successful or unsuccessful.
When you’ve come up with the moment, write two fully developed paragraphs explaining it to your classmates. In the first paragraph, describe the moment of persuasion so that your instructor and peers can “see” it. In the second paragraph, explain why you felt like that moment of persuasion was either successful or unsuccessful. What strategies or techniques did you use to try to get the person to side with you?
Peer Response 1:
Claire Knaus — Posted
For a few years, I veered off my typical career path and decided to try waiting tables. As I gained confidence and skills, I began working at a higher-end casual restaurant, much like a nice steakhouse. Different from my previous experience, each server was given specific information needed to help upsell to our guests. When I offered an extra, and often pricey, food item to guests, instead of simply asking if they wanted it or not, I gave a full description of the food item, how it had been prepared, and even the origins of the recipe. Each server was tested on our extensive menu knowledge before each shift started, and we focused on description to increase sales.
I found that my method of persuading guests to order a food item by offering a vivid illustration of it worked well. Not only were guests more likely to order something I had described, but they were also impressed by the server’s knowledge. Instead of monotonously asking the redundant question, “Did you save room for dessert?” I offered them a delicious dessert I convinced them, quite genuinely, they wouldn’t find anywhere else. This method certainly helped me increase my sales as well as created a rapport with the guests, ensuring their return.
Peer Response2:
Colin Dowdy – Posted
I was recently up for a promotion at my job at the Geek Squad, as a position in the pay grade above me had opened up. I was one of only two people up for the job, and I knew who that person was, so I knew exactly what I was up against, and how I would need to argue that I deserved the promotion when I did my interview for the job. The other person had more industry experience than I did, and was also older than me, which were two things I had to contend with when talking to my manager. However, I knew I had more industry certifications and more experience in the job role we were both already in with the company. This came into play often when discussing why I would be a good fit, as my experience with the company made me a formidable candidate for the role. I’ve also been in something of a supervisory role to begin with, so I could also make the argument with my manager that I was already doing the work for the role I was applying for, and therefore deserved it.
We would not hear of his decision on the role until the end of the fiscal month. This indicated to both myself and the other candidate that we had to also show in metric performance that we were qualified for the role. I handily beat my coworker in sales performance, ending up with ranking fifth in our district for services sales in that month. Throughout the month, I was pointing out my lead to my manager and ensuring that he knew my case for the promotion. At the end of the month, I was offered the job by my manager, who made it clear to me that my arguments for me getting the promotion were effective and he agreed with them. I was slightly shocked to hear it, given that I had been passed over for such a promotion before, but I ultimately expected it. I had provided him strong reasons for my case, and I ensured that they were reasons that couldn’t be refuted by my coworker in his interview. I don’t think I would do anything different, except perhaps I would be a little less smug when I was told I had gotten the promotion… or perhaps not!
