Advanced persuasion techniques for top producers, Part 2

September 30, 2012 at 08:00 PM
Share & Print

w

Mental Pivots and Mental Removers

Selling involves influencing and motivating prospects and clients to implement the things you want them to do. Two advanced persuasion techniques you can use are Mental Pivots and Mental Removers. Last month, we discussed Mental Pivots, which connect an agreed-upon statement with the persuasive direction you want the client to take. An example of a Mental Pivot is to first make an undeniable statement and then pivot it to what you are trying to convince the client to do.

This month, we'll explore Mental Removers.

Mental Removers

A Mental Remover is a technique that successful salespeople use to diminish a concept or get a client to except a notion immediately. In other words, it removes any mental barriers a client may have to your viewpoint. For example, they might use the words, clearly, visibly, right, would, obviously and ago. Another example is, "Certainly, working with higher net-worth clients will dramatically increase your income." So in these cases you can tell that using the "ly" word will defuse any preconceived attitude that a client might possess.

One of my coaching clients is a Philadelphia attorney who often tells me, "Obviously, anybody in their right mind would accept this." Hearing that would cause you to be fairly accepting of his statement.

You might even say it is a no-brainer to let someone know a concept is not even debatable. You have probably seen advertisements using the same words. Retailer WalMart uses the slogan "Always lower prices." The first thing you should think is lower than who, yet you accept the statement.

My first job was selling computer systems for Honeywell. IBM was the king of hardware and software at the time. I actually had clients tell me that they would never make a mistake by buying IBM. One client actually said, "Obviously, IBM has more dependable hardware. So we will seriously look at buying IBM first." That was so persuasive even to me that I even thought about changing companies from Honeywell to IBM.

Another example of a Mental Remover is the word clearly. For example, "I've taken a look at your financial plan and discovered that using diversification and safety clearly will produce investment results better than the strategy you were using before." In this case the word clearly makes the sentence so convincing that the client dare not argue for a better method.

Mental Pivots and Mental Removers are both very effective techniques you can use to become much more persuasive than ever before. 

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Related Stories

Resource Center