outcomes, Solution, and Evidence), is the foundation for delivering a winning message.
A survey of several hundred of the major corporations around the world with whom I have worked found that implementing the NOSE pattern improved win ratios by an average of 27%. In some cases, clients have more than doubled their win ratio simply by changing the way they structure their message. It works because it corresponds to the way people think when they are making a buying decision.
NEED:
Win the customer's attention by describing the specific need or problem that he or she has. For example:
 Is the vice president of finance trying to do double duty as the head of HR?
Does the company lack the kind of clear documentation of policies that company needs to provide effective guidance to employees and to limit liability?
Are they struggling to penetrate a new market?
Or have they found that customers are not coming back for additional products or services?
The more specific you can be about the problem or need, the more convincing you will be as a potential partner who can deliver meaningful value.
OUTCOMES:
Spell out clearly the outcomes the decision maker seeks. What positive results will come from meeting the need or solving the problem? What are the possible consequences of inaction? The focus on results is critical because people make up their minds to take action based on the relative impact or rate of return your solution offers compared with other courses of action. People will choose to pursue the path that yields the highest rate of return, so we need to spell out exactly what the outcomes are in a clear value proposition.
 Most business owners and senior managers are looking for results in terms of business_performance (increased profitability, reduced cost of operations, greater market share), improved technical_performance (automating or outsourcing something that is labor intensive, focusing on the core business, assuring compliance with regulatory standards), or enhanced social relationships (improved employee morale, stronger image in the community, reduced turnover).
The best outcomes are quantifiable and are linked to your differentiators.
SOLUTION:
 Recommend specifically what you think the decision maker and his or her organization should do.
Link your recommendation back to the client's needs and desired outcomes. This is the only way to make your services look like solutions.
EVIDENCE:
Discuss technical details, cost details, management plans, schedules, risks, logistics, training, documentation, delivery schedules, future implications, conformance to specifications and requirements, whatever. Always link the details of your solution to the client's needs and constantly return to the key persuasive point -- how the solution components will contribute to maximum return.
 Following these four steps will lead to effective --
and honest -- persuasion in letters, proposals, and
presentations.
The rest of the work involved in delivering a winning proposal is also very important. You need to demonstrate that you understand the client's business. You must offer a clear, compelling value proposition. And you need to write it all in language that is clear and easy_to understand.
But more than anything else, if you implement the NOSE pattern in your proposals, you will see an improvement in the bottom line. And isn't that why we're writing them in the first place?
Copyright 2009 Tom Sant
Dr. Tom Sant spoke at the STC meeting in San Luis Obispo in January. He is the author of Persuasive Business Proposals, The Giants of Sales, and The Language of Success. His clients include Microsoft, Accenture, ADP, Dell, Booz Allen, HSBC, AT&T, and hundreds of other companies. He can be reached at tsant@hydeparkpartnerscal.com or visit www.hydeparkpartnerscal.com.
Use this link to download a copy of Tom's complete presentation (2MB, PDF).
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