Strategies to Make Requests and Convince a Third Party
When you are looking for an investor for your project expenses, want to raise a request to top managers, and even in your personal life, the way you make the request is not less important than the request itself.
This article discusses the techniques that help you make your request correctly. Although you can apply many of these rules to your personal life, this article focuses more on job demand.
Be clear and be polite at the same time.
Be clear when you ask for help or share your request with someone else. Do not talk in the envelope and make too many introductions. This is especially important when requests are made in writing. The investor, the senior engineer, and the person to whom you are going to outsource your project do not have time to decipher your words. The important thing here is to be polite when clarifying.
Maintain your positive self-esteem
Use phrases that reflect your positiveself-esteem. See the following example:
- I know your time is full. But please heed my request. I really need your help.
- Thank you for accepting my appointment request. I have an idea that is worth your time. If you agree, you can talk about it.
In the first example, it seems you are asking someone to do you a favor by stopping his/her work and taking care of your’s, but in the second one, while showing respect, you maintain your self-esteem.
Remember, persuasion is different from deception.
In deceiving others, one forces people to do things that they are not interested in or do not benefit them. But convincing is the art of persuading people to do something that helps both them and you.
Making a request should be for persuasion, not deception.
Make mental images when make your request
What we see is more vital than what we hear. Maybe that’s why pharmaceutical companies show their drugs’ side effects on pictures of people enjoying the Hawaiian sunset! So be creative in creating mental images and stimulating people’s imaginations about the future you can make for them with your attractive idea.
Show respect
If you want to meet someone to make your request, let them know in advance the purpose of the meeting. Consider the other person’s time and limitations. Verbal respect is also critical. For example, you could start by saying, “As you are so good at this field, your help is invaluable to me.”
Respect has a tremendously positive effect on all of us and makes us feel good. We tend to trust someone who makes us feel good. Try to respect people honestly and praise things you are usually indifferent to. This is the simplest thing you can do to convince others to think about what you want at no cost.
Avoid one-sided demands when make a request
In business relationships, the positive response to others’ requests should be beneficial. Of course, I do not mean a simple request from your manager or colleague, but things like attracting an investor or a technical co-founder. Logically, no one will invest without a guaranteed profit. Explain to the investor how this partnership benefits him.
Appropriate time and bases to request
One of the principles of persuasion is to act at the right time and provide the necessary grounds. It is not wise to make big requests before a long holiday like Christmas. Your request fades during the holidays or may even be wholly forgotten. It also makes no sense to apply for a loan when your company is in financial trouble.
So try to understand the right time and circumstances to make your requests.
Accept the negative responses
There is always the possibility of a negative answer.
Do not be surprised or upset if a person or company rejects your request. Keep in mind that many opportunities are still in front of you. In this case, thank the investors for their time. It is also useful to state you understand why they cannot comply with your request.
Adjust expectations
Adjust your expectations when you make a request. You should not expect a positive response if what you want is not commensurate with what you pay. For example, for a small software idea that is not a priority, a significant capital request means a rejection answer.
On the other hand, adjust the expectations of the third party. A CEO who promises a 20 percent increase in sales is rewarded with a 30 percent. In comparison, a CEO who promises a 40 percent increase in sales will be reprimanded with a 30. The same, if you promise your technical investor a lot of profit, it may be challenging for him to continue working with you for less earning. But if you guarantee less, he will probably get pleased with the same profit.
In other words, make a request should be related to understanding and fulfilling the expectations of others.
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