Effective Marketing Using Simple Consistent Language

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The best way to to increase sales is to focus on effective marketing using simple consistent language on all communications. To help you and your employees learn more about this important technique we have an article by Robert Deigh that appeared on Changing Minds.  

Effective marketing using simple consistent language works best no matter what you are selling.

 Whether you have four or 40,000 employees, your team should be “on message.” If your Web site says one thing about your organization, marketing materials say another and the sales team yet another, prospective customers will be confused. Confused prospects don’t buy.

Uniform and consistent messages are powerful. They give your team an indispensible guide with language to create effective proposals, marketing and PR materials, presentations, Web site text, and other public communication. Your message document need not be complex — 2-3 pages is standard. It should include four parts:

 

  1. The ID graph: This is a single paragraph that describes your organization. It should answer the question “What Can You Do For Me?” It is often used at the bottom of press releases under “About XYZCo.”
  2. The Elevator Speech: Keep it to two floors. You should state specifically how you can help your elevator-mate’s organization succeed (that’s what they really want to know when they ask “So what do you do?)
  3. Must Say Messages: The five or six most important messages everyone in your organization should know by heart and use in ALL communication. When you do a pitch meeting, for example, you should weave them into your presentation. And, the only reason to do a media interview is to get your messages out to your audiences via the reporter.
  4. Main Messages: These comprise a couple of pages of detail about your organization/services/products/issue that everyone on your team can cut and paste into proposals, presentations, brochures, articles, letters, Op-Eds, factsheets, marketing and sales materials.

 

Robert Deigh is principal of RDC Communication/PR and the author of “How Come No One Knows About Us?” (WBusiness Books, available May 2008), the PR guide for organizations large and small that want to win big visibility. Deigh helps organizations increase their visibility and build their brands by creating strong and positive relationships with the press and other audiences.

I think a great example of this technique is an auto dealership that sells a certain make of cars. The most effective marketing using simple consistent language from the first thing the consumer sees and hears about the cars and the dealership until they drive off the lot is what will sell the most cars. It also empowers sales people with the tools they need to persuade the client to buy from them.

 

Filed Under: Persuasion Tagged With: , , , ,

Propaganda and “The Bandwagon” Method of Persuasion

December 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Propaganda and the bandwagon method of persuasion are used all the time in advertising

Whenever it is necessary to get a crowd or group of people to join together for one purpose you may choose to use propaganda and “the bandwagon method of persuasion.”   This is not a new concept of course, the phrase bandwagon has been around a long time for a reason, it refers to a situation where others join or act  in unison with a group for a specific purpose. This method of persuasion is described in this short article found on Changing Minds. 

 

Make it appear that many people have joined the cause already, and that they are having lots of fun or getting significant advantage.

Show that those who join early will get the better prizes, such as positions of authority or other advantages.

Link it to morality and values, showing that those who join sooner are more moral and pretty much better people all around.

Make a loud noise. Use bright colors. Play a fanfare. Become impossible to miss. Be in-your-face until they join up.

Example

A political party holds a rally with much flag-waving and razz-a-ma-tazz.

A new religious group ensures all of its members attend services and become active participants in recruiting new members.

Discussion

The Bandwagon uses social evidence to legitimize itself and become attractive. It plays heavily on the need for belonging, making the group a desirable place to be. It may also use the scarcity principle, showing that it is better to join sooner or later.

The term ‘bandwagon’ came from the Temperance movement, where an open wagon would literally have a band on it and drive around town picking up drunks who would symbolically ‘get on the wagon’ of alcohol-free (and religious) living.

I think advertising uses this method very well. Just look at Apple. How many people really need all the beeps and whistles on the iPhone? Yet, consumers line up for hours just to say that they have it already,that they got it the opening day. I am mystified by this but it works everytime. Apple convinces people that they will sell out immediately and that the product will be impossible to find so that if they want to have the gadget of the moment they have to be there the first day. Clearly, propaganda and the “bandwagon method” of persuasion work like a charm. Genius.

Filed Under: Persuasion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proven Persuasion Techniques Used in Conversational Hypnosis

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Proven persuasion techniques used in conversational hypnosis

I came across this great list of proven persuasion techniques used in conversational hypnosis and I was sure many of you would enjoy them. They are very straightforward and I’ve only selected a few to highlight today but even if you just choose one or two you can really get good at, you’ll notice changes in the way others respond to you. So, here are some of the 30 proven persuasion techniques used in conversational hypnosis, found on Changing Minds.org that you can use to be more persuasive. 

“Whether we realize it or not, we use persuasive techniques every day to get the things we want by influencing others. While it may seem like some people are born to charm their way through life, persuading others with an enviable ease, the whole shebang at its heart is a science — something that anyone can learn to master with enough practice. If you’re looking to brush up your persuasion skills, whether to get your foot in the door at a business, sell a product, or even get a promotion, here are some tricks and tips that can help give you that desirable silver tongue. Backed up by loads of social science research, these techniques are sure to give you an edge in any negotiation or debate.

Be the first to give

Reciprocity is a powerful force in our society and one that can be used to sway others. Doing a favor for someone you want to persuade can help to put them in your debt, and may make them more willing to help you out in the future. One study found that waiters who gave diners mints before they placed the bill on the table got consistently more tips than those who didn’t.

Admit your weaknesses

When others see you as being more trustworthy, they’ll be much more likely to go along with what you’re trying to persuade them to do, whether it’s hire you or buy what you’re selling. It may sound counter-intuitive, but studies have confirmed the validity of admitting weakness. One such study sent out identical resumes with different cover letters, with one of the letters admitting a weakness. The honest cover letter-resume combo received many more call backs than the other which focused only on the positives.

Highlight not only what others have to gain, but also what they have to lose

Most people who are looking for a job highlight only what employers have to gain by hiring them, but research supports the importance of also pointing out what others stand to lose in a deal. Potential losses actually create a bigger impact than potential gains in the decision-making process, so no matter what you’re trying to convince others to do, show both sides of the coin.

Showcase the reactions of others

Humans are highly social animals, and we often make decisions based on the actions and beliefs of others. For instance, hotel guests are more likely to reuse their towels if they are shown a message stating that many others are already doing this, rather than one that promotes the environmental aspects of reuse alone. For those in the working world, testimonials and recommendations can be powerful factors in helping others to make decisions.

Find common ground

Likeability is often a key factor in winning people over and studies have shown time and again that one of the key factors in influencing how much a person likes another is how many similarities they share. So if you’re seeking to persuade, take time to find out about the other person’s interests and determine what common ground you two may share.

Get a foot in the door

Sometimes effectively persuading someone comes in baby steps, and getting them to stay yes to something small can lead to a greater chance that they’ll be on board with a larger idea in the future. A study on this phenomenon found that homeowners who agreed to place a small sign in their windows asking drivers to slow down were much more likely to agree to put a larger, more obtrusive sign in their yards later on than those who were not asked to display the smaller sign.

Smile

You’re not likely to influence anyone unless you have a smile on your face, but that smile has to be authentic. Humans are masters at detecting a fake smile. A genuine smile makes you more likeable, trustworthy, and ultimately more successful at convincing others.

Keep things simple

Want your writing and speech to be the most persuasive? Keep it simple. Studies have shown that writing is much more persuasive when penned at the eighth grade level, even with those who are capable of understanding much more complex language. Simplicity makes things easy to understand and easy to remember, and is a highly effective tool in getting your way.

Focus on the positive

Even if there are negative aspects of what you’re trying to persuade others to do, spinning these elements as positive helps create a more overall positive view. Take this study as an example. Researchers created three different ads, one playing up a restaurant’s cozy atmosphere, one simply advertising the restaurant but mentioning its lack of parking spaces, and one combing both the cozy aspect and the lack of parking. The third was the most positively viewed, as the participants felt the lack of parking made the restaurant even cozier.

Who are you trying to influence or persuade? What changes are you looking for? Only you can answer those questions and if you really want results you can’t go wrong with these proven persuasion techniques used in conversational hypnosis. 

 

Filed Under: Attraction, Conversational Hypnosis, Covert Hypnosis, Learn Hypnosis, Persuasion Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Persuasion is Like a Game of Follow the Leader

November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Drew Stevens PhD writes in the Changing Minds.org that persuasion is like a game of follow the leader. Does he really mean it is as simple as that? All you need to do is take a good look around you and you will notice that anywhere or anything people are flocking to, has become a leader in it’s niche. Persuasion is like a game of follow the leader and the one with the most followers…wins!

“When you were a kid did you ever play follow the leader? Do you ever wonder why there are things that attract us to certain people? Buyers today become attracted with those that are not only contrary but offer value, substance, something the community can benefit from.”

“Think of this. When there is a new diet doesn’t most individuals tend to flock towards it? When there is a new television show, why is it that many need to view it? The reason there is some benefit statement, something of value that attracts us.”

Learn about leadership from team sports examples.

“For those entrepreneurs and practice professionals, gosh even selling professionals believe it or not – similar systems apply. Therefore it is important to build systems and support tools that allow you to create a universe that develops visibility and creates community.”

“Why because when you create, share and dispense valuable content you become the thought leader in your universe. This makes you invincible and gets others attracted. When this occurs you create a community that flocks to you while telling others of your value. Don’t believe?”

“Great examples include the incredible community of Facebook that does not advertise, the incredible activity of Apple retail stores – the busiest store in any US retail shopping mall and yes-even celebrities. Joe Paterno’s termination created a storm of activists. This is the incredible value of creating community, they surround you, they talk about you, and they protect you.”

So what are key methods for establishing visibility and community?

  1. Provide presentations to local community groups and present content congruent with your marketing message.
  2. Create a “meme” a marketing message that does not stereotype you but offers information based on your value. Email me and I will provide you a quick template to create a valuable meme.
  3. Get involved in local volunteer community programs so that your neighbors know you.
  4. Write tip sheets and articles in regional periodicals or those national periodicals for associations were you are a member or seek membership.
  5. Create alliances with others that allow you to build off of the others active network.
  6. Use a series of self-promotional integrated marketing messages that create shameless promotion on your services and value.
  7. Use the 4 to 1 referral system and achieve multiple referrals from every one person you meet.

“Just like the games when you were a child of follow the leader you must become the leader. You must build the connections, so that people follow you, believe in you and cannot move without you. When your community becomes your marketing department, you have a world you own and cannot achieve without your value.”

Persuasion is like a game of follow the leader and the strongest leader will usually have the most followers and followers means attention, traffic, opportunity, strength power and most importantly in this case; money.

Share our post on facebook and twitter…

Filed Under: Persuasion Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Language of Persuasion and Covert Hypnosis

November 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There is a distinct language of persuasion and covert hypnosis that an individual must master in order to become really comfortable with any hypnosis technique. Today’s article found on Slaw.ca on how to close more clients using persuasion, discusses mirroring and other anchoring techniques that speak the language of persuasion and covert hypnosis with every single word.

What is mirroring and how do you do without someone knowing?

“In his book, Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. discusses many factors that affect how persuasive you can be with others. Cialdini was also one of the authors of Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, co-authored by Noah J Goldstein and Steve J. Martin.”

“Lawyers can use these persuasive techniques to help them increase the percentage of inquiries or initial consultations that turn into paid client engagements.”

“People like people who are like themselves; they hire people that they know, like and trust. In your initial consultation, you need to build up the like and trust factors in order to increase the chances that the potential client will want to work with you by the end of the consultation.”

“In an earlier post, Who Are You Marketing To, I talked about clients being a reflection of you:”

“People do business with people they know, like and trust. Clients are attracted to people who, at least in some ways, resemble them. In order to trust someone, you must feel comfortable that the person you’re working with shares some of your values and goals. Identifying your individual values and what you stand for can help clarify the kinds of clients that you will work best with.”

“In other words, you can identify the kinds of clients you want to work with by understanding more about yourself. In the same way, expressing an understanding of who your clients or potential clients are and what their concerns are can help persuade clients to retain you. The authors of Yes! suggest that mirroring behavior plays upon the natural inclination to like those who are similar to you; reflecting the client’s words and body language can help you seal the deal.”

“I’ve talked about “speaking your clients’ language” before (most recently in the context of networking); instead of using legal jargon or words only lawyers use, use the words your clients use. Legalese and jargon create more distance between you and your audience.”

“If your goal is to demonstrate your expertise and show potential clients and referral sources that you understand their problems and can help them, you want them to feel like they know you and that you understand them and their problems.”

“Mirroring verbal language makes clients feel understood. It increases their positive feelings toward you and makes them more likely to decide to retain you to represent them. Matching the rate and volume at which you speak to your client and mirroring their body language can further reinforce those feelings of closeness and comfort, foster rapport and can also aid in your persuasiveness.”

“Don’t make sudden or drastic changes, but be cognizant of how the potential client speaks and their body language. Be careful not to mimic or copy the other person exactly or your efforts can backfire.”

“Mirroring may not work in situations where a client is anxious or overly excited – in that case, mirroring by repeating the client’s concerns back to them, making sure that they know they have been heard and understood, but consciously not mirroring their anxiety level or rate of speech may be more persuasive.”

“In those instances, you may be more persuasive by being more calm and reassuring, and you may even be able to get them to mirror you. When the potential client begins to mirror you, you’ll know you are well on your way to being in synch and signing a new client.”

There are so many ways to practice the art of mirroring and the more you practice of course, the sooner you will master it. Mirror with your family and friends. Try it out on people at work or when you go out. Practice it even for few seconds with a waitress or barber. You can practice the language of persuasion and covert hypnosis almost anywhere.

 

Filed Under: Conversational Hypnosis, Covert Hypnosis, Learn Hypnosis, Persuasion Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts