And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.”
Luke 7:22
In Persuade, I discuss how a SalesMaker can “connect on credible ground” as a way of building rapport with others.
We’ve all seen TV reporters who go onsite to report on an epic event taking place. But why do news organizations bear the expense of sending someone in person when we have the technology to avoid it? Because there is no substitute for sharing—up close and personal—what you have seen and heard. Firsthand testimony carries a credibility that is hard to argue with.
Your Testimony Carries Authority. An eyewitness account is personal, powerful, and communicates a persuasive story. Articulating what you’ve been through, what you’ve experienced, and the conclusions you’ve come to that led you to do what you’ve done and feel the way you do influences people to do the same. A leader’s ability to tell a story that includes a personal testimony goes a long way in gathering people to them.
What stories from your life have impacted you? Consider developing a “story inventory” you can use to connect with others. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- If an experience impacted you, it will impact others.
- Talking about how the turning points in your life changed you will change others.
- Being vulnerable and willing to share your struggles, not just successes, will connect you to others quickly.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- What is the testimony behind that of your product, your company, or your vision?
- What personal experience can you share with people that persuades them to feel what you feel?
- When have you experienced a time when it was your “conviction” that convinced another?
Witnessing is telling them what you’ve seen and heard and how it changed you—nothing more, nothing less.
