There are lots of reasons why you may want to persuade someone to do something. Perhaps you are trying to make a sale for your business, or maybe you want your teenagers to pick up their rooms more often.

Either way, knowing how to persuade others is a powerful tool that can help you get more of what you want and less of what you don’t want in life. Learning how to become more persuasive in your speech can increase your personal and professional success in many ways. Here’s how.

Start by Taking a Strong Standpersuasive

When you show confidence in your knowledge and skills, others will assume you know what you are talking about. When they trust your expertise, they are more likely to do what you want. When a speaker is assertive in her opinion or view, people are more likely to be persuaded, so take a bold stance. Say what is going to work or what needs to happen and stand by your statements. Be enthusiastic, and others will follow suit.

Watch Your Speaking Rate

When people disagree with you, talking faster gives them less time to formulate responses or counterarguments. The idea of the fast-talking salesman exists for a reason. If your audience is likely to need some convincing, then talking faster is the better approach.

Even if they are neutral on your topic, talking quickly will keep their attention better than slower speeches. However, if you are talking to someone or a group of people who already agree with you, slow down. This will give them time to consider more about why you are correct and how you agree with them.

Follow Their Lead

Some people like to make immediate decisions, and others require much more processing time. If you are trying to get someone to change their ways or adopt a novel approach, be sure you know which type of decision makers they are.

Presenting them with your ideas and then waiting for an immediate response may work for some, but many people, especially those in leadership positions, require more thinking time. Asking instead to share your ideas and meet again later to discuss their thoughts may be a better approach in some situations. Knowing your audience is really crucial, in this case.

Talk About Both Sides

When you are sharing a viewpoint, it is essential to know about and discuss opposing perspectives, as well. When you show you understand more than one side of an issue, people are much more likely to be persuaded. When you talk about opposing views, it gives you a chance to point out potential problems or negatives with those ideas. Acknowledging others’ misgivings or arguments helps them see they can trust you and you are willing to listen.

Watch Your Volume and Pace

When talking with others, mirror their volume. If they are talking softly, you should not be yelling. If their voice is louder, then you can raise your volume slightly to mirrors theirs. Just be careful, again, that you are not yelling, which can be very unpersuasive. If you are talking to someone who speaks slowly, then don’t talk too quickly, which can feel intimidating to them.

Pay Attention to Their Values

When talking with others, listen for words that come up often. These indicate things of importance to them and incorporating these words into your discussion can help persuade them. Showing that you have identified their values and want to help meet those will help to establish rapport, which makes persuasion a lot easier.

Learning to be persuasive takes time, but it doesn’t have to be hard. It is a matter of paying attention to what the other person needs or wants and showing them how you can meet that need. Once you start listening, you will find it is easier than you thought to persuade others.

Judi Moreo is the author of the award-winning book, “You Are More Than Enough: Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion, and Power.” She is a motivational speaker, self esteem strategist, and customer service trainer. She can be reached at (702) 283-4567 or judi@judimoreo.com.