- Be Bulletproof! Paul was a seasoned evangelist, having persuaded people in The Way for years. He knew there would always be some who would accept his message while others would reject it. He knew he would have a failure rate; nonetheless, he never ceased to continue to persuade people wherever he went. Paul wasn’t dissuaded by the nos. He always turned a rejection into a redirection for the Gospel by moving from one prospect to the next, one assignment to another, and finishing the task at hand. Paul embraced the Lord’s next instruction and stayed focused on the long-term mission, not the temporary setbacks or failures.
- Persuade with Evidence! As a Persuader, your tools of per- suasion will not be unlike the tools the Apostle Paul used. All persuasive arguments must have a foundation in the truth if they are to be convincing. Using facts, figures, reason, and storytelling must all find their way into your toolbox. When persuading, consider the “Feature-Benefit” approach as a way of making your presentation relevant and well received by your audience.
PERSUADE WITH FEATURE-BENEFIT POSITIONING
Answer “WII-FM,” or they will tune you out! One of the ways in which you can successfully make an argument is to create relevancy with each statement you make. For example, each selling feature you share should be followed by how the other person would personally benefit. In your imagination, pretend that someone just gave you a key selling point, and as you heard it, you thought to yourself, “So what?” Often, what is meaningful for the presenter is meaningless to the receiver. For this reason, practicing the “so what” exercise will keep your presentation on track and your audience engaged.
Next time you want to share something with someone, say to yourself, “So what?” and then add a second statement on the back end of your selling statement that communicates what the major benefit to the other person is. This will help the other person answer WII-FM for themselves, which stands for “What’s in it for me?” The best way to get and keep someone’s attention is to speak to their interest in a way that is relevant to them.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- What do you have in common with how Paul positioned himself and his message?
- What tactics can you employ from the Bible to become a skilled person of persuasion?
- What is the most important lesson you learned from how the Apostle Paul persuaded others?
Evangelism is sales—the Apostle Paul was the chief sales officer for the Gospel.
