14 Secrets of Persuasive People, & More Sales Articles You Might've Missed This Week

To acheive any kind of success as a salesperson, you have to have the ability to persuade. But there's a fine line between being persuasive and being pushy. Cross the line and watch your pipeline evaporate after you scare prospects away one by one. 

Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 , explored just where that pushy/persuasive divide lies this week in his post "14 Secrets of Really Persuasive People." For instance, while persuasive people are concise and ask questions, they also know when to back off. 

To Bradberry, the power of persuasion is expressed through many different behaviors, but is rooted in one specific trait.

"Persuasive people have an uncanny ability to get you leaning toward their way of thinking. Their secret weapon is likeability," he writes. "They get you to like more than their ideas; they get you to like them." Jerks need not apply.

After perusing Bradberry's 14 secrets of persuasion, check out the five articles below in case they didn't turn up in your feed this week. 

1) How Do I Know If My Social Media Activity Is "Working"? by Greg Meyer

Get a thoughtful answer to this million dollar question.

2) 15 Ideas for Selling with LinkedIn by Mike Schultz

Kick off your LinkedIn selling efforts with this two-week plan.

3) The Powerful Question You Should Ask Yourself During Every Sales Conversation by Jeff Shore

Hint: It's not about closing. 

4) This Manager Found a Top Salesperson Using This Email Simulation by Keith Rosen

Rosen instructs sales managers on how to "avoid hiring salespeople with the writing acumen of a five-year-old." His words, not mine. 

5) 50 Ways to Score More Sales by Lori Richardson

Some big, some small, all useful.  

What were your favorite sales posts from this week? Share in the comments.