No.1 A Good Fit
This persuasive phrase can charm anyone, because the applications are almost endless. A product can be a good fit for someone’s lifestyle, a job applicant could be a good fit for a company, a friend could be a good fit for you. But why is this phrase such a persuasive force? How does this phrase help you sway someone’s opinion? Just think about what it means to call something a good fit, a good fit isn’t just a great product, it’s more than just well-made, sturdy and affordable, it’s a product that suits your individual wants and needs. Just imagine you’re a salesman and you tell your customer that your product is a good fit. What do you really saying? You’re saying that your product is made specifically for their lifestyle. Instead of selling a generally good product, you’re selling a product that’s personalized. That’s individual. Anytime, you personalize your product, it becomes more persuasive. But why is that? Well, because the customer recognizes the specific value of your product, you bring their attention to the holes in their life. So, if you’re selling a car for example, you may say the safety features are a good fit for their lifestyle. You may open their eyes to things they didn’t know they needed. But now that you’ve told them they can’t live without those features. The problems become a priority in their minds, and you’re offering them and immediate solution. This persuasive phrase does more than just sell merchandise, just like an object can be a good fit for your lifestyle, a person can be a good fit for your work, success or future needs. Interviewers like to ask this question on job interviews. They’ll say, “So, what makes you a good fit for this company?” They don’t want a list of your strengths, any applicant could tell them that they’re a quick learner or a hard worker. They want to know specifically how your strengths relate to their company, they want you to sell yourself to them. So, no matter what you’re selling, use this phrase to make your points more persuasive, tell people why you or your product is a good fit for them in particular, make connections between your strengths and their needs. And when you get specific in personal, you can persuade people almost instantly.
persuasive adj.有说服力的，能使人信服的
sway v.摇摆，摇晃，摆动；影响（某人）
sturdy adj.结实的，坚固的
affordable adj.便宜的，付得起的
merchandise n.商品，货品
in particular 特别地、个别地或具体地
persuade 说服
No.2 Quick And Easy
Here’s the simple truth – people are lazy, especially when they’re spending money. If they’re paying money for something, the last thing they want to do is work. All right, let’s say you’re buying a chair, you see two chairs that you like – one is black, and one is brown. The black chair is less expensive but you have to put it together. The brown chair is pricey but there’s no setup required. So, which chair are you more likely to purchase? Most people will spend extra money to avoid doing work. In fact, any amount of work can ruin a sale. So, use that laziness to your advantage, people want to avoid work. So, include phrases like quick and easy or no setup required, these phrases tell people they can use their product right away, no frustrating instructions, no missing pieces, no extra steps. If you take work out of the equation, then your product becomes much more appealing. Outside of sales, these phrases can still make a huge impact. Let’s say you want someone to help you with a project. If you make the project sound long and arduous, they’re going to say no, but what if you emphasize how little work is required? When any reward is quick and easy, people are much more likely to say yes.
pricey adj.高价的，过分昂贵的
ruin v.毁坏，破坏
frustrating adj.令人懊恼的，令人沮丧的
appealing adj.吸引人的，有感染力的
arduous adj.艰辛的，困难的
emphasize v.强调，着重；重读
No.3 Tested And Proven
So, how do you know when someone is lying? Anyone can make up anything, they make claim they’re a reliable source, they may talk like they know their stuff. But how do you know if they’re telling the truth? Most people rely on research and evidence to differentiate fact from fiction. They’re more likely to believe someone if they have research in their corner. So, if you want to be more persuasive, you need science on your side. This phrase satisfies our need for evidence and research. Phrases like tested and proven or research driven give your ideas a scientific backbone, and that makes them more believable. People are more likely to listen when they know you’ve done your research, because they don’t want to do any research themselves. They don’t want to read this study or examine the data. They don’t want to come through a jungle of theories and statistics. People want to hear what the evidence means without interacting with the evidence itself. So, if you want to be more persuasive, be the middleman, include studies and surveys in your argument, find evidence to create a more compelling point, not only do you become more persuasive, you also validate your own credibility. Moving forward, people are more likely to believe you because they know your opinion is tested and proven.
make up
组成，构成：将不同的部分组合在一起形成整体。
弥补，弥合：补偿或弥补某种缺陷或遗漏。
化妆，打扮：为了角色或特定场合而进行外貌的准备。
编造，虚构：创造或编写一个故事或情节。
和解，言归于好：结束争吵或冲突，恢复友好关系。
claim v.声称，断言
fiction n.小说；虚构的事
satisfy v.满足
backbone 支柱
examine v.检查，调查；考核，测验；（医生）诊察；（尤指在法庭上）审问，查问
come through
传达，传递：指信息或声音成功地被传达或传递。
做到，完成：指按照需要或期望做到或完成某事。
No.4 Unbelievable
People aren’t looking for something that’s good, they aren’t even looking for something that’s great. They want something that surpasses their expectations, something that surprises them, something they’d have to see to believe. The word unbelievable is what we call a blanket adjective. Blanket adjectives sound interesting, no matter what you’re talking about. A toaster can be unbelievable, a job applicant can be unbelievable, a price or a sale can be unbelievable. Blanket adjectives are so effective, because they lure the customer in. In other words, blanket adjectives develop a strong sense of interest, and interest is the most important element of persuasion. So, when you say something is unbelievable, your customer wonders what makes it unbelievable, that curiosity drives them to view your product, and once that happens, you have the upper hand. You may have heard some other blanket adjectives before, words like surprising, amazing and shocking. All of these words create the same impression, you have to see it to believe it. These words persuade people to get on board, to look in your direction, to give you a second of their time. When you want to persuade someone, getting their attention is half the battle. So, how do you incorporate these adjectives into your persuasive practices? You create mystery and intrigue when you’re selling something. You don’t give away all the details right off the bat, because mystery creates interest all on its own, it persuades people to listen to you, to buy from you, or to hire you, because they want to solve that mystery, they want to see what’s so unbelievable about you. So, don’t be afraid, let them wonder.
surpasses v.超过，胜过，优于；比（预期的或希望的）更好；超越自我；超出（理解范围）
blanket adjective 概括性的形容词
toaster n.烤面包炉
lure v.引诱，诱惑
persuasion n.说服，劝服；说服力
upper hand 优势、控制局面，上风
half the battle 成功的一半
incorporate v.包含，合并；组成公司；掺和，混合
intrigue n.密谋策划，阴谋；秘密的恋情，秘密关系；神秘力量，神秘气氛
give away 泄露；暴露
right off the bat 立刻，马上
wonder v.想知道，好奇，琢磨
No.5 Only One Left
So, how do you turn a regular item into a valuable item? It’s simple, reduce the quantity. People assume that rarity and value are proportional. If something is rare， it must be valuable. If something is valuable, then it must be rare. So, how do you create value and things that you say or sell? You add an element of rarity, you make your item exclusive. When something is rare and limited, people make two mistakes – they overestimate the value of the product itself, and they rush to make a decision. They don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to buy something exclusive. So, they’re more likely to be impulsive.
proportional 成正比
exclusive 独家的
impulsive 冲动
No.6 No Questions Asked
This is the tricycle of persuasive phrases. Why do some people like tricycles more than bicycles? Well, they’re scared of riding bikes because it’s risky. They’re afraid of falling over. So, they ride on three wheels to keep themselves safe, and that safety gives them confidence. This phrase creates the same sense of safety. You’re telling your customer that they can return in item with no questions asked. So, you’re minimizing the risk of that purchase, you’re giving them more confidence to go out on a limb. In other words, you’re creating safety, and that safety makes you more persuasive. But that’s not all, this phrase also shows that you have confidence in your product, your pitch, or your idea. Just think about it, if your product was terrible, wouldn’t everyone return it? By giving people the option to return their purchase, you’re making a bets. You’re betting that they won’t want or need to bring that item back. In simpler terms, you’re showing faith in the quality of your product, and that’s comforting to your customer.
falling over 摔倒
go out on a limb 冒险尝试
pitch n.推销用语
comforting adj.安慰的；令人欣慰的
No.7 Get It Today
No one likes to wait. In general, people are very impatient. We are so impatient that a small wait can change your minds completely. All right, let’s say you want to buy a new couch, you find one that you love, you get ready to buy it. But the salesman says your favorite couches out of stock. You’ll have to wait six weeks to get it. Suddenly, your mind changes. You start to question your decision. In the end, you lose interest in the first couch, and you pick out something else. Why? because it’s available today. You can have it right now. Immediacy is one of your most powerful persuasive tools. To get someone on your side. Don’t just tell them what they will gain, emphasize how soon those rewards will fall into their lap. People settle for less when they get it sooner. People want that instant gratification. In other words, they want it when they want it. But that works better for you too, because the longer someone waits, the more likely it is that they’ll change their mind. If you let people think about their choices, they may get cold feet. So, use phrases like get it now or take it home today be more persuasive by giving people an instant payoff.
couch n.长沙发，长榻
out of stock 缺货，售罄
emphasize v.强调，着重；重读
fall into their lap 落入他们的怀抱
settle v.解决，结束（争端等）；确定，决定；定居，安家；殖民，移居于；安置，安顿；（使）平静，（使）安定；降落，停留；（使）沉降，下陷；付清，结算；处理，分配（财产）；笼罩，稳定下来；把......放好，安放；（无可奈何地）接受（或答应）
gratification n.满足，令人喜悦的事物
get cold feet 临阵退缩
payoff n.报酬；结果
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