Here’s a focused list of **communication and persuasion tips from Brian Tracy**, based on *The Psychology of Selling*, *Speak to Win*, *Goals!*, and his live trainings. Tracy’s style is structured, classic, and built around **clarity, confidence, and closing the gap between talk and action**. --- ### **1. Start With a Clear Outcome** Tracy teaches: *“Top communicators know exactly what they want before they speak.”* **Tip:** Before opening your mouth, define your goal: > “Do I want a decision, a yes, feedback, or clarity?” --- ### **2. Speak Slowly and Clearly** Fast talkers lose trust. Tracy recommends deliberate pacing. **Tip:** Slow down. Pause between ideas. Make every word land. --- ### **3. Ask More Than You Tell** He says top salespeople ask questions 80% of the time. **Tip:** > “What’s your biggest challenge right now?” > “What would solving this mean for you?” --- ### **4. Use the “Feel-Felt-Found” Method to Handle Objections** Classic Brian Tracy technique: **Tip:** > “I understand how you feel. Others felt the same way. But here’s what they found…” --- ### **5. Build Trust First. Pitch Later.** He says trust is earned in the first 30 seconds. **Tip:** Lead with credibility, not offers. Say: > “I specialize in helping businesses like yours reduce waste and grow faster.” --- ### **6. Focus on Benefits, Not Features** People don’t care what it does—they care what it *does for them*. **Tip:** > “This saves you 3 hours a week.” > “This helps you close deals faster.” Always answer: *“What’s in it for them?”* --- ### **7. Practice in Advance. Never Wing It.** Tracy believes all great communicators rehearse. **Tip:** Practice your pitch out loud. Script your opening and closing. Build muscle memory. --- ### **8. Mirror Their Language and Energy** Like many persuasion experts, Tracy promotes mirroring. **Tip:** Match tone, speed, and keywords. If they say “streamline,” you say “streamline”—not “optimize.” --- ### **9. Handle Objections With Questions, Not Defense** Defending yourself makes you look weak. **Tip:** Ask: > “That’s a good question—what’s most important to you about that concern?” Lead them back to clarity. --- ### **10. Break It Into Threes** He teaches to present everything in sets of 3 for clarity and recall. **Tip:** > “There are three reasons why this works...” The brain loves patterns of three. --- ### **11. Close With Confidence** Top closers don’t wait for permission. **Tip:** Say: > “Let’s go ahead and get this started.” > “Would Thursday or Friday work better?” --- ### **12. Eliminate Weak Language** Tracy avoids phrases like *“I think,” “maybe,” “just checking in.”* **Tip:** Replace with: > “I recommend…” > “Here’s the plan.” > “Let’s do this.” --- ### **13. Restate What You Heard to Build Clarity and Trust** People love to be heard—and it prevents miscommunication. **Tip:** > “So what I’m hearing is that X is your main concern. Did I get that right?” --- ### **14. Ask for Feedback Constantly** He says feedback sharpens all communication. **Tip:** Ask: > “Is this making sense so far?” > “Am I on the right track with what you need?” --- ### **15. Always End With an Action Step** Never walk away without a next step. **Tip:** > “So we’ll confirm the call by 3pm tomorrow. Sound good?” People need structure to move forward. --- ### **16. Use the Law of Substitution to Change Negative Thinking Before Speaking** Tracy teaches that **you can’t think two thoughts at once**. **Tip:** Before responding with frustration or fear, *replace* the negative thought. Say: > “What’s the most positive and productive thing I can say next?” --- ### **17. Focus on Results, Not Activity** He pushes for **result-oriented language**, not effort-talk. **Tip:** Don’t say: > “We’ve been working really hard.” Say: > “We’re already seeing a 15% boost in conversions.” --- ### **18. Repeat Key Messages Until They Stick** Tracy emphasizes reinforcement. People don’t “get it” the first time. **Tip:** Repeat your core message in different ways 3–5 times during the conversation. --- ### **19. Ask Permission Before Giving Advice** It builds rapport and reduces resistance. **Tip:** > “Would you be open to a suggestion?” > “Can I share an idea that’s worked well for others?” --- ### **20. Start With “Why” to Build Buy-In** Tracy says people are more cooperative when they understand the reason. **Tip:** Lead with purpose: > “Here’s why I’m reaching out…” > “The reason we’re recommending this is…” --- ### **21. Set Expectations Upfront to Avoid Miscommunication** Clarity avoids confusion and conflict. **Tip:** > “This will take about 20 minutes. I’ll ask a few questions, then we’ll look at options.” --- ### **22. Control the Frame With Questions, Not Arguments** He emphasizes shifting attention, not winning debates. **Tip:** > “What would have to be true for this to work for you?” This reframes without pushing. --- ### **23. Use the “Sandwich” Method for Difficult Feedback** Tracy advises to **start and end with positives**, with the challenge in the middle. **Tip:** > “You’ve done great work with A. One issue is B, which we need to fix. I’m confident we can do that given your track record.” --- ### **24. Communicate the Consequences of Inaction** He says people act faster when they feel urgency. **Tip:** > “If this isn’t resolved now, it could lead to X in 30 days.” Don’t exaggerate—be clear and direct. --- ### **25. Eliminate Filler Words for Authority** Words like *“just,” “um,” “maybe”* weaken your message. **Tip:** Train yourself to speak in clear, short, **complete** sentences. --- ### **26. Share Success Stories Instead of Explaining Alone** People believe real-life wins more than logic. **Tip:** > “One of our clients had this same issue. After two weeks, here’s what happened…” --- ### **27. Always Be Calm, Especially Under Pressure** Tracy says emotional control builds respect and trust. **Tip:** Even in high-stakes talks, use a steady tone, relaxed pace, and confident posture. --- ### **28. Anticipate Objections and Answer Them First** Proactivity signals expertise. **Tip:** > “You might be wondering if this fits your budget. That’s why we built a tiered option…” --- ### **29. Clarify Roles and Responsibility in Every Interaction** Unclear roles lead to delays. **Tip:** > “So you’ll take care of X, and I’ll handle Y. We’ll meet again Friday to review.” --- ### **30. End Every Communication With Clear Ownership** He teaches to always assign or confirm ownership. **Tip:** > “Who’s the final decision-maker on this?” > “Just to confirm, who will send the next update?” ---