You are in an unfamiliar room; take a minute to look around you. You will close your eyes in a minute, so concentrate on noticing everything that is brown in your environment. Commit them to memory. Ready? Now, close your eyes, and point to something green.
This is an experiment that corporate trainer and author Kevin Hogan often does with audiences; almost invariably, people fail. Why? Because he has told them what to see; he has planted the idea that they must remember brown, and so they put green out of their minds.
What does this have to do with selling? With negotiating? With influencing folks to buy your product, invest, or work with you? Find out - and you'll have a toolbox full of persuasion techniques at your disposal.
In Covert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game, Kevin Hogan and James Speakman write:
Covert persuasion is about bypassing the critical factor of the human mind without the process being known to the receiver of the message. It's about getting past both resistance and reactance. This is accomplished when one person sends a message and the message is received without significant critical thought or questioning on the part of the receiver.
In our example, the message sent was "brown." It is received without question by the audiences to whom Hogan speaks. For our purposes, we don't care if people see brown, green, purple, or orange - as long as they say "yes" to our proposals.
The same principles apply, though: if you can send these covert messages, you can overcome resistance and move more seamlessly towards your goal. At the same time, your "prospects" move towards their goals. Mutually beneficial solutions are at the crux of Covert Persuasion. You're not trying to trick people; you're trying to "advance everyone's position."
If you're the type to skim and move around in books, rather than reading from page 1 to done, chapter 4 is where the gold is. Here, Hogan and Speakman provide an in-depth "catalogue of techniques to choose from to get the result you want in almost any situation and with almost anyone."
Let's take a look at some of the most powerful tactics:
Synchronizing voice, breath, and posture. It's not enough to say that you are like your targets. You have to prove it. Subtle tactics, like matching the pace of their speech (but not verbal ticks, like constant "umm"'s or stuttering) are effective. If you're meeting with a rapid-fire talker, up your intensity. If they're more deliberate, slow down.
Studies show that breathing in sync with another person increases rapport. Believe it or not, this is one of the most potent covert persuasion techniques. Watch your inhalations and exhalations, and time them to get into rhythm with your target.
Posture is another key to synchronization and rapport. Don't mirror posture or body language directly - the covert will become overt, and uncomfortable. Instead, adjust your body so it is in synch. Are they slouched? Don't assume a power pose. Are they rigid? Don't flop all over your seat; sit straight and tall.
Harness the power of 3. From the Three Stooges and the Three Musketeers to the Holy Trinity and the Three Patriarchs of Judaism, the number 3 appears again and again in history, culture, music, and art. One reason is because as we evolved, we knew choice was critical to survival (e.g. we can run from a lion or fashion a spear: great choices!). But given too many choices, we become overwhelmed. Three is the magic number, the sweet spot. Three is the easiest number of points for anyone to remember.
Take advantage of this by making three points in a row. Make sure the first is a strong, clear fact. Follow with two assertions that could be open to interpretation or debate; the first will lend veracity and credibility to the next two.
These tactics will help you forge a shortcut into the minds of your targets, so you can lead them more quickly and efficiently towards "yes." The good news: Hogan and Speakman offer 45 more tactics in their book. Learn them, apply them, and persuade anyone.
