How Elon Musk Persuades
5 Lessons In 5 Tweets
[ THREAD ]
Let's go 👇
Before Elon and Tesla, electric cars were lame.
It was a niche market of eco virtue signalers and eccentrics.
Yes, Tesla has extraordinary technology. But half of its success is how Musk gets people to imagine a better future.
Lesson 1: Show Don't Tell.
One unique thing about CyberTruck? It's indestructible.
But rather than TELL you that, Musk has one of his deputies smash it with a sledgehammer.
CyberTruck repels it easily. The crowd erupts.
Lesson 2: Use Simple Words.
Every great persuader does this.
Most persuasion grandmasters are very smart. But they're not obsessed with SOUNDING smart.
Look at how Musk introduces the CyberTruck.
"It doesn’t look like anything else."
Simple. Short.
Lesson 3: Be Surprising.
Novelty is the most overlooked part of persuasion. Our minds are wired to recall the unexpected.
Sure enough, surprise is the biggest force behind Musk's product reveals.
Let's look at CyberTruck again...
1—
He calls the glass on CyberTruck "transparent metal glass." The name is surprising because we think metal is opaque.
2—
His team smashes the truck with a sledgehammer.
3—
His team throws metal ball at the window.
All of these are designed to surprise and delight.
Lesson 4: Signal Expertise.
Yes, use simple words. But some technical jargon enhances credibility.
Again, on CyberTruck:
"Part of this is the design change. We moved the mass to the outside. We created an exoskeleton."
You hear this and know Musk 'gets it' five levels deep.
Lesson 5: Be Confident.
Do you know what the WORST thing for persuasion is?
Getting rattled.
You can be angry and persuasive.
You can be funny and persuasive.
You can be serious and persuasive.
You can never be flustered and persuasive.
When a metal ball cracks the CyberTruck glass (contrary to Musk's expectations)...
Look at how Musk laughs it off:
"Yeah. Oh my f***ing God. Well, maybe that was a little too hard....Room for improvement."
Conclusion:
Musk uses all the tricks of persuasion grandmasters.
1. Show don't tell
2. Use simple words
3. Be surprising
4. Signal expertise
5. Be confident
Good news is, everyone can use these techniques.
That's all friends!
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