Jim Morrison Was Right: People Are Strange

Jim Morrison, late singer for the iconic Sixties rock band The Doors, wrote a song with that line and that title for the group’s 1967 album, Strange Days. Why are people strange? Because we’re all different, that’s why. In some cases, we’re very different.

The people you’re attempting to persuade — your targets — all possess personality, gender and generational differences. Your persuasion success is built on understanding and tapping into these diverse differences and preferences. Such differences impact how you behave, what sort of case you make, the language you use and the references you choose.

Here are six persuasion points to consider:

1. People either have a tendency to ask or tell, to respond or not. On which personality plane is your target operating?
2. Every generation has a different frame of reference. For Millennials, a “45” has always been a gun and never a record, and Elton John was never a rock star.
3. Men and women operate differently. Acting as if they don’t is just silly.
4. When responding to a particular situation, act like a chameleon and be ready for whatever comes your way.
5. Technology changes quickly, but people don’t.
6. Ask yourself, “If others knew what I was trying to do, would they let me?” If you can respond with a “yes,” that means you’re headed in the right direction.