The Formula for Success

Do you wish there was a formula for success? There is, and you can use it to sell yourself, your ideas or your products to anybody, anywhere, anytime. CareerBuilder shares three great tips for building your road to success…

1) Incorporate the word “you” into your vocabulary. Yale University did a study of the 12 most persuasive words in the English language. They discovered that the most persuasive word in the English language is “you.” When you use the word – as in “As I’m sure you know” or “I wanted to talk to you today” – people’s ears perk up and they’re more willing to listen and be open to what you’re asking. Why? Because people want to hear things about themselves! So, next time you’re at a networking event, try this: “I wanted to talk to you today because my skills can help you achieve your goals.”

2) The second step toward success: Use the magic word: “because.” Social psychologist Ellen Langer says that using the word “because” to explain the importance of your request makes people 94-percent more likely to comply. So the next time you’re in an interview, say something like: “This job would be perfect for me because of my strong computer skills.” Because even works on simple requests. In a study, when someone tried to cut to the front of the line at a grocery store – and said, “Do you mind if I go first? Because my lunch break is about to end.” People were more willing to let the person cut in. 

3) The last part of the formula for success? It’s the Duncan Hines Cake Mix Marketing Theory. When Duncan Hines began making cake mix, the marketing department brainstormed having home bakers add the egg, instead of including the egg in the mix. That’s because they’d feel they contributed and could say they “baked” it. So, make sure you let others participate in the “baking” process. For example, say you have a shipment running late. Go to your boss and say “I want to bring a situation to your attention. A shipment is running late but I’ve come up with two possible solutions. Which one do you prefer?” You’re giving them the opportunity to participate in the decision – or in other words, you’re allowing them to add an egg.