If they sense we are there out of duty or some other motive than an interest in their soul, they are less likely to listen. Another attitude we sometime express is that we know everything and our prospect knows nothing. Granted, you likely know more about the truth than they, but if we reflect the attitude we have all the answers and our prospect can only come to an understanding of the truth through us, we have erred. We should enter such a study with the attitude the Bible has all the answers and through a mutual study of the Bible we can both increase our understanding of God's will for us. Proper attitudes can only promote the process underway to convert your prospect.
Bad attitudes can only hinder the process.
The effort to teach a lost friend or neighbor can be greatly damaged if we attempt to teach something we do not understand ourselves. This problem may be most common among new converts. You cannot be ready to give an answer if you haven't spent time in study and preparation. If we are prepared, the prospect can only learn. If we are not ready, our prospect will not be convinced what we are trying to say is true.