Here are three keys to being more persuasive:
1.Make sure they know you respect their intelligence
2.Make sure they know you respect their character/intentions
3.Make sure they know that you're open to being wrong
These three things will instantly make you 1000x more persuasive with anybody.
*Edit: I realize in many cases you don't respect their intelligence or character, and you're 100% sure you're right, but that doesn't matter. If you want them to listen, you have to disarm their ego and you have to make them think you are open to being wrong. This accomplishes that. So bite the bullet and fake it. You won't be sorry.
There's a difference between being fake and exercising self control for the purpose at hand, which is to persuade. It's also not a bad idea to actually keep an open mind and make sure that before you try to persuade someone, you actually know exactly what their position is and how they arrived at it. People like to listen to people who are willing to really listen to them.
If you can't communicate with others respectfully and tactfully without feeling fake...you might want to pray about that.
Lol
Lol indeed. I like how you downvoted my reply AND replied to it. Telling.
Tellling
Here have an upvote. You seem like you need one.