It’s astonishing to me when I have a discussion with most copywriters, marketers and entrepreneurs and they desperately look for the best approach to communicate or market a written message – when the most obvious tools are staring them right in the face.
What’s even more bewildering to me is that many of them have to look for the “best way” to motivate prospects to purchase their product or services – instead of first understanding what automatically actuates them to act.
If you haven’t judged what the most noticeable tools are that’s staring you right in the face, its unconscious psychological devices – more particularly, the thinking habits of every brain on the face of the planet earth.
Actually these Unconscious psychological devices are “motivations” of the mind that are engrafted deep within a person’s brain, and need only a simple “push button” trigger to set off an automatic response action from their brain in the form of placing an order, a demand for more information (generating leads), and/or a phone call or visit to the store or other place of business.
The idea of mind control has always been tempting to copywriters, salespeople, marketers and entrepreneurs. Why? Obviously, it gives the person who understands these psychological devices the privileged benefits to “push button” automatic fortunes.
If you’re a copywriter, in business or in the marketing arena who’s interested in specializing in this million dollar knowledge, you’re in luck because I’m going to share seven of them with you right here, and here they are:
1. Story– Everyone loves a good story
There’s something magical that occurs when you tell a story. The reader or listener has to become a participant in the story, in order to make sense of it. This is where you get them to FEEL, and almost realistically experience – in their imaginations, what you’re telling them. Unconsciously, this creates a memory and it is more difficult to overlook. Finally, it helps you make a bond with your prospect.
Practical application: Relate to your prospect and come up with a story that gives them imaginative reasons to use your product or service.
2. Time Distortion – “Pretending They Already Are”
Here’s the posture: “You already wish for and own this product and let me explain you what it’s like to.” Actually, what you’re doing is future
pacing their thinkings as if they are holding your product or service in
their hands. Employ simple descriptive phrases that enlighten a “sense” or “touch” response, and it instills in the mind of your prospects that they already own it. They will embark on to visualize the benefits of doing so all on their own.
Practical application: If you sell books, they are flipping through the pages. Electronics, they are applying this neat gizmo (pushing the buttons, twisting knobs etc). Cars, boats, anything – get in and drive it, grab the wheel.
3. Credibility – To Project Authority
Make what you say credible, and nothing hideous. Who is endorsing
your message? Do you have satisfied buyers of your products or services? What do they have to declare? Express that in your message. Show them experts approve your products. If it’s not authentic, your prospects are going to “pick up” on that. Reliability instills what you’re asserting is true, period. Just provide evidence.
Practical application: Request your clients for testimonials, even if you have to decently bribe them for one. Offer a discount, free sample, bonus, or report. In a sentence, the more credibility you create for you and your product or service, the more authentic the message becomes, and the less resistance they have when it comes to make a buying choice.
4. Urgency – To Act Now
Even if your sales message is expressively driven and potent — making
them feel like they want to buy, put a sense of urgency to emphasize
them to buy it now, and to not wait, period. Limited time offers, discounts won’t last, this deal won’t last long. No matter how commanding your sales message is, if they get away – after so long, the feeling and their buying decision erodes away their desire to buy now, until it’s gone.
Practical application: Bring forth a forceful reason to get your prospect to feel so compelled it’s totally necessary they must buy it now, because it’s urgent. Maybe employ “fear of loss.”
5. I Gave It To You Free, You’re Guilty – To Create The Return Effect
Ever found an offer in the mail of a free sample of a product? Ever visited a website and got 3 free chapters of a book? Giving away something to someone for free produces guilt, the feeling to return. If your friend buys you dinner, you might feel you should pay for the next time. It’s a natural instinct. When something’s given, the desire to give back is produced.
Practical application: Give away a free sample or freebie – anything for free. Make sure it is something of real value. After, suggest that you’ve given them something and how they’re one tuff nut to crack, because you’ve provided them something for free, and you haven’t heard back from them. Sit back, and watch them purchase…
6. Commit then remain Consistent – To Create Long-Term Friendships/Action
Here’s the posture: “If you’re purchasing from me now, we’re friends;
you’ll order more from me too.” You’ve acquired the customers’ confidence once you’ve laid down the first sale, and once they’re happy; make them happy again, and again. Buy something from the television and you’re almost always expected to buy more, it’s easy. Then, two months later, another offer from that same company rings on your phone in the other room, or the offer is waiting in your mail box when you get home. Normally, being a much higher priced product or service. Why not ask? You’re obviously qualified.
Practical application: If they buy once, get them to buy again and again. If you sell information memberships, sell all the tools and products that the membership consists of (improving your golf game membership website – sell golf clubs, balls, clothing, shoes etc.) If you sell them a book, sell them a home study course that’s more expensive.
7. Curiosity – To Keep Your Prospect Tuned In
Early in your sales presentation, promise what will happen when they
finish and complete your sales presentation, and keep them curious.
Curiosity is a powerful tool you can use to keep your prospect in suspense, and to search out the answers to satisfy that strong desire to “fill in” the missing information. Leave out certain information in your benefits that “trigger” the thought “What will happen if?”
Practical application: Instill and arouse curiosity early in your sales
presentation to cause your prospect to want to complete your message (i.e. tell them there’s a misspelled word in your sales copy, and if they can find it – they get a special deal. Ask them if they want to compelling benefit, and tell them they’ll find the answer as they continue to read, or pay attention to you.
As you’ve probably noticed, it’s infinitely more powerful to apply
these psychological devices in your presentation when you realize they all open the flood gates of a person’s brain, and deliver compelling emotions and complex thoughts and meaning. Anyone who comes across one of these seven applications will “undergo” the spell of this covert influence because it sparks response below a person’s surface awareness.
So, the only question to ask yourself is: “Are *you* going to use them?
To find out, simply go through the following checklist, and count the
number of items that apply to you.
1. You want more sales
2. You’re willing to look through your sales presentation making sure
each of these devices are applied
3. You prefer to *use* powerful knowledge over just “knowing it”
4. You want more power in your ability to influence others on
undetectable brain levels
5. You are curious and interested in creating more powerful
“unconscious” influence
6. Covert persuasion and influence doesn’t scare you and you’ll use it
to your advantage in ethical and judicious ways
7. You are willing to sit down and brainstorm how you can apply these
psychological devices to your sales presentations, even if only applying one device a day, because you know it’ll bring your more sales, and consequently, profits.
If at least 5 of the 7 above statements are true for you, then you’re
ready to use the most powerful form of undetectable communication that exists today. This is the best time to break into the covert persuasion and influence segment of communication.
