Who is Jeff Tippett?
Known to many as Mr. Persuasion, Jeff Tippett wrote the book on persuasive communications. Speaking to international audiences through keynotes and seminars, Jeff helps attendees increase their effectiveness, gives them powerful tools to reach their goals, and empowers attendees to positively impact and grow their organizations or businesses. His second book, an Amazon #1 international best seller, is titled: Unleashing Your Superpower: Why Persuasive Communication Is The Only Force You Will Ever Need. His bold statement is that we all live or die based on our ability to persuade. In 2014, Jeff founded Targeted Persuasion, an award-winning public affairs + communications firm. He has worked with renowned brands like Airbnb, The National Restaurant Association, The League of Women Voters, The League of Conservation Voters, plus others. Other industry experts have validated Jeff’s work with numerous awards including the prestigious The American Advertising Award. The heart and soul of Jeff’s presentations are the emotional story he tells of adopting his youngest daughter from Haiti while the country’s government was collapsing. Through this near death experience of navigating civil unrest and institutional bureaucracy in a third world nation, Jeff learned valuable lessons on how to persuade others without ever manipulating. Jeff unpacks these secrets of the superpower of persuasion in every presentation. Jeffs Story “Life was perfect. Or so I thought”. Jeff Tippett built a successful career and made his mark as a person who could get things done. Jeff was satisfied and happy with his success in life up to this point. Jeff believed that no obstacle was too large to limit him. Jeff was confident he could accomplish more in a single day than many could in an entire week. Jeff had a beautiful family (boy and girl). While his family seemed complete, his father had showed him a photo of a six-month-old Haitian girl who was in need of a new home. The little girls face showed him and unknown place of emptiness in his own life. Jeff felt a call to adopt this child in need of a loving home. Jeff had some barriers to overcome in a successful international adoption. Other than language barriers and the whole, international adoption thing- the Hatian government was collapsing at the time. Rioting was rampant and people in Haiti were dying. Jeff was experiencing for the first time true adversity and challenges when all his life he was used to success. For the first time Jeff began to question whether or not he could really make this happen. Jeff began to have serious doubts that the way he found success in the past would be enough to conquer the huge challenge he faced. After an email from Jeff’s attorney in Haiti, his suspicions of his internal struggles were confirmed that due to civil unrest, all government agencies were ceasing operations with no plans to reopen. Jeff was told that his efforts to adopt this child was now indefinitely on hold. Jeff was feeling that his world collapsed. Jeff knew that if this adoption were to become a reality, he had to change his mindset. Jeff’s normal way to negotiate and win was not going to work and he needed to create a new strategy. Even more pressing was this child he was attempting to adopt was sick and with each passing day was becoming more ill. Jeff knew that if he was to bring this child to the US to be with him and his family, he needed to persuade the crumbling Haitian government to allow this adoption to happen. However, with the government officially shut down, there was no one to speak with. Jeff decided to take matters a step further and fly direct to Haiti. Each day Jeff would walk to the office for the signature that would set the adoption back on track. Yet no one ever showed up. Persistence pays off as eventually a government employee did in fact show up to the adoption office. Jeff’s usual attempt at persuasion failed. His typical manner of persuasion would be more considered strong arming. Jeff informed the government official what he wanted but failed to realize that people only do things if it benefits them. Through trial and error Jeff began to understand what it would take to persuade this and every other government official needed to complete this adoption. After six and a half months of this daily grind, Jeff made it back to the United States with his newly adopted baby. As Jeff stood in the terminal of the Miami International Airport pausing to just take in the moment he realized that finding this success came not from his ability to manipulate others and force things to happen. Instead this success came through a new understanding of what persuasive communication is all about. Jeff had an epiphany and understood the “superpower” of persuasion. Jeff looked at his new daughter and was amazed how this newfound transformation that took him from forcing things to happen to open persuasive communication began with only a photo. Is Your Team Ready for Success in 2019? 2018 is long gone and many organizations ask what they can do to make 2019 even more successful than its preceding year. Consider this:
Jeff discusses:
As a result of these three improvements, you will notice an increase in productivity, morale and ultimately profits (success) for your organization. Remove Jargon We often communicate with our own language leaving out those who are not in the know. Perhaps this way of communication makes us feel smarter or more accepted in a particular circle. An instance this often occurs is how physicians use the Latin and Greek medical terminology with explanations of diagnosis and treatments to individuals who have never attended medical school. In doing so, individuals often feel left out. There's a fine line in using your own jargon and communicating well with others. If someone is isolated outside of your message or feels inadequate, you have lost them for good. Do your best not to alienate others with unnecessary jargon. Keep it simple! Here’s an example of what can go wrong when you use an unnecessary acronym: "While writing copy, you use an obscure, undefined acronym. Your user Googles it to learn its meaning. Another person, vying for your user’s attention, serves up an interesting ad on that page. Your user clicks that ad, which is actually an action-packed video. While watching the video, a text message pops in. It’s an invite to dinner. Think your user cares about your message now? Probably not. Now the question is, “What’s for dinner?” Bottom line: Open up barriers with effective and simple communication as opposed to putting up barriers that shut it down. If it is necessary to introduce some more focused wording, put it into context instead. Less is More Focus on only what is necessary. Leave out the rest. Stick to a straight line persuasion. Stick to the topic and the point. Trust Without trust, you have no merit or grounds to persuade anyone on anything. Most think of trust as something that is earned. Well trained sales people can fool others for a moment. This is not a sustainable formula. People will find out the scam and trust is not only lost with that individual but also that company. The individual who feels taken advantage of will assuredly let the world know and what seemed like a good deal is now lost forever as well as the potential for further business down the road. Who are you as a person? Can you trust yourself? Why should others trust in you? Do you realize that no amount of smooth talking will garner trust but trust is a product of character? Most will be hesitant to trust you at first. Even if a relationship appears decent on the surface at first, true trust will take time. We have to understand our motivations and determine what drives us. Is our primary focus on ourselves and what we want in life or do we place a priority and importance on others? This simple yet often overlooked mindset can make drastic changes in how people perceive us and ultimately our ability to persuade them. Self examination can be a phenomenal thing. However, we often look for justifications of weaknesses by asking others. Be wary about asking friends as they do not like to disappoint and you may not get the most up front answer of who you are. It's important to know who you are and how others see you to correct any deficiencies along the way. 1. Be consistent Your audience, customers, associates, etc., all need to time to get to know who you are. One good outing is nice. Ten good outings is real. These encounters can occur face to face, via social media, over the phone and so forth. In person is often best. But the more an individual sees you, hears you and knows you, the more confident then are with you. With each encounter, consistency is key. You must be the same person each and every time or the idea of trust will be broken. As far as social media is concerned; you are your brand. How you represent your brand is important. This determines now who you are and it too much be consistent. 2. Deliver as promised Have you had someone promise to deliver something to you on time but fail to deliver? This could be an order from Amazon, paperwork, being on time to an event or helping you move, etc. We often strive to please others to such a degree we commit to things that we know we cannot deliver on. Therefore this is not a true commitment. At the moment of promise, there is a mutual feeling of comfort as someone else needs or wants will be met. That feeling will be fleeting however if and when you do not deliver on what you said. Overpromising will most likely disappoint and also set back your request for trust from that individual. Jack Welch talks about underpromising and over delivering. Manage expectations and explain your rationale on why this delivery is not possible at that time. If you can frame why your decision is why it is in a manner that explains why it is best for your audience, they will respect and even trust you more. 3. Be open and authentic Know your audience. Be genuine. Be as open and authentic as your audience will allow. This authenticity allows your audience to trust you to a higher degree and keep them from wondering what may be hanging in your closet. 4. Show confidence People see you in how you view yourself. Someone who lacks confidence is seen as someone without confidence. Overconfidence can also been seen and seen in a manner as being, "too cocky" or "overzealous". Neither manner is positive. It is imperative you establish your expertise. In framing this, you want to be humble yet show your previous successes in terms of how and why it matters in the present. How does this meet your audiences objectives. Often it is your audience who has a problem. You have the solution. How do you deliver this solution? As the expert in your field (with a solution), listen, and take notes. This will build a natural trust because you care. 5. Be truthful This sounds simple, right? But, according to liespotting.com, human beings are lied to as many as 200 times a day. In swearing-in ceremonies, you’ll likely hear this affirmation on something similar: “I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” Being totally honest means being transparent. This means telling the entire trust and not simply snippets. This requires consistency of the truth. Without it, your word means nothing. If you have questions for Jeff or would like to book Jeff Tippett as a speaker, you can contact him via his website JeffTippett.com As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Feel free to leave them below and I will personally get back to you. You can also DM us on our Instagram page @functionised |
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