Page 206 - ConvinceThemFlip

convince them in 90 seconds or less
“Why did you go to the store?”
“Where is the store?”
“How did you get to the store?”
Every one of these questions requires the other person
to go into their memory and play back their experience.
The more sensory, rich, or imaginative the explanation,
the more interesting the person appears and the better
the conversation (and the connection) will be. And by
asking the question and then drawing sensory detail out
of the person you’re talking with, you, like Disraeli, can
make your companion feel like the cleverest person in
the world.
In reality, you can’t just come out like a customs offi-
cer and ask one blunt question after another. You must
use a softer approach. You’ll recall that when I was con-
necting with strangers in the streets, I softened my initial
EXERCISE
Questions Only
Have a conversation with a friend using only questions; in
other words, you must answer a question with a question.
This is a terrific way to hone your conversation skills.
On another day, whenever you are asked a question,
answer it with a question. If you blow it, don’t worry; no
one will know.
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