Have you ever tried to convince someone using facts, logic, and reason…

…but they still weren’t convinced?

You’re staring at the spreadsheet thinking,

“Why don’t they get it? It’s all right here.”

You’re not alone.

This happens all the time in sales.

Why?

Because our beliefs aren’t built on spreadsheets.

They’re stories we’ve been telling ourselves for years.

Try to change someone’s story, and what do they do?

They dig in deeper.

Facts, logic and reason rarely change minds.

Because when your intent is to convince, what people hear is:

“I’m right, and you’re wrong.”

That’s when their brain enters what I call the Zone of Resistance.

So what do you do instead?

1. Make people feel understood.

If a prospect says,

“I need time to think about it,”

don’t reply with:

“You don’t need time, you need more information. And I’m your source.”

Try something like:

“Sounds like the numbers might feel a little tough to justify right now.”

That’s not agreement.

It’s recognition. And recognition lowers resistance.

2. Let them come up with the idea.

Instead of saying,

“SpotHero is the only app that lets you reserve a spot ahead of time,”

Try:

“Have you looked into apps that let you reserve parking in advance?”

“What do you think of them?”

Now it’s their idea. Not yours.

And people trust their own ideas more.
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​3. Use a story, not a stat.

Instead of saying,

“10,000 people saved time using SpotHero,”

Say:

“You just tell the valet you paid on SpotHero, they hand you the ticket, and when you leave, they scan your QR code and you’re on your way. No circling the block.”

Stories stick. Stats don’t.

Turns out:

The best way to persuade is to let people persuade themselves.