Six stats on the importance of trust in influencer marketing Paul Smith (Author) – Lead with a story and Sell with a story Leadwithastory.com Storytelling has come of age in the business world. Today, many of the most successful…
Blog Archives
Episode 179 – New Trust Research and Interview with Michele Plunkett
Six stats on the importance of trust in influencer marketing “Only 22% of brands are trusted.” (Havas Media) That’s a frightening metric for any marketer. Without establishing trust between your brand and your audience, it’s nearly impossible to market…
Episode 178 – How Proxemics Creates Resistance
Proxemics: The Science of Space The anthropologist Edward T. Hall created the science of proxemics, which studies how people use, react to, configure, and occupy the space around them. We all want our own space, and we feel uncomfortable…
Episode 177 – Evan Carmichael Interview & The Secret to Creating a Business and Life That Matter
The Law of Obligation and Marketing We often see this method at work when companies give out complimentary calendars, business pens, T-shirts, or mugs. This specialty advertising is an $18.5 billion dollar industry. It not only creates obligation, but keeps…
Episode 176 -Create Interest and Intrigue With Your VBC
How You Can Tell If You’re Really Connecting I’ve talked about common rapport-building obstacles and how you can know for sure that you’re not connecting. But how do you know that you are connecting, especially when your audience is not…
Episode 175 – The Energy of Influence
Another way to enhance your ability to motivate yourself and others is to make sure all things are balanced in your life. Great persuaders lead a balanced life and keep everything in perspective. I call this delicate balance “life alignment.”…
Episode 174 – Getting Past The Gatekeeper
The Law of Obligation, also known as pre-giving or reciprocity, states that when others do something for us, we feel a strong need, or urge, to return the favor. Returning the favor rids us of the obligation created by the…
Podcast 173 – How Aroma Can Help/Hurt Influence
Being an extrovert, having the gift of gab, or being able to make small talk with anyone you meet can definitely be used to your advantage, but watch yourself. How can you persuade if you are always talking? It will…
Podcast 172 – 4 Power Skills of Persuasion
Being an extrovert, having the gift of gab, or being able to make small talk with anyone you meet can definitely be used to your advantage, but watch yourself. How can you persuade if you are always talking? It will…
Podcast 171 – Networking with Stephanie Burroughs
Today I interviewed Dr. Stephanie Burroughs. She is the author of Dating Your Business Prospect. She looks at networking in a whole new light. She calls it 360 networking. She explains how to use social media and expanding you social…
Podcast 170 – Eye Contact: Deception or Influence?
The New Year is here and your influence skills are more critical than ever. You have heard enough about goals – so let’s focus on those persuasion tools. Does your eye contact help you influence or does it trigger deception…
Episode 169 – Dealing With the Angry Prospect
Anger is a secondary emotion. A prospect’s anger is usually an indicator that something else is askew and that he needs or wants attention. When we are angry – we want attention or action now. You can assist in diminishing…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: anger, heuristic cues, intuition, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, mood, steve olson
Episode 168 – What Puts the Brakes on Success
Willingness to confront your fears is critical to mental programming. Great persuaders have mastered their fears. You will be tempted to leave your fears buried, but they will invariably come back to haunt you. It is much better to deal…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: fears, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, mental programming, public speaking, steve olson
Episode 167 – Interview with Matt Powell on Brain Wiring
On Episode 167 of Maximize Your Influence, Kurt and Steve interview Matt Powell. Matt asks an important question other personal growth planning books never ask: what if you are choosing the wrong goals? Having taught thousands of students and selling…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Brain Wiring, failures, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, Matt Powell, maximum influence, personal growth, steve olson
Episode 166 – Double Your Referrals With Donald Kelly
If you’ve been in sales or business for long, you know that a “referred” lead is 10 times better than most cold calls. On this episode, Kurt and Steve interview Donald Kelly, the Sales Evangelist about how you can double…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: cold calls, Donald Kelly, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, referral generation, Sales Evangelist, steve olson
Episode 165 – NLP and Influence
Well, it’s finally over. The 2016 presidential election is in the books. Wow. Just wow! Kurt and Steve discuss the election and some of the tactics used by both sides that ultimately led to the victory by Donald Trump. If…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Eckhart Tolle, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, nlp, self-hypnosis, steve olson, subconscious
Episode 164 – Ego and Persuasion
Kurt and Steve start this episode by discussing how we can achieve effective presence as a persuader. Kurt also laments the end of boating season. They then continue their discussion about dealing with difficult people…specifically delving into low self-esteem. One…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: confidence, ego, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, praise, self esteem, steve olson
Episode 163 – Invisible Influence with Jonah Berger
On this episode, Kurt and Steve interview Jonah Berger. Jonah is a Marketing Professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a world-renowned expert on word of mouth, social influence, consumer behavior, and how products, ideas, and…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: consumer behavior, hbr, Jonah Berger, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion iq, steve olson, University of Pennsylvania
Episode 162 – Dealing With Difficult People
On this episode, Kurt and Steve read some listener mail from an business owner who finds himself dealing with a lot of calls from prospects just wanting quotes. They discuss how the power of We all have them in our…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Difficult People, kurt mortensen, Law of Connectivity, maximum influence, persuasion iq, steve olson
Episode 161 – The Science of No
On this episode, Kurt and Steve read some listener mail from an business owner who finds himself dealing with a lot of calls from prospects just wanting quotes. They discuss how the power of “no” can draw prospects into a…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Elizabeth Loftus, kurt mortensen, leading questions, maximum influence, persuasion iq, steve olson
Episode 160 – Why Small Talk Stinks
On this episode, Kurt and Steve interview Rob Kendall, of www.conversationexpert.com. Rob has devoted his life to understanding how humans converse with one another and what makes them go wrong…and right. Rob its the author of BlameStorming and WorkStorming. If…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: BlameStorming, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion iq, Rob Kendall, steve olson, WorkStorming
Episode 159 – Mindless Eating with Brian Wansink
The food industry is now more successful than it has ever been. Food is cheap and readily accessible, and many of us are eating A LOT of it. On this episode, Brian Wansink of the of the Food and Brand…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: behavioral science, Brian Wansink, Cornell University, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, Mindless Eating, persuasion iq, Slim by Design, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #14 – Science of Will Power
Persuasion Tool #14 – Science of Will Power I want to give you a critical mindset tool under self-persuasion. Nothing else matters until you’ve mastered this. If you can’t influence yourself, it’s very difficult to influence other people. A big…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: coahing, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mentor, personal development, personal mastery, persuasion tool
Episode 158 – Hijack A Negotiation Using Emotions
After last week’s interview with Chris Voss, Kurt and Steve dive deeper into negotiations and how emotions can hijack them. This has a negative connotation with most…but why not be the hijacker here? Emotions can be a powerful tool in…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: chris voss, emotion, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, leadership, maximum influence, negotiation, never split the difference, persuasion iq, steve olson
Episode 157 – Negotiation Tips from an former FBI Hostage Negotiator
On this episode, Kurt and Steve discuss the recent bad publicity for Samsung and their Galaxy Note that apparently catches on fire. Whether it’s true or not, when the FAA warns travelers about your product it can’t be a good…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: chris voss, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, negotiation, never split the difference, steve olson
Episode 156 – Solve Objections in Advance
Did you know that money can buy happiness? A recent study published in “Psychology Today” shows just that. Kurt and Steve discuss the ins and outs of this study and how money certainly can buy happiness…up to a point. Continuing…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: influence, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, leadership, maximum influence, motivation, negotiation, objections, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 155 – 3 Quick Keys to Rapport
It is human nature to mirror and match, or to “synchronize” with, the people we connect with.28 We don’t even think about it. It happens so quickly and so subconsciously that without a replay, one is unlikely to even notice…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: influence, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, leadership, maximum influence, motivation, persuasion, rapport, steve olson
Episode 154 – 3 More Keys to Persuasive Presentations
If all my talents and powers were to be taken from me by some inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the power of speaking, for through…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: cognitive dissonance, dissonance, influence, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 153 – 3 Presentation Killers
What can you do in the first thirty seconds of your encounter to capture your audience’s attention? Can you prove to them that you are worth listening to? Think about this: Every time you communicate with someone, they are paying…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: how to use powerpoint, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, maximum influence, powerpoint, presentation blunders, speaking mistakes, steve olson
Episode 152 – Is Frame of Mind Costing You Sales?
After discussing a few recent business trips, and of course, the food they ate on those trips, Kurt and Steve discuss a classic blunder: overuse of fear. Fear is a useful tactic when persuading others. It is very short term,…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: emotional intelligence, emotional resilience, kim ades, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mindset, motivation, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 151 – Debra Fine on the Science of Small Talk
You can use conversational skills as a tool with which to build new connections, while avoiding awkward pauses and uncomfortable conversations. After all, making a good first impression is all about making others feel good when spending time with each…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: conversational skills, debra fine, first impression, influence, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion, small talk, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #13 – Key to Guaranteed Success
Persuasion Tool #13 – Key to Guaranteed Success Remember, I’ve said it before. If you can’t influence yourself, you’re not going to be able to influence other people. I want to ask you – what do you really want? What…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: coahing, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mentor, personal development, personal mastery, persuasion tool
Episode 150 – Quit Helping Your Competitors
Have you ever felt like you put in a bunch of work only to pave the way for your competitor? Many persuaders inadvertently do this only to find out too late that they lost the deal. The key to avoiding…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: close rates, Dan Mcade, demographics, guilt, influence, kurt mortensen, lead generation, maximum influence, negotiation, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 149 – Profitable Lead Generation with Dan McDade
What is your message? What do you have to share that will make a difference in people’s lives? What is your main objective, the key thing you hope to accomplish? You’ve got to understand the big picture. Then, with the…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: close rates, Dan Mcade, demographics, guilt, influence, kurt mortensen, lead generation, maximum influence, negotiation, persuasion, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #12 –Success Shortcut
Persuasion Tool #12 –Success Shortcut There were these two neighbors that live near each other in the mountains. They were very competitive; they were always testing each other’s strength and having contests. One day they needed a bigger challenge so…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: coahing, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mentor, personal development, personal mastery, persuasion tool
Persuasion Tool #11 – Self-Persuasion
Persuasion Tool #11 – Self-Persuasion Let’s talk about mindset or what I call “self-persuasion.” If you can’t persuade yourself, you are not going to be very good at persuading other people. With that said, understand that one of the biggest…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: fear, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion tool, self persuasion, self talk
Persuasion Tool #10 – Mirror and Matching
Persuasion Tool #10 – Mirror and Matching Let’s finish up the 4R’s resistance. We’ve talked about creating a compelling reason, managing risk, putting resources into perspective and now the final R is representative or you. Could it be caused by…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: john grinder, kurt mortensen, mirror and match, nlp, persuasion iq, persuasion tool, richard bandler
Episode 148 – Are You Winning the Negotiation Game
When Steve asked Kurt how he was doing before the show started, he did not expect that Kurt would tell him that he just got done dealing with a bear in his backyard. Well, he didn’t deal with it…animal control…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: amiable, assertive, dirty tricks, influence, kurt mortensen, make first offer, maximum influence, negotiation, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 147 – Mind Reading with Carl Christman
On episode 147, Kurt and Steve interview Carl Christman. Carl is a teacher, mentalist, and author of the best-selling book How to Read Minds and Influence People. The conversation goes from mind reading into deception and how persuaders can use…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Carl Christman, how to read minds and influence people, influence, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mentalist, mind reading, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 146 – Charismatic Power
With this episode coming out on the 4th of July, Kurt and Steve spent the day doing what they do best: taking out the boat and eating BBQ! So back by popular demand is their episode on charismatic power!
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: Charisma, influence, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 144 – Deflect 3 Hardball Negotiation Tactics
You know we love talking about “Negotiation’s Dirty Deeds.” A recent article by the Harvard Business Review gave some great pointers on deflecting some of the more common negotiation tactics. One of the best ways to insure a smooth transaction…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: influence, kurt mortensen, law of expectations, maximum influence, persuasion, steve olson
Episode 143 – Influence Without Authority
Co-workers can be jerks, that’s for sure. But did you know they’re more likely to be jerks on a particular day of the week? Kurt and Steve discuss this and how it can impact your ability to persuade and influence.…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: authority, influence, kurt mortensen, maximium influence, power, resistance, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #9 – Door In The Face – Perception of Value
Persuasion Tool #9 – Door In The Face (Perception of Value) I know you’ve met people that need your product, want your product, like your product, and can afford your product, but you still get resistance. Let’s continue with the…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: DITF, door in the face, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, objections, perception of value, persuasion tool, sales, too expensive
Episode 142 – Are Colors Killing Your Presentation
If you have a tough negotiation coming up where your opponent will play the empathy card, we have good news. Acetaminophen can dull your sense of empathy! So next time you need to negotiate, pop some Tylenol and turn yourself…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: acetaminophen, colors, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, mood, persuasion, steve olson, sunny
Persuasion Tool #8 – Risk Reversal
Persuasion Tool #8 – Risk Reversal Let’s continue learning a few tools that will help you deal with resistance. Why do people say “NO”? Why do you get resistance when it is a perfect match? We talked about one of…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: 3m, guarantee, kurt mortensen, law of involvement, persuasion iq, persuasion tool, post it notes, risk reversal
Episode 141 – Interview With The Sales Whisperer
On this episode of Maximize Your Influence, Kurt and Steve interview Wes Schaeffer of “The Sales Whisperer.” Some highlights: There are ways to start implementing empathy in your daily contacts and conversations. It does take some practice and evaluation. After…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: empathy, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion, sales whisperer, steve olson, wes schaeffer
Episode 140 – How Food Persuades – And Why You Should Care
Did you know that if you think about what you ate earlier in the day, you’re proven to snack less? Kurt and Steve discuss a recent article by Psychology Today that studies this phenomenon. Size of packaging, color, position…all of…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: food, good samaritan study, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion, Princeton University, rushed, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #7 – Psychological Reactance
Persuasion Tool #7 – Psychological Reactance When you look at the world of influence, there’s always going to be resistance. Why do people say “no”? Why don’t they understand what you’re saying? Why isn’t everybody buying from you? Why doesn’t everybody…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion tool, psychological reactance, scarcity, urgency, wiifm
Episode 139 – Thoughts Trump Reality
Kurt and Steve begin this episode by discussing how in anything we do, we default down to the level of our training. Whether it’s a sport, self-defense, language, or persuasion…the mind and body default to what their trained to do…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: kurt mortensen, maximum influence, millionaire, persuasion, positive mental attitude, steve olson, success
Episode 138 – The Last Missing Piece to Trust
Steve is back from the annual fly fishing trip in Montana and gives a scattered and incomprehensible account of it. Kurt gets things back on track by doing what he hates most, hitting the “Urkel” button for this week’s Geeky…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: congruence, deception, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, placebo, steve olson, success, trust
Episode 137 – 2 Ways to Enhance Credibility
Why are some people easier to trust than others? Why do some people just seem to trust others effortlessly (sometimes to a fault)? An article from Psychology Today explores this. How do you overcome this lack of credibility? Here are…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: 5c's of trust, credibility, expertise, influence, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, preparation, steve olson, testimonials, trust
Episode 136 – Are You Perceived as an Expert?
One of the key ways to keep your competency on track is to be a lifetime learner. We consider others to be competent when we see them continually learning and advancing their training and education. I can remember going to…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: 5c's of trust, Competence, credibility, influence, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, steve olson, trust
Episode 135 – How Ego Destroys Influence
After briefly mentioning it on last week’s episode, Kurt and Steve quickly learned that most have a lot of “feelings about” the urban phenomena, RBF (otherwise known as Resting Bitch Face). So they dived in a little more and wouldn’t…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: door to door sales, ego, esteem, influence, ingratiation, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, praise, rbf, self esteem, steve olson
Episode 134 – Signs of Deception
You know that face some people make when they’re just sitting there not doing anything, but they look really mad? Kurt has discovered a very scientific term for that. Check out the show to find out. For today’s “geeky article”,…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: influence, kurt mortensen, leadership, persuasion, resistance, smiles, steve olson
Persuasion Tool #5 – Instant Rapport
Persuasion Tool #5 – Instant Rapport Let me ask you this question. Do you know that annoying person that rubs you the wrong way? You know that person that nobody really likes? You know that person that thinks they’re funny,…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: compliments, gifts, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, obligation, persuasion tool, pregiving, reciprocity
Episode 133 – The Illusion of Resistance
We’re about to find out how important Steve is (not very?) as he takes this episode off for Spring Break! Kurt flies solo on Episode 133 and starts off by introducing an article by Psychology Today. When you’re a leader,…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: influence, kurt mortensen, leadership, persuasion, resistance, smiles, steve olson
Episode 132 – Perfect Persuasion Template
Steve feels very strongly about butchers who don’t trim spare ribs correctly. He leaves no doubt on this topic as the show get started. Luckily Kurt turns things around and reminds him that this is a show about persuasion, not…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: dr galinsky, enclothed cognition, featurevsbenefit, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, steve olson, university of persuasion, white coat, wiifm
Persuasion Tool #4 – Zeigarnik Effect
Persuasion Tool #4 – Zeigarnik Effect This tool is something you can use in sales, negotiation and persuasive presentations. It’s called the Zeigarnik effect. This is the tendency in humans to remember uncompleted thoughts, ideas or tasks more than…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: kurt mortensen, maximum influence, persuasion tool, suspense, uncompleted tasks, unfinished, voicemail, zeigarnik effect
Persuasion Tool #3 – Self-Persuasion
If you can’t persuade yourself, you’re not very good at persuading other people. Understand the universe will not reward you physically until you believe it mentally. Persuasion Tool #3 – Self-Persuasion Let’s talk about mindset, which is basically self-persuasion or…
Posted in Persuasion Tools Tagged with: follow heart, kurt mortensen, maximum influence, millionaires, mindset, persuasion iq, persuasion tool, self persuasion, subconscious
Episode 131 – Shut up and close
Apparently Kurt and Steve both have pretty bad allergies right now. They spend a good chunk of the beginning of the show talking about it. After this they decide that they should be more thankful. Coincidentally they cover an article…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: call to action, closing, demeanor, happiness, harvard medical school, kurt mortensen, persuasioniq, relationships, sleep, steve olson, stress during close, university of persuasion, when to shutup
Episode 130 – Price…a non-issue
This week’s article is sure to offend some listeners. If you’re a short man or an overweight woman, the British Medical Journal has bad news for you. Hey were just the messenger! Check out their recent study linking height, body…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: adjust value, british medical journal, DITF, door in the face, height, kurt mortensen, law of contrast, maximum influence, perception of value, persuasion, price objections, steve olson, too expensive objection, weight
Episode 129 – How Empowerment Increases Influence
After some banter about Steve’s trip to Cabo San Lucas, offending more people, and talking about food, Kurt and Steve discuss a recent article by Psych Central. You know those random “aha” thoughts you get? It turns out they’re usually…
Posted in Podcasts Tagged with: aha, Donald Trump, ego, empowerment, inner voice, intuition, kurt mortensen, Laws of charisma, marco rubio, motivation, ronald reagan, self esteem, steve olson