Lifestyle

How to influence people online

By: Dale Arasa - @inquirerdotnet

Inquirer Los Angeles / 09:51 AM December 29, 2021

You might be wondering why I added the word “online” for that phrase? You’re still talking to another human being, so does the internet make it any different? It truly does since you’re not speaking with a person that isn’t in front of you. It’s important to learn how to influence people online.

Your laptop may show a live video feed of the person, but your mind knows that you’re just in front of a screen. What’s more, video conferences and live chat leave out many details you usually notice in a conversation, such as body language. The principles of influencing people still hold, but you will have to apply them in a new way.

I will be applying Dale Carnegie’s principles throughout this article, but I will do so in a manner that fits our current times. First, I will talk about what it truly means to influence another person and the qualities you will need to pull it off. Then, I will discuss how you can influence people on video conferences and live chats.

What does it mean to influence people?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “how to influence people”? Is it making people do what you want? If so, does coercion and intimidation count?

Believe it or not, the military knows that this isn’t always the case. In 2013, retired US General James Mattis emphasized the importance of “smart power” for ensuring national defense.

Otherwise known as “soft power,” this involves non-violent means of making people act in a certain way. General Mattis expressed his concern in the following statement:

“If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition… The more that we put into… diplomacy, the less we have to put into a military budget.”

General Mattis knew that influencing people should not always involve force. Instead, he proposed proper communication or diplomacy, which was the right way to influence people.

On a lighter note, online influencers do this in various ways. Most of them could change the way people see a brand. That’s why influencer marketing is much more popular nowadays.

Some of them make much larger moves, such as Jimmy Donaldson, known as Mr. Beast on YouTube. He recently launched Team Seas to help clean the ocean.

What do I need to influence people?

We now know that speaking is the better way of influencing people, but how can you do it in a normal setting? First, you will have to possess these four characteristics:

You must be intentional in whatever you’re doing. People should see that your actions have a purpose, and all your words have a reason. For example, this shows when you collaborate with others to bring their best in a certain situation.
What’s more, you must connect with others by being a good listener. This involves making a person feel important by showing that you’re genuinely interested in their point of view. Resist the urge always to win an argument to talk in terms of the other person.
You must always be aware that things won’t always go as you intended. One of the greatest tests of this is the coronavirus pandemic. The good leaders knew that they would have to shun old ways and adopt new ones to maintain their businesses. Keeping up with the previous principles, they first discussed the strategies with their teams.
You must be willing to learn new things to grow more every day. As I said, you must realize that there will always be new ways of dealing with people. You’re already doing a great job by reading this article!

How to influence people on video calls

The way to influence people is to inspire a feeling of importance in others. Also, you must consider how another person feels, and you should always be interested in other people.

Still, you will have to use these methods in a different way when you’re talking to people on the internet. Remember that a person isn’t just a live feed on a screen.

Otherwise, you’ll forget to maintain certain behaviors during a video call. You can avoid this by following these six methods:

Choose a platform that works to your strengths. For example, you might want to use Prezi in your next presentation if you’re an artsy type of person. Make sure your online tools help you communicate in your specific way.
Share a bit about yourself when speaking with other people. This helps them understand what you’re all about, so you will have an easier time influencing these folks. For example, if you read my other articles, you’ll know that I like cryptocurrencies.
Break your old notions about the world. The coronavirus pandemic shows us that you will have to adapt to them to continue thriving in life. That global event showed us that many office jobs could be done at home. You could persist in that old mindset or accept that this is the new way the world is going.
Know the truths that you hold dear. For example, I know that personal finance maintains life even before the pandemic, so many of my works share tips related to it.
What’s more, you will have to know how to tell your story through the content you make. Again, you’ll see this pattern in my other works.
You will have to develop digital self-awareness. You will have to be aware of how you seem to other people online. This is why I advise people to dress up for online job interviews. Wearing the proper attire shows your employer you’re serious about the position.

How to influence people in live chat

If speaking via video call is far from a normal conversation, then talking via live chat is even farther! After all, you will only see words and a few emojis but no speech.

As I said, you will still have to follow the principles I talked about in the first section. However, you will have to adopt the following methods on top of those:

Make sure you still send messages as if you’re still talking to a real person. Your words should be the other side of a regular conversation. What’s more, make sure you don’t say anything you wouldn’t when you’re in front of someone.
As much as possible, follow proper grammar and spelling. Sometimes, this could be hard when using a language aside from English. Still, following these rules will help you avoid misunderstandings.
Keep on making the other person on the line feel important. See the conversation from their point of view, and don’t try to win over them as you’re arguing.

What is a Virtual Influencer?

What is the Octi Social Media Platform?

Final thoughts

Those were my tips on how to influence people online. They still follow the old methods, but they work in new ways. This is important as live chat and video calls aren’t the same as face-to-face conversations.

Note that you will have to keep learning even after reading this article. Keeping in line with my words, there is always something to learn. The world is always changing, so you should be.

You might want to read the rest of the Inquirer USA articles first since you’re already here. You’ll learn more about the latest worldwide trends that are shaping the new normal.