Influence Using Time (3 Min 7 Sec Read)

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Someone recently asked me why I always include the time it takes to read my blog articles as part of their title header. The answer I’m going to give you is probably one of the biggest secrets to powerful influence.

Whenever you make a proposal to someone you must always keep in mind just two things if you want them to accept your proposal.

Influence Through Opportunity and Risk

You’ve heard of the stock markets being run by two things? Fear and Greed. Well these two things are similar….but we will call them Opportunity and Risk.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say you are making cold calls to potential customers. Now we all know that the purpose of a first contact phone call is not to make a sale on that call. Rather the purpose is to generate a meeting through which a sale can be made.

When the person comes to this meeting they have already given you a ‘Yes’ by allowing the meeting so it makes it much easier for them to be open and comfortable to consider seriously whatever your proposal is. Your influence and impact will be ten times stronger.

The question is though, how on earth do you influence someone you’ve never met before to have a meeting with you??!! The answer is that people do things for one reason only. Emotion. In this case the emotions at play will be great excitement at an Opportunity or fear of Risk.

What will you put in the mind of the prospect on your first call to them? If the person on the other end of the line suspects that they will spend all day with you in a boardroom while you slowly show them every detail of a product that won’t really change their lives in any significant way then they are bound to say no to the meeting.

Create a No Brainer

Alternatively, you can convince them that by having only a 2 minute meeting with you, you can show them how they can quadruple their profits in a year. What you have now created is called a ‘no brainer’ offer. It’s a no brainer because you have Maximised the Opportunity (x2 Profits) while Minimising the Risks (just 2 minutes of their life).

Time is more important than money. You can get more money but you can never get back your time. That is why it is so important to respect other people’s time and bring them as much value as possible within the time that you are privileged to receive from them.

And…. that is why I include the time within my blog headline. Apart from respecting the time of my readers I also want to make sure that there is maximum chance that they will go ahead, read, gain value and take action on the content of the blog.

Since the risk is clear and specified, subscribers read and benefit much more often. They have even written telling me how they were in a rush but because the time was stated in the headline they took a moment to read the blog and are so pleased that they did. I feel so happy when I hear people have gained when they very nearly missed out on a life changing gem.

Take Action

Take a moment now to think of someone in your life that you need to ask time of but you are not sure they will be prepared to give it. How can you respect their time more and how can you express the proposition in a way which lets them know that their time will be valued?

Comment Now

What key point are you taking from this article? Comment below and you will help others gain clarity.

Don’t Leave Without Doing This

*** I hope you enjoyed this post. If you would like to receive many more to your inbox each month go ahead and download my book The Winning Mode for FREE at www.davidcitron.co/winning. It’s now been read in over 43 countries around the globe

If you are already subscribed I’m so happy to have you on board. Please go ahead and pay the value you are receiving forward. Share the link www.davidcitron.co/winning with one more person who could do with the book and articles for their personal life or business. Thank you ***

4 Comments

  • Geoffrey Morris

    Reply Reply October 24, 2018

    Everything made sense, apart from people who like to manage their time by browsing on the go through their smartphone are then frustrated by the fact they can’t see the full article anyway, so turning those same time conscious people away.

    • David Citron

      Reply Reply October 24, 2018

      Thanks Geoffrey! Great point and I want to make sure I fully understand. Are you saying that those people have so little time that they won’t want to click through when they see e.g. 3 Min 7 Secs in the title? If so, I definitely hear that concern. My experience in tests with and without this in the headings is that more mobile users click through when given a specific short time in advance of reading. These users may also be coming back to it later when really stuck for time as they know that they risk so little. Thank you for bringing up this point for everyone to chew over – as when we are conflicted with an idea it usually stops us taking action.

  • http://Time.com/

    Reply Reply January 21, 2020

    I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!

    • David Citron

      Reply Reply January 22, 2020

      Many thanks Christi!

Leave A Response To David Citron Cancel reply

* Denotes Required Field